Scan barcode
quinnyquinnquinn's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Classism, and Injury/Injury detail
rachtmh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The chapter style and writing for this book was phenomenal! The spilt and inserts and pov changes, the characters, the plot, the intrigue! It all blew me away! I usually read high fantasy but have always had a soft spot for science fiction and this did not disappoint!
The pacing was a bit quicker than my normal but still great and there is plenty of diversity.
A must read for all sci-fi/space opera fans…and espionage…..in space!!!!
Definite re-read 5 ⭐️
The pacing was a bit quicker than my normal but still great and there is plenty of diversity.
A must read for all sci-fi/space opera fans…and espionage…..in space!!!!
Definite re-read 5 ⭐️
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Torture, Alcohol, Blood, and Classism
thecriticalreader's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Run-Down: Your mileage may vary with Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis based on your expectations of its genre, but it manages to convey a richly imagined sci-fi world filled with a colorful cast of characters.
Review:
Based on the cover and blurb, I expected Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis to be a low-stakes, cozy sci-fi mystery about found family set in a sumptuous hotel setting. Some of these expectations were satisfied . . . sort of. Is the book low stakes? No. Is it cozy? Depends on your definition of cozy; it certainly contains elements associated with the “cozy” genre, but it also conveys considerable darkness and tense thrill. Is it a sci-fi novel? Yes, but a soft sci-fi. Is it a mystery? Yes, but the mystery is unevenly developed and hastily resolved. Does it contain found family? Sort of—more like a group of coworkers who are fond of each other. Is the hotel sumptuous? Yes! As you might be able to tell, a person’s expectations could considerably alter how they respond to this book.
Some readers might not initially realize, for example, that each chapter of Floating Hotel follows a different hotel staff member or guest, creating a mosaic of slice-of-life stories tenuously connected by the central mystery thread. The chapters explore these characters’ backstories prior to their time at the hotel, thereby building a picture not only of their lives but life in the galactic Empire more generally. Curtis demonstrates a strong ability to vividly capture characters’ essences in a relatively short space, and each cast member is unique and fascinating in their own right.
Personally, I found myself sufficiently entertained and fulfilled by the book’s creative and effective worldbuilding and character descriptions. The mystery added enough stakes to the story to keep me glued to the page, even if it didn’t ultimately result in the payoff I expected. Your mileage may vary, however, which is why I recommend people read reviews before picking up Floating Hotel.
You might like this book if . . .
· You enjoy large casts of diverse and distinct characters
· You love books that take place in hotels
· You want to read a book that combines a slice-of-life approach with a high-stakes political mystery
You might not like this book if . . .
· You dislike books with multiple POVs (every chapter follows a completely different character)
· You enter the book with the wrong expectations
· You are a plot-driven reader
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Kidnapping
Moderate: Deportation, Murder, Blood, Death, and Torture
Minor: Colonisation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
szuum's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Torture, Murder, Death, Classism, Grief, and Colonisation
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Finished reading: March 13th 2024
"Every job in hospitality is the hardest job in hospitality. If you're not physically exhausted at the end of the day, you're emotionally wrung-out, or braindead from making too many decisions."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and DAW in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
It might come as a bit of a surprise to see Floating Hotel popping up on It's All About Books, because it's not exactly my usual genre... But there was just something about this cozy sci-fi slash space opera title that had me fully intrigued. The fact that it takes place on a huge space hotel probably has something to do with it considering my own background in hospitality... And I guess I saw the fact that it was going to be published on my birthday as a sign. I'm glad I did decide pick it up, because I ended up having an excellent time with this quirky story!
There is something unique about Floating Hotel, and therefore it might not be for everyone. This story doesn't seem to have a properly structured plot during most of the story nor does it follow one or two main characters; instead, Floating Hotel jumps between the different characters on board of the Grand Abeona and each chapter seems to be introducing someone new. There are also mysterious messages from a certain Lamplighter in between... This all might seem a bit tedious, but somehow it actually works.
While the POVs are different, there is always a common denominator in the form of the hotel itself, and the setting somehow binds everything together. The lives of the characters themselves intersect as well, and especially in the second half certain connections will become clearer. What at first glance simply seems like a collection of character backgrounds and random events, soon becomes a lot more layered as certain events take place and you start making connections and uncovering secrets. The structure of this story was very cleverly done and while the beginning was on the slower side, as soon as you start suspecting something strange is going on on board things become a whole lot more intriguing.
There is no doubt that Floating Hotel is mostly character-driven, and there are a lot of different characters in play at that. It is still quite easy to keep them apart though, especially since a lot of them appear in the other POVs as well. Things can be said about there being too many stereotypes and I don't think it's believable that most of them seem to love their job in hospitality (trust me when I say it's no picnic!), but I personally enjoyed spending time with this group of quirky characters. And despite the fact that Floating Hotel is set in the far future and in space, it is very much a cozy read indeed and the science fiction part isn't too overpowering at all.
All in all Floating Hotel turned out to be an unique and quirky cozy sci-fi story featuring a bunch of misfits and a space hotel where there is more going on than meets the eye. Initially it feels a bit disjointed with the constant switching to a different character, but everything does come together in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Toxic relationship, War, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body horror, Physical abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Colonisation, and Confinement
clarabooksit's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.
Told in a variety of povs, Floating Hotel is about the people who have made their way from across the universe to live and work at the Abeona Hotel. More than a giant, charming, if slowly decaying, spaceship hotel, the Abeona is a home and refuge for its inhabitants but it seems like something is about to threaten that safety.
Told in a variety of povs, Floating Hotel is about the people who have made their way from across the universe to live and work at the Abeona Hotel. More than a giant, charming, if slowly decaying, spaceship hotel, the Abeona is a home and refuge for its inhabitants but it seems like something is about to threaten that safety.
This took me awhile to get into. While the writing is engaging, each section is a new start as we get each character’s backstory, which made for a slow, winding read. The action does pick up near the end but the overall plot fell flat for me as it’s sparsely sprinkled throughout each character’s pov, which left the story without a sense of tension or even a build toward the ending. The plot scaffolding is there but not present enough to make the ending feel really impactful.
Where this book excels is in its character development—every one of the people onboard the Abeona felt real, nuanced and interesting with their own distinct voice. I was invested in each of them.
Unfortunately, the bulk of the book is made up of character backstories and there’s not enough on-page interaction between the characters, so the found family aspect is told but rarely ever shown. I know how the characters feel about some of their coworkers but I never got to experience them actually being a family.
Overall, I liked this, especially the character development, but was underwhelmed by the plot and the lack of the promised found family. It was fun discovering how each person came to be on the Abeona and how their stories contributed to the plot, but I wish there had been more on-page action as I was never fully invested in the mystery.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Genocide, Slavery, War, Abandonment, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Toxic relationship
theaceofpages's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I think this book could be best described as a cozy SciFi with a bit of mystery sprinkled in. The blurb intrigued me and it definitely lived up to it (mysterious love poems - sonnets to be precise- and all). It takes place on the Grand Abeona - an intergalactic hotel. While we do see snippets of the guests, the story focuses on the experiences of the staff, some of whom snuck aboard as stowaways (in one case to retrieve a countess's forgotten muff) and find friendship like they have never known before. I also loved the little drawings at the start of each chapter!
I loved reading about the hotel. It seems so fantastical (and of course reserved for the richest of the rich). The elegance of beauty of the hotel reminds me a bit of The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern), but it is light and elegant where the circus is more dark and gritty. The style and events are very different too. I would love to see the Galactic Diorama (think an artistic ever-changing map of the solar system that shows the position of the ship). It sounds like such a marvelous sight to behold. And despite all the glory and beauty that the guests experience, there is still a very real and functional ship behind the scenes (something I appreciated the author mentioning). I also enjoyed all the random little tidbits the author threw in about space travel that one would not necessarily consider (e.g. the lack of signal for most of the journey and the fact that people can't just leave because oops, they aren't close to anything). I feel like a lot of it might be based on how cruises function and has been expanded to a space setting. I definitely enjoyed the thought put into the hotel, its functioning and its surroundings. Given that space tourism is already (somewhat) a thing, I could definitely see the rich deciding t holiday in space in the future (even if not in quite this much of a tour like manner).
I loved the characters and their interactions. But that being said, there were a lot of them and it took me a while to be able to keep track of everyone. A character list would have been super helpful. There were a couple of points where I found myself wondering who a character was when we started following them, but I usually remembered within a couple of paragraphs. A list would still have been helpful though (especially should someone put down the book for a few days). All the characters were clearly well thought out and had distinct personalities. I enjoyed how close they all were and their movies nights. Working in such isolated conditions is definitely incredible for team comradery and the author captured this beautifully. I loved Unwade and how she likes that her physical prominence means that she is largely unnoticed by the guests and can go about solving mysteries undisturbed. Oh, and of course I love Garbage, because who doesn't love a pet rat?
If a found family story set in a space hotel sounds like your kind of book, I definitely suggest that you pick this one up. The writing is beautiful and the characters are lovely (even if they have to deal with not so lovely circumstances with the guests sometimes). This is definitely a ship I'd love to visit again, be it in real life or between the pages of a book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
I loved reading about the hotel. It seems so fantastical (and of course reserved for the richest of the rich). The elegance of beauty of the hotel reminds me a bit of The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern), but it is light and elegant where the circus is more dark and gritty. The style and events are very different too. I would love to see the Galactic Diorama (think an artistic ever-changing map of the solar system that shows the position of the ship). It sounds like such a marvelous sight to behold. And despite all the glory and beauty that the guests experience, there is still a very real and functional ship behind the scenes (something I appreciated the author mentioning). I also enjoyed all the random little tidbits the author threw in about space travel that one would not necessarily consider (e.g. the lack of signal for most of the journey and the fact that people can't just leave because oops, they aren't close to anything). I feel like a lot of it might be based on how cruises function and has been expanded to a space setting. I definitely enjoyed the thought put into the hotel, its functioning and its surroundings. Given that space tourism is already (somewhat) a thing, I could definitely see the rich deciding t holiday in space in the future (even if not in quite this much of a tour like manner).
I loved the characters and their interactions. But that being said, there were a lot of them and it took me a while to be able to keep track of everyone. A character list would have been super helpful. There were a couple of points where I found myself wondering who a character was when we started following them, but I usually remembered within a couple of paragraphs. A list would still have been helpful though (especially should someone put down the book for a few days). All the characters were clearly well thought out and had distinct personalities. I enjoyed how close they all were and their movies nights. Working in such isolated conditions is definitely incredible for team comradery and the author captured this beautifully. I loved Unwade and how she likes that her physical prominence means that she is largely unnoticed by the guests and can go about solving mysteries undisturbed. Oh, and of course I love Garbage, because who doesn't love a pet rat?
If a found family story set in a space hotel sounds like your kind of book, I definitely suggest that you pick this one up. The writing is beautiful and the characters are lovely (even if they have to deal with not so lovely circumstances with the guests sometimes). This is definitely a ship I'd love to visit again, be it in real life or between the pages of a book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Classism, and Cursing
More...