Scan barcode
sarah984's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I feel like there's a sort of tone you expect from a novel titled "You Sexy Thing" in a series titled "Disco Space Opera" that has a GBBO comp on the cover, and this book does not have that tone. It is extremely dark and graphic, as well as staggeringly cruel to one of the characters for seemingly no reason. Most of the characters feel like cardboard cutouts (the Firefly references are a mile a minute) and traits seem to spring up as required by the narrative. Most of the characters have no initiative at all and are simply shunted here and there by the plot. It's only getting 2 stars because I thought the cooking stuff was fun and the ship at least had a personality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Grief, and Slavery
Minor: Sexual content and War
uranaishi's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol, Classism, Domestic abuse, and War
writer_of_minds's review
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
This book charmed me with its opening, but developed into a middle that was borderline painful to read (see below). And it didn't end up delivering anything that felt very deep or interesting. I would put it in the "decent light popcorn reading" category, were it not for how dark it gets.
Things I liked about this book: it has a wacky, likeable ensemble cast of mostly non-humans. It has a living spaceship, which is effectively an AI character despite being biological, and spends a lot of time trying to understand its own emotions. It's a science fantasy which blends magic and the paranormal into its technology. And the whole premise is quirky and funny, while still presenting significant stakes: there are reasons why the restaurant venture really *needs* to succeed.
I also appreciated the book's take on cooking in space. Culinary skill in this setting isn't an indulgent attempt to find the most luxurious and alien ingredients possible; it's about dressing up what comes out of the replicator so it tastes more homey and nuanced. Also, points for at least some characters not eating animal products (I can't see any excuse for animal slaughter in a space-age future that has replicators).
Things I didn't care for: The book is written from an omniscient point-of-view that spreads across its ensemble cast. It can't quite decide what or who it wants to be about. And since it's a short book, this means we don't get a lot of time with any particular character - especially the titular bioship, whom I found the most interesting. There's also a fair bit of "backstory told through flashbacks," which I didn't mind so much, but it may have gotten a little excessive.
There's a long section in the book's middle during which the protagonists slide toward utter disaster, while doing almost nothing about it. Rather than making serious bids for escape, they wait passively while bad things happen to them. There's little hope in this part of the plot, the protagonists' degree of resignation doesn't quite make sense, and they aren't being protagonists - they're being victims. Victimhood happens to real people, and I'm not trying to insult anyone who's experienced it - it's just not something I want to read about in fiction. I don't enjoy pages and pages of watching characters helplessly suffer.
It seemed like the kind of book that would have a happy ending, even though the text was giving me no reason to expect one, so I kept reading. The break finally came when one person did something that everyone else considered "selfish" ...even though it was calculated to save two of the characters, and incidentally ended up saving all of them. Captain Nico didn't like it, but what alternative was she offering? She'd already let one of her people die, and she had no apparent plan for saving the others or herself.
The ending was open and messy, but offered *enough* closure that I was satisfied with it. This book could definitely have a sequel, but also doesn't need to.
Things I liked about this book: it has a wacky, likeable ensemble cast of mostly non-humans. It has a living spaceship, which is effectively an AI character despite being biological, and spends a lot of time trying to understand its own emotions. It's a science fantasy which blends magic and the paranormal into its technology. And the whole premise is quirky and funny, while still presenting significant stakes: there are reasons why the restaurant venture really *needs* to succeed.
I also appreciated the book's take on cooking in space. Culinary skill in this setting isn't an indulgent attempt to find the most luxurious and alien ingredients possible; it's about dressing up what comes out of the replicator so it tastes more homey and nuanced. Also, points for at least some characters not eating animal products (I can't see any excuse for animal slaughter in a space-age future that has replicators).
Things I didn't care for: The book is written from an omniscient point-of-view that spreads across its ensemble cast. It can't quite decide what or who it wants to be about. And since it's a short book, this means we don't get a lot of time with any particular character - especially the titular bioship, whom I found the most interesting. There's also a fair bit of "backstory told through flashbacks," which I didn't mind so much, but it may have gotten a little excessive.
There's a long section in the book's middle during which the protagonists slide toward utter disaster, while doing almost nothing about it. Rather than making serious bids for escape, they wait passively while bad things happen to them. There's little hope in this part of the plot, the protagonists' degree of resignation doesn't quite make sense, and they aren't being protagonists - they're being victims. Victimhood happens to real people, and I'm not trying to insult anyone who's experienced it - it's just not something I want to read about in fiction. I don't enjoy pages and pages of watching characters helplessly suffer.
It seemed like the kind of book that would have a happy ending, even though the text was giving me no reason to expect one, so I kept reading. The break finally came when one person did something that everyone else considered "selfish" ...
The ending was open and messy, but offered *enough* closure that I was satisfied with it. This book could definitely have a sequel, but also doesn't need to.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
Strong language
More...