zana_reads_arcs's review
3.0
I saw that the author was doing a book signing for the sequel in my local bookstore, so I thought I'd check this out. Anything sci-fi, I'm down.
But this was just... Okay? It felt very generic. Like nothing at all stood out to me. And it was really long for some reason. Some characters and scenes could've been cut or mixed together and the story would've been fine.
I don't think I've had this happen before, but there were too many action scenes. Like it would've been great if we could've taken a few breathers to actually get to know the characters instead of putting them in these high stakes scenarios all of the time.
Man, this had potential. And I agree with everyone else that we were totally cheated out of the sapphic content. It was barely there. You had to squint really hard. Instead, there was a love triangle was just weird and misplaced.
I'm not sure why I didn't DNF instead of actually finishing it...
But this was just... Okay? It felt very generic. Like nothing at all stood out to me. And it was really long for some reason. Some characters and scenes could've been cut or mixed together and the story would've been fine.
I don't think I've had this happen before, but there were too many action scenes. Like it would've been great if we could've taken a few breathers to actually get to know the characters instead of putting them in these high stakes scenarios all of the time.
Man, this had potential. And I agree with everyone else that we were totally cheated out of the sapphic content. It was barely there. You had to squint really hard. Instead, there was a love triangle was just weird and misplaced.
I'm not sure why I didn't DNF instead of actually finishing it...
rikakohlrabi's review
4.0
This has a cyberpunk vibe but is maybe a little light on the setting details that one might expect to accompany that. The tropes are strong and it was a tad predictable in its twists and turns but I still enjoyed the characters and the way that they moved through the plot and interacted with each other. And the queer rep and not-cis-white-male-author rep in scifi are definite bonuses here. It's a debut novel so I'll definitely be giving the next one a read too.
j3mm4's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
2.5
The concept is interesting, but it's not especially original or well-thought-out. The worldbuilding is dumped out in clunky spoonfuls, a combination of really basic sci-fi borrowing and modern day references that aren't adequately incorporated into this futuristic society, as if the reader is too stupid to catch onto the surface level science fiction, or to understand it and the rest of the book. The two leads are bi, but Riven only seems to develop any kind of attraction to Asa after she discovers she lied about her identity and feels betrayed by her, which casts a really gross shadow on their relationship by creating the Doylist implication that their sexualities were set up to expedite the forgiveness part of a miscommunication-based betrayal plot. The head-hopping is usually demarcated by chapter subheadings or first line name drops, but none of the characters' voices are especially distinct, and there are word choices that verge on misuse all over the place. It's fine, but I feel like it needs a couple of rounds of developmental editing to make it actually good.
rengulick's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cbfredriks's review
4.0
4.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for providing an eARC in return for an honest review.
The author succeeds to immers the reader into this sci-fi/cyberpunk-influenced world with beautiful worldbuilding and descriptions. The plot is interesting and the pacing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat at all times. I was absolutely in love with the main characters Asa and Riven. Though the secondary characters seemed rather one dimensional in comparison at times.
All in all a very engaging queer sci-fi story that I can only recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for providing an eARC in return for an honest review.
The author succeeds to immers the reader into this sci-fi/cyberpunk-influenced world with beautiful worldbuilding and descriptions. The plot is interesting and the pacing keeps the reader on the edge of their seat at all times. I was absolutely in love with the main characters Asa and Riven. Though the secondary characters seemed rather one dimensional in comparison at times.
All in all a very engaging queer sci-fi story that I can only recommend!
c_bulin's review
Ugh, stereotypes galore, every move telegraphed, all tell, no show.
komarov's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I'm so glad it's over.
If you actually enjoy reading and you are not desperate for any representation (bad ones included) then avoid this book, it's 400 pages of nothing.
If you actually enjoy reading and you are not desperate for any representation (bad ones included) then avoid this book, it's 400 pages of nothing.
sarful's review
4.0
3.5
An enjoyable sci-fi action book, with some nice sexual tension between the two women. Too long, but I never got bored.
An enjoyable sci-fi action book, with some nice sexual tension between the two women. Too long, but I never got bored.
lfancher'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thesebookdelights's review
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions for sending me an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
Actual rating: 3.75
City of Shattered Light is a Ya fantasy sci-fi following outlaw Riven Hawthorne ad Heiress Asana Almeida. Whilst I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would, I still enjoyed it and it was quite good.
I loved the world building and the world. It was a tiny bit confusing, but not too confusing to the point where I had to stop and think or re-read certain points.
The actual story focused on Asa and Riven. This meant that their characters were well developed. However, because of this, the side characters suffered. They felt very flat and like we didn't know much about them bar the odd info dump. There are most definitely queer characters in this book - the book's synopsis makes it seem like a Sapphic sci-fi romance. However, upon reading I found a love triangle (m/f/f) with very little development of the f/f relationship until about 90% in and more action than romance. That being said, I loved both relationships and the bi-rep. A character I would have loved to see more was Morphett. I feel it would have made the story more exciting as it seemed like she had been forgotten by most of the characters. Maybe if there's another book, Morphett will be in it more alongside more development of the f/f relationship.
One of the characters has a terminal illness and sadly, this felt like it was forgotten about most of the book. It was only really bought up to follow the story. I would have loved to see it addressed more. Maybe it will be addressed in any future books, but for this one, it just wasn't done well.
Structure wise, there were a few inconsistences. It's supposed to be told from the perspectives of Asa and Riven but it was hard to tell when it switched. It's told in third person but I personally think it would have been better if it was told in first person.
All in all, it was a really good book, I just hoped I liked it more. That being said, I will definitely read a sequel
Actual rating: 3.75
City of Shattered Light is a Ya fantasy sci-fi following outlaw Riven Hawthorne ad Heiress Asana Almeida. Whilst I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would, I still enjoyed it and it was quite good.
I loved the world building and the world. It was a tiny bit confusing, but not too confusing to the point where I had to stop and think or re-read certain points.
The actual story focused on Asa and Riven. This meant that their characters were well developed. However, because of this, the side characters suffered. They felt very flat and like we didn't know much about them bar the odd info dump. There are most definitely queer characters in this book - the book's synopsis makes it seem like a Sapphic sci-fi romance. However, upon reading I found a love triangle (m/f/f) with very little development of the f/f relationship until about 90% in and more action than romance. That being said, I loved both relationships and the bi-rep. A character I would have loved to see more was Morphett. I feel it would have made the story more exciting as it seemed like she had been forgotten by most of the characters. Maybe if there's another book, Morphett will be in it more alongside more development of the f/f relationship.
One of the characters has a terminal illness and sadly, this felt like it was forgotten about most of the book. It was only really bought up to follow the story. I would have loved to see it addressed more. Maybe it will be addressed in any future books, but for this one, it just wasn't done well.
Structure wise, there were a few inconsistences. It's supposed to be told from the perspectives of Asa and Riven but it was hard to tell when it switched. It's told in third person but I personally think it would have been better if it was told in first person.
All in all, it was a really good book, I just hoped I liked it more. That being said, I will definitely read a sequel