Komarr (Miles Vorkosigan Adventures)

Genre-wise, Komarr feels like the initial part of a romance book mixed with mystery. I hesitate to say mystery because none of these really are really true mysteries where the reader had enough information, but it's definitely Miles in investigation mode. Miles is learning his auditor role and goes with Auditor Vorthys to help investigate the destruction of planetary mirror array, staying with Vorthys's niece Ekaterin and her family. What seems like a small embezzlement situation turns into something with much larger political ramifications (as always).

I like seeing Miles as an Auditor and having to learn the limits of his near-absolute power. That finally, a dozen books later, he is in a position where he needs to be careful about what he asks for, because it will happen even if it shouldn't.

One thing I do appreciate generally about this book is that we get to see some of the less wealthy Vor social class who are struggling to get by. Most of the series is about incredibly powerful families on Barrayar who know the emperor on a first name basis. Here, Tien and Ekaterin Vorsoisson are struggling to make ends meet (although this is partially Tien's fault) but also are trying to maintain what it means for them to be Vor. I wish the series had more of this dynamic!

That said, specifically I don't find Tien to be particularly interesting other than as a source of trauma for Ekaterin. It partially reminds me of the bad fanfic trope where there's some established "character in the way" who needs to be made to look as bad as possible (here: controlling, sloppy, petty, mean) so that you can bring the two characters you want together.

I do think the Ekaterin and Miles flirting/romance here mostly works for me. I think it's really well written about what each find appealing about the other; Miles is looking for a competent Vor lady who can love Barrayar, and Ekaterin is looking for somebody who will let her grow and isn't afraid of her son Nikki's genetic disease. This is petty, but I think the only moment where this is ruined for me is the end of the book where Miles offers Ekaterin some jewelry (of a model of Barrayar) and says that he hasn't ever succeeded in giving any girlfriend Barrayar before. I think it's just the one-sided misuse of the word "girlfriend" here that makes Miles seem like he's twelve; even saying "woman" instead would have felt a lot better.