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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Interesting world building.
Didn't have time to finish. Maybe I'll come back to it someday. While weird, it was very intriguing!
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
this is the kind of YA book/series i wish i had as a teenager. Much more engaging and creative worldbuilding than most dystopian young adult Scifi. Through navigating a matriarchal polygamist feudal society where lesbianism is normalized, even celebrated, questions surrounding gender, marraige, and class get to be explored from a lense that doesnt necessarily revolve around so many points of trauma for the reader, while still not withholding how bioessentialist and feudal class structures manifest legacies of trauma. Without going into spoiler territory, the premise of how they survive as a space faring society through uncritical consumption of lives-as-objects after lives-as-objects is particularly resonant with our dominant societies' ways of relating to both human and nonhuman lives deemed "objects," "resources," "necessary losses;" the very violence of how we define life is grappled with intimately.
There were a couple areas I wanted more exploration of and didnt quite feel satisfied with. In particular, I wanted more about the accountancy guards and their sensory sensitivities and how this and other differences/disabilities are navigated in this world. I also have some issues with how the main romance's conflict was "resolved" and hope the rest of the series returns to these points. I'll leave it here to avoid spoilers.
There were a couple areas I wanted more exploration of and didnt quite feel satisfied with. In particular, I wanted more about the accountancy guards and their sensory sensitivities and how this and other differences/disabilities are navigated in this world. I also have some issues with how the main romance's conflict was "resolved" and hope the rest of the series returns to these points. I'll leave it here to avoid spoilers.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What an amazing time. So queer, so intense, and pretty wild overall.
This is a story about an all-Black matriarchal society that lives within the bodies of giant space creatures, and you see the rollercoaster of a ride the main characters go on to better things for their people and for the beasts they're inside of. Coming off of just having read Dawn by Octavia Butler, which is also about a Black woman who is inside a living ship, this was great timing and honestly was such a fascinating read.
The more things you learn about the rules of this society, the impact of their existence within these creatures, and the worlds beyond, the quicker you'll be flipping to the next page to see what the hecks going to happen. Learning more about other humans, about the creatures, about what the main characters are willing to sacrifice, all was so great.
Its gory at times, (literally inside a body, and there are also a few cultural skin carving scenes, etc), and steeped in the politics of their society, I loved seeing the characters navigate the story. The norms of the society, queer and exciting in so many ways yet still harmful in its extremes. There were a few smaller plot points that felt unfinished or forgotten at times, especially by the end, but I was so into it overall that it didn't take much away from the experience for me.
This is a story about an all-Black matriarchal society that lives within the bodies of giant space creatures, and you see the rollercoaster of a ride the main characters go on to better things for their people and for the beasts they're inside of. Coming off of just having read Dawn by Octavia Butler, which is also about a Black woman who is inside a living ship, this was great timing and honestly was such a fascinating read.
The more things you learn about the rules of this society, the impact of their existence within these creatures, and the worlds beyond, the quicker you'll be flipping to the next page to see what the hecks going to happen. Learning more about other humans, about the creatures, about what the main characters are willing to sacrifice, all was so great.
Its gory at times, (literally inside a body, and there are also a few cultural skin carving scenes, etc), and steeped in the politics of their society, I loved seeing the characters navigate the story. The norms of the society, queer and exciting in so many ways yet still harmful in its extremes. There were a few smaller plot points that felt unfinished or forgotten at times, especially by the end, but I was so into it overall that it didn't take much away from the experience for me.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wild ride! Took a bit to understand what was going on, but once you got the hang of where and what they are doing, the story then smashes you through several brick walls. It is highly emotional, and you will feel all emotions for most characters. Kind of queer west side story meets space faring society with an ancient caste system, that really boils the blood under your skin. Highly recommend!