An Unkindness of Ghosts

Aster, from whose perspective most of the book is told, is dark-skinned, queer, and neuro atypical. She is also an unparalleled super-genius, blessed by the privilege of a prodigy, able to grasp and apply evidence-based knowledge better than the most celebrated professionals on Matilda. She is also a resident of Q deck, an underclass physically separated from the upper decks by race, gender, and neurotype. As such, her genius is not recognized except by those who immediately need her care. Rather, she is treated to the same trauma as her cohort, in constant physical danger from those who enforce the nebulous law on Matilda. The cultural effect of this trauma is no less severe, blocking her from her family and land. 

During the autopsy on the Sovereign, Theo tells Aster, “you’re not my intellectual equal. You’re my intellectual superior” (136). Theo believes he is encouraging Aster through a bout of professional insecurity. However, the reality of Aster’s metal state is more complex than Theo assumes. While she is fully confident of her technical ability, her hesitance is due to the fact that she is avoiding the trauma of memory and family that Sovereign's illness represents. Aster’s access to communication, love, community, and memory define her, and that access is often interrupted from sources both internal and external.