Endearing Warm & Fuzzy Sci-fi from a Debut Author.
4.5 Stars
On Earth as It Is on Television was an absolutely unexpected delight! It hit all of the cozy sci-fi vibes, while being entertaining, intriguing, absurd, amusing, laugh out loud funny, heartwarming, and fun. Basically, all the notes a good sitcom should have!
Listening to the Audiobook
I listened to the audiobook of this story, and I thoroughly enjoyed Hayden Bishop’s performance. Once I got warmed up to the story and the way the different characters were being portrayed, the narration became just as comfortable as the story. Specifically, Bishop’s performance of the main nuclear family with The Wife, The Children and The Husband pulled you right into their lives, especially the children. They were the correct amount of annoying and inquisitive and demanding and innocent (also kudos to Jane for the writing in this area, but the performance was excellent!). While Bishop didn’t have a huge range of voices for the many different characters plus her narration, each character was distinct in their portrayal which in turn supported the writing. A superb match of author and voice actor.
Fun and Character-focused
I adored the whimsical writing style, and the dialogue (especially being performed in the audiobook) stood out in particular as genuine even under the crazy circumstances of the plot. This is another character-focused sci-fi story that stays grounded in the human relationships and reactions to extraordinary events. The conclusion to the story isn’t a big surprise – even though there are some twists throughout the novel – but it is also extremely satisfying. I was tearing up just a little, but with a grin and warm fuzzy feelings.
The first quarter to a third of the story is a little slow to get in to. Most of this has to do with Jane planting the seeds of story lines for later in the book and establishing the tone of the whole novel. Since this is her debut novel, I think this might be learning what the pacing should feel like for a full length novel. If you’re tempted to give up in the beginning, keep going – the characters come out of their shells and you’ll find yourself remembering even the little tiny details from the first part of the book where it felt like there was unnecessary exposition when really they were easter eggs for the observant.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to fans of cozy sci-fi, absurdist or satirical sci-fi (think Good Omens or Hitchhiker’s Guide), and those looking for a fun read. And cat lovers. I think Jane perfectly captures how cat parents talk to and about their fur babies (me included). I think she also captures some key cat behavior and lovingly translates into something any cat lover would enjoy. This was one of the best cat novels I have ever read, and for that it gets bonus points.
Respect the chonk.
While I listened to and reviewed On Earth As It Is On Television in 2023, the paperback is coming out May 7, 2024. I liked the original cover art, however the new paperback cover art is fantastic! This review originally appeared on my Goodreads account on October 20, 2023.
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