Vorkosigan Readthrough: Ethan of Athos

[extrapenguin]

It's here, and rather more issue-y than I recalled.

• Genetically repairing fetuses is a thing.


• Homophobia is alive and well at Kline Station.


• Ethan is woefully underprepared and has no idea what he's doing.


• "Quinn Excites Dismay" :D


• "women's work" – sexism is alive and well in the Nexus, sigh.


• SPACE IS NOT COLD, VACUUM IS AN INSULATOR LMB NO.


• Did no-one import the tech for same-sex couples to have kids genetically related to both? That's a thing that should exist, given the biotech level.


• Quinn mailed Okita's clothes to Admiral Naismith – I now want fic of Miles receiving the clothes.


• Terrence is very, very screwed up, consistently with his upbringing.


• ...Speaking of which, did no-one in the Cetagandan administration pause and think "this is a terrible idea, the kids'll be able to read minds" and then order them to be treated well? Like, Terrence's upbringing counts as major Idiot Ball imo.


• Elli is delightfully dramatic.


• Did Terrence rent the Presidential Suite, or were they taking turns pacing?


• Ethan shows his ingenuity with the grocery shopping.


• Does Elli regularly talk with the not-present Naismith to develop plots?


• The false disease vector report thing was very ingenious.


• My favorite minor character is the Security guy who cites the codes Millisor's violating. Bureacracy!


• So, what can we learn of Millisor's lifestyle from the doc's report, beyond the fact that he's stressed?


• Based on the remark that Mr. Coffee-Colored Skin couldn't be Cetagandan: are all Cetagandans pale skinned? (Some must be, since Barrayaran Ceta descendents are still being discovered, ergo they can't all have been much different to Barrayarans in skin tone, but all? Is this using the shorthand Cetagandan = ghem?)


• Apparently Bharaputra's hitmen have coffee-colored skin as a common feature.


• Did Elli get the hobby of "banging her head against brick walls" from Miles, or did she already have it?


• The resolution was a bit too pat and not that foreshadowed.

Next: "Labyrinth", on Sunday 16.10. (I'm increasing the gap to 4 weeks, since my schedule is rather full.)