The Flowers of Vashnoi

This was a nice little trip back to the Vorkosigan Saga that takes a somewhat underserved character and gives her some space to breathe on her own. I've liked Ekaterin since she first appeared in Komarr, but it was always a little difficult to get a complete read on her, as Miles' intense gravitas always obscured her a little.

The story itself seemed like an attempt to wrap up some loose ends - we spend a whole lot of time in the Vashnoi Exclusion Zone, we get a followup on the butter-bug plotline from A Civil Campaign, and as mentioned we get some more time with Ekaterin. All around, a pleasant read.

This novella is a casual afterthought to [b:A Civil Campaign 12779339 A Civil Campaign (Vorkosigan Saga, #12) Lois McMaster Bujold https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1446998868l/12779339.SY75.jpg 1093445], an episode in Ekaterin's life four years after her marriage. It adds a little something to the series, but isn't essential reading. She is the protagonist here, accompanied by Enrique Borgos and his bugs, with her husband relegated to the background.