Scan barcode
this_one_is_blue's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book gets into deeper worldbuilding for Pinky's species, the Jump, and the political landscape.
One part that hurt my heart in a very "I've been there" way was the moment *after* Sirena makes a daring escape from space onto a ship. The elegant and composed princess experiences a moment of deep vulnerability due to her disability. She's ultimately uninjured, but as anyone who has had to prove (or felt they had to prove) their capability can attest, when your supports falter, you are left in an awkward situation at best. No matter how composed and capable you are, how used to working with and around a disability... you can still find yourself feeling exposed, vulnerable, or embarrassed. The scene doesn't linger and it isn't "tragedy porn". It's just a raw moment.
Sirena works overtime as medical staff with her training, but this book also shows just how much she is limited in locations (like ships) that her hoverchair can't maneuver through. She's an active part of the book, but she can't follow the rest of the Majera crew through the winding tunnels.
Hyvilma has Kitra starting to question just how infallible the government she has put her trust in truly is. Some of her fellow crew, like Marta and Peter, already have reservations and have experiences with getting the short end of things. Up until now though, Kitra has had little personal reason to look deeper.
As with the previous books, there is no "big bad". There are terrible situations, there are desperate individuals, there are antagonists - but no one is evil. Everyone has reasons, and they all think those reasons are justified.
A few other things I liked!
- We get more about Fareedh's family! My favorite rainbow-spacesuit-wearing guy!
- Where "Sirena" was a race against time and the environment, Hyvilma has more in common with submarine stories that I've encountered in '60s scifi. Communications are dangerous, the enemy or "enemy" is not fully known, and it all takes place in a contained set of locations. It gives the characters' fear and tension a closed in, breath-held feeling that was engaging even when they weren't "actively" facing a threat.
- First up-close look at the Navy that has been talked about.
- Pinky shows a side that he has covered up previously, more introspective and alien. His jokes are still there though, don't worry!
racheleanne06's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-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
4.5
FULL REVIEW HERE
So far we have followed Kitra and her crew on two adventures. The first (Kitra) was a thrilling expedition through hyperspace. The second (Sirena) was a mission to find the Princess of Atlántida a new world. And the newest book in the series, Hyvilma, is a heart-stopping race against time to save a damaged ship, and one of their shipmates…
As this series develops, we’ve have the chance to get to know the characters a lot better, and witness their friendships, relationships and all the drama that comes with a group of people sharing a small space and going adventures together. That’s why Hyvilma just hits in a different way, I am attached to these characters now, so to have one of them facing death was heart-breaking. Especially as the stakes are very high, and there’s lots of complications to overcome in the race against time to save this shipmate’s life. To add to this, there’s a damaged ship that needs their help, throwing us into a thrilling adventure full of danger and difficult choices. I am impressed at how much story and emotion Gideon manages to packs into 169 pages. It feels like you are reading a full 300+ page novel.
This series is also very diverse and inclusive, with one of our favourite body-positive crew members taking centre stage on the cover in Hyvilma. This series includes LGBTQ+ romance, a main character with a disability and it explores race and religion too.
Gideon wrote this series hoping to bring back the nostalgia of Juveniles, which are books he grew up reading, featuring “a young hero flying to the stars”. Personally, I hope to see more of this kind of story in the future, as I think Gideon’s books add a lot to the YA genre. They are fun to escape into, and they provide a few hours of entertainment, exploring the universe with an inclusive cast of characters. They have a touch of darkness, but they are also a lot of fun. And although these books are space adventures, they are also grounded, featuring realistic teen problems. They have a touch of romance, but it’s not the focus in this series, instead, friendships take the stage which makes this book just as suitable for younger teen readers as it is for older teens and adults too.
SUMMARY
Marcus has delivered us another fun, yet emotional, space adventure full of thrills, action, and heart-warming moments between a cast of characters that you’ll really want to be friends with. Not only is this series very inclusive, it’s also incredibly nostalgic and a fantastic piece of escapism. It’s only a short book, but so much is packed in, and it still remains both absorbing and fulfilling. If you want a few hours exploring the universe with a fantastic host of characters then this series is perfect for you!
So far we have followed Kitra and her crew on two adventures. The first (Kitra) was a thrilling expedition through hyperspace. The second (Sirena) was a mission to find the Princess of Atlántida a new world. And the newest book in the series, Hyvilma, is a heart-stopping race against time to save a damaged ship, and one of their shipmates…
As this series develops, we’ve have the chance to get to know the characters a lot better, and witness their friendships, relationships and all the drama that comes with a group of people sharing a small space and going adventures together. That’s why Hyvilma just hits in a different way, I am attached to these characters now, so to have one of them facing death was heart-breaking. Especially as the stakes are very high, and there’s lots of complications to overcome in the race against time to save this shipmate’s life. To add to this, there’s a damaged ship that needs their help, throwing us into a thrilling adventure full of danger and difficult choices. I am impressed at how much story and emotion Gideon manages to packs into 169 pages. It feels like you are reading a full 300+ page novel.
This series is also very diverse and inclusive, with one of our favourite body-positive crew members taking centre stage on the cover in Hyvilma. This series includes LGBTQ+ romance, a main character with a disability and it explores race and religion too.
Gideon wrote this series hoping to bring back the nostalgia of Juveniles, which are books he grew up reading, featuring “a young hero flying to the stars”. Personally, I hope to see more of this kind of story in the future, as I think Gideon’s books add a lot to the YA genre. They are fun to escape into, and they provide a few hours of entertainment, exploring the universe with an inclusive cast of characters. They have a touch of darkness, but they are also a lot of fun. And although these books are space adventures, they are also grounded, featuring realistic teen problems. They have a touch of romance, but it’s not the focus in this series, instead, friendships take the stage which makes this book just as suitable for younger teen readers as it is for older teens and adults too.
SUMMARY
Marcus has delivered us another fun, yet emotional, space adventure full of thrills, action, and heart-warming moments between a cast of characters that you’ll really want to be friends with. Not only is this series very inclusive, it’s also incredibly nostalgic and a fantastic piece of escapism. It’s only a short book, but so much is packed in, and it still remains both absorbing and fulfilling. If you want a few hours exploring the universe with a fantastic host of characters then this series is perfect for you!
gideonmarcus's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-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
More...