The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu

Published April 7, 2026 from Tor Books

1: It’s a little awkward the way the dialogue leads into the rest of the sentence.

2: Reading the words “squawks” and “catches” back-to-back feels kind of jarring.

3: Not sure about the coherence of the metaphor, but points for originality.

1: Some nice character insight for her and her sister.

2: This reads awkwardly, with two worldbuilding terms and then a verb that’s kind of just floating there.

1: I like how it gives an immersive view of the platform, but I’m not getting a strong image of the people it’s describing. Also, is self-possession something that you wear?

2: I think it could be clearer what caused the woman to drop her luggage.

1: Repeated word choice.

2: This is a fun characterization.

3: Different from what?

4: Unclear if “this” refers to her sister making death threats, possessing other people, or just talking down to her.

Verdict: Some nice ideas but it’s not drawing me in.