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l1lyfrancis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE!! i really really enjoyed the way the politics were set up, the characters were intriguing to read about, the diversity was really enjoyable and overall a great read!!! i highly recommend :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Domestic abuse
alexalily's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Torture, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use
stardustandrockets's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, Classism, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Violence
queer_bookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 ⭐ CW: death, cursing, Domestic Abuse (physical; emotional; minimizing, denying, and blaming; isolation, intimidation, using privelege), violence
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell is a standalone space opera taking place in a queer normative universe. This book was excellent! It had everything I love to see in my scifi: mystery, science, great characters, slow burn romance, and a profound statement on a serious topic.
We follow Prince Kiem of the planet Iskat as he is just learning he is to wed the Thean representative, Count Jainan, since his husband (who happens to be Kiem's cousin) has died. Neither are excited about this political marriage, but both try to make it work, despite how painfully awkward they are around each other. They grapple with figuring each other out as well as fighting against the accusations that Jainan was the one who killed his late husband.
Kiem and Jainan's relationship, though rocky at first, is so sweet! Kiem is your extroverted, overly talkative friend, who just pours kindness. Jainan is more reserved, almost timid, but calculating and focused. As much as I love Kiem, I just want to wrap sweet baby Jainan up in a blanket and take care of him! I loved all the characters in this! They were all so strong, even though they didn't have huge parts. Especially, Bel, I could have used more of her. I also loved how the Iskaners have a system of identifying gender based on what material you use to ornament yourself: wood for men, flint for women, and glass or nothing for nonbinary people. It was great to see casual nonbinary rep on the page. Kiem is also bi or pan.
This was a great, slow burn romance, but it was also a story about healing from abuse. Maxwell did a great job of depicting domestic abuse in all the subtle ways abusers do. It was beautiful and heartbreaking to see it all come together in the end.
If you or a loved one is being abused by a partner, please reach out to one of these resources:
US National Domestic Violence Hotline: www.thehotline.org or call 800-799-7243
Maine State Domestic Violence Helpline: 866-834-4357
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell is a standalone space opera taking place in a queer normative universe. This book was excellent! It had everything I love to see in my scifi: mystery, science, great characters, slow burn romance, and a profound statement on a serious topic.
We follow Prince Kiem of the planet Iskat as he is just learning he is to wed the Thean representative, Count Jainan, since his husband (who happens to be Kiem's cousin) has died. Neither are excited about this political marriage, but both try to make it work, despite how painfully awkward they are around each other. They grapple with figuring each other out as well as fighting against the accusations that Jainan was the one who killed his late husband.
Kiem and Jainan's relationship, though rocky at first, is so sweet! Kiem is your extroverted, overly talkative friend, who just pours kindness. Jainan is more reserved, almost timid, but calculating and focused. As much as I love Kiem, I just want to wrap sweet baby Jainan up in a blanket and take care of him! I loved all the characters in this! They were all so strong, even though they didn't have huge parts. Especially, Bel, I could have used more of her. I also loved how the Iskaners have a system of identifying gender based on what material you use to ornament yourself: wood for men, flint for women, and glass or nothing for nonbinary people. It was great to see casual nonbinary rep on the page. Kiem is also bi or pan.
This was a great, slow burn romance, but it was also a story about healing from abuse. Maxwell did a great job of depicting domestic abuse in all the subtle ways abusers do. It was beautiful and heartbreaking to see it all come together in the end.
If you or a loved one is being abused by a partner, please reach out to one of these resources:
US National Domestic Violence Hotline: www.thehotline.org or call 800-799-7243
Maine State Domestic Violence Helpline: 866-834-4357
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This queer sci-fi story was engaging and I was hooked throughout! I loved Kiem and Janian, though I wish the book had spent more time on us getting to know them as people (especially Janian, who we mostly come to know through his dynamic with Taam) and have it be more of a slow burn.
The world was complex and the writing was fairly wordy, but I was really captivated by the plot and the political dynamics at play.
The author was clearly trying to make some kind of statement about imperialism and colonialism, but it got lost in the rushed ending. I wish that there had been more of an anti-colonial lens applied to the story and that that lens was better explored in the ending.
This being said, I really liked the book overall!
The world was complex and the writing was fairly wordy, but I was really captivated by the plot and the political dynamics at play.
The author was clearly trying to make some kind of statement about imperialism and colonialism, but it got lost in the rushed ending. I wish that there had been more of an anti-colonial lens applied to the story and that that lens was better explored in the ending.
This being said, I really liked the book overall!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Colonisation
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Death
Minor: Murder and Gun violence
kabrahams's review against another edition
4.0
This was a wonderful blend of sci-fi politics and mlm romance. I'm a sucker for arranged marriage and forced proximity, so that aspect was a delight. Some aspects of the world were intricately detailed and felt very real, other aspects not so much. At times I wanted it to lean fully into the sci-fi politics, at other times into the slowburn romance. Overall, enjoyed it and want to read more by Everina Maxwell!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Death and Murder
the_bookish_rose's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
So when I first heard about this book, it was described as a “Red, White and Royal Blue but make it a space opera”. While it initially drew me in to read the book, I don’t think that’s how I would describe it.
In this novel, there’s two characters that are joined in a political marriage in order to keep the two major planets at bay. This comes after one of the characters, Jainan, is widowed by his late partner’s sudden death. The whole book reads more as solving the mystery of who killed Taam, and there’s plenty of twists and turns along the way. There is definitely some romance in the book, but to me it didn’t really seem like the main plot.
I enjoyed following the plot in the classic “who dun it” style, but towards the end I got a bit confused as to what was happening but the ending was well done and satisfying. Would definitely recommend if you like a good mystery read, as well as well as a LGBTQ+ space opera with a cute main ship between the main characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Kidnapping
mazomazli's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I absolutely enjoyed this book! Please note that it deals with past domestic violence however it is done with An extreme amount of care that if you usually avoid books with these because it is triggering you might find this story therapeutic. My absolute favorite part of the main relationship was the way that boundaries were respected, encouraged, and reinforced every step of the way. I also enjoy the main storyline though it could’ve used a bit more to make this a perfect 5/5 stars book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Torture, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Rape, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, and Colonisation
dolores_madil's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Death, Emotional abuse, Murder, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
werewolvesnotswearwolves's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Blood, Torture, Death, Sexual content, Murder, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Minor: Drug abuse