Set on a colony encircling Jupiter in a distant future, Malka Older’s genre-blending novella The Mimicking of Known Successes opens with Investigator Mossa looking into the disappearance of a university scholar assumed to have jumped or been pushed from a remote transit platform, thereafter presumably perishing in the gas giant’s freezing, punishing atmosphere. Back at the university she recruits her once-girlfriend Pleiti, also a scholar, to assist with her investigation, the two of them attempting to understand what might have prompted an almost universally disliked man to disappear. The deeper they dig the more the mystery thickens, becoming more dangerous than they could have expected, while their unexpected reunion inevitably stirs up old memories and emotions once thought laid to rest.
Equal parts clever Holmesian detective story and fun, romantic adventure, you might call this a sort of sci-fi gaslamp mystery, with a lovely contrast between SF elements like food sequencing and stasis pills, and anachronisms like gas-powered lighting and old-school unreliable communications. It’s cosy academia really (exploring “the subtle spheres of university politics”), much of it set in or around the atmospheric university, and it’s hard not to envy Pleiti her quarters complete with porters, dumbwaiter, and gas fire to ward off Jupiter’s chill. There are moments of action and excitement, especially as things ramp up towards the end, but mostly the tone is warm and the pace measured, with lots of slightly awkward conversations over tea and scones, and walks bundled up in atmoscarfs against the wind and the mist.
The central mystery proves enjoyably twisty and, ultimately, nicely satisfying, but the real standout elements are the gradual rekindling of Mossa and Pleiti’s friendship, and the beautifully realised setting – a world where, with a few exceptions, life is by necessity geared towards collaborative living and shared goals. Older poses smart and thought-provoking questions about what life might be like on a remote colony where familiar real-world resources are scarce, where academia is primarily focused on finding a way to one day return to Earth, and where residents have to deal with multiple diurnal cycles and the scheduling conflicts that ensue. Set to this backdrop it’s a real joy to see Mossa and Pleiti figuring out how to collaborate while tentatively working through the sense of unresolved history that’s hanging over them.
It’s all told in a slightly old fashioned style which maybe won’t be for everyone, with prose that’s occasionally a little wordy as befits a story set largely in academia. Once you wrap your head around the setting and the style (and the jump from Mossa’s POV in the prologue to Pleiti’s viewpoint for the rest of the book) though, it really is a warm, comforting read. It’s rewarding to spend time in this sort of (largely) hopeful space, with characters puzzling out how to balance looking to the future with living in the moment, and working on important projects with enjoying comfort and relaxation. Mossa and Pleiti are quite alike in some respects – both find escape in their work, especially when away from dealing with people – and very different in others, but their shared history and obvious compatibility helps make them genuinely compelling protagonists.
If this sort of sapphic, cross-genre, academically cosy detective story appeals, then definitely look out for The Mimicking of Known Successes. The setting alone is fascinating, but the combination of characters, themes and mystery comes together perfectly, making great use of the novella format to deliver a tight story with a really strong sense of identity, which is genuinely rewarding to read. And thankfully there’s a sequel on the way with The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles due in February 2024!
Review copy provided by the publisher
The Mimicking of Known Successes is out in March 2023 from Tordotcom Publishing – check out the links below to pre-order your copy:
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