Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Star Daughter

I really wanted to like this book, and I think it could’ve been interesting, but ultimately it just wasn’t for me. It had a lot of really pretty description, but the characters and plot fell flat for me. Sheetal’s internal conflict was intriguing and well written, but she often came across as whiny when she interacted with the other characters, though I did appreciate her complicated feelings about her family members. I was also confused by a lot of the terminology and I think the author should’ve included a glossary. Overall, it was pretty mid and I think the right person could really enjoy it, but I know that wasn’t me.

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brookey8888's review against another edition

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adventurous informative 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

3.0

Sigh I really wish I enjoyed this more. I just felt like it was no big deal going to the star world and it was like normal? I don’t know how to explain it. I did find the myths interesting. I also loved the diversity! If this sounds interesting or you want to read a diverse fantasy I do recommend you try it.

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albon's review against another edition

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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luckykosmos's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Wanted to love this one but it was all over. The pacing needed work - there was a massive drought in the middle where it felt like nothing happened, that could easily have been used to better flesh out some of the plot threads (the star hunters! the missing marionettes!) . There were some lines that were gorgeous, but they were interspersed with very plain and uninformative - dedicating a single sentence to Sheetal's supposedly amazing dance was a big let down. At other times, it felt like thesaurus bait. If I had to read 'sidereal' one more time, I was going to scream. The ending was a mess, suddenly dealing with threads that were poorly seeded throughout the book. All in all, needed a big heap of editing, but the author definitely has wonderful ideas that need refinement in execution.

A note on the non-straight characters as well:

I have issues with the portrayal of so many of them as duplicitous in one way or another. Sachin sabotaging the other contestants is the big one of course, but even Sheetal spending so much time thinking about how Minal had betrayed her by blending in with the rest of the star kingdom (which we never see, we just know Minal isn't gone). Padmini's about-face on her attitude toward the mortals make sense in terms of caring for her brother, but the structure makes it feel incredibly selfish. Part of this could be just how many of the characters in the competition are fiercely defensive of themselves, but weak structure just makes me dislike most of them (really, anyone but Minal, who deserved better).

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journeythroughthechapters's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Thoughts
This was sadly a bit average for me. This cover is absolutely stunning and the atmosphere in the novel definitely matches the cover but this was not for me.

Things I liked
- The atmosphere: the world building and descriptions of the world was absolutely beautiful. I could visualise the world which is unusual for me. But I loved that I could picture this world. That is essentially what kept me reading

And I hate to say it but that’s about all I loved.

Things I didn’t love
- the writing: I hate floral writing and purple prose. I hate when it takes two sentences to describe one thing. And I hate when writing dances around the story. But if that is something you like then you might have a better time with this book than me.
- the plot: I don’t know if anyone else felt this way but I feel like there was so much happening but nothing at the same time. If you get what I mean…I feel because there were so many plot lines that nothing got fleshed out which was really disappointing because it is a clever idea but poor execution in my opinion
- the romance: Not necessarily the romance but the thought of romance was too much and too away from the story

With regards to the characters I didn’t hate them but I didn’t love them. As I said it was a very average book.

Representation
POC (main and side characters), Lesbian (side character)

Trigger Warning
Panic Attack, Violence, Bullying, Abandonment, Addiction

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