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izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
3/5
There were times in this book that I was hoping for a surprise that never game. Hopefully in the next book I will enjoy it more and end up liking this doualogy.
There were times in this book that I was hoping for a surprise that never game. Hopefully in the next book I will enjoy it more and end up liking this doualogy.
8lueminn0w's review against another edition
3.0
«But home isn’t just memory, I’ve decided: it’s knowledge, knowing where you belong and where you fit».
readerlatte's review against another edition
1.0
My Review: I wish that I could say that I loved this one because I really wanted to. But sadly the pacing in it just got to me around 250 pages. I just had to put it down and I am so sad that that happened. This one starts off so well but during the story, it just becomes so boring that I was doing everything I could not come back to it. This was supposed to be this amazing sci-fi title but what I found was a very slow story that I just had to say goodbye to. At first, I didn't want to quit because I really wanted to know what in the world was going on. But as the story progressed I just found that I didn't care anymore.
Go Into This One Knowing: Slow Pacing
Go Into This One Knowing: Slow Pacing
books4susie's review against another edition
4.0
Octavia English is the daughter of two zoologist living on the planet of N’Terra. Before she was born, her family and others were forced to leave their dying origin plant. The group had to land early because of mechanical problems with their ship. The natives called the Falovi have allowed the settlers to stay but no one has seen them since. With the election of Dr. Albatur as the head of the council, Octavia’s parents are at odds with each other. Not only are secrets being kept between her parents but Octavia has no idea what is really going on.
While visiting the Beak (Aviary), a pholax a large red bird, escapes but is quickly recaptured. After making eye contact with the philax, Octavia somehow connects with it and passes out when the bird is tranquilized. Here is just the beginning of a mystery that only goes deeper, not only about N.Terra but about Octavia herself as she experiences and knows things about the planet that she shouldn't. It's not long before Octavia realizes that her mother is hiding something very important about her daughter.
With the help of her internship friends at the Zoo, Octavia slowly begins to unravel the secrets that surround her and the planet. That last sentence was a killer.
While visiting the Beak (Aviary), a pholax a large red bird, escapes but is quickly recaptured. After making eye contact with the philax, Octavia somehow connects with it and passes out when the bird is tranquilized. Here is just the beginning of a mystery that only goes deeper, not only about N.Terra but about Octavia herself as she experiences and knows things about the planet that she shouldn't. It's not long before Octavia realizes that her mother is hiding something very important about her daughter.
With the help of her internship friends at the Zoo, Octavia slowly begins to unravel the secrets that surround her and the planet. That last sentence was a killer.
kaitbex's review
adventurous
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
jpanslabyrinthofbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Delving into this strange and mysterious world was a whirlwind adventure, praised to be an Avatar-esque novel with futurism and sci-fi as the leading genres. Cole has delivered a unique world building experience that I enjoyed, and want to know more about.
Octavia is the daughter of two head whitecoats on the planet of Faloiv where the study of animals is essential for their survival. However, when announced as a new apprentice alongside her friends Alma and Rondo, she is thrust into mistrust and deception as her loved ones are harboring secrets of immense tragedy and change. Can Octavia save herself from the damage, and can she protect the indigenous people of Faloiv from ruin?
Something I admired about the novel was the prospect of mystery and challenge our protagonist faces; distrusting her parents, never really understanding who holds the moral high ground in relation to their respective research - a mother who wishes to protect and remain, and a father projected into the past, seeking to propel their future using new technologies. There is a wide contrast between the natural order and man-made destruction that comes into force within this story. However, scientific studies and world building still didn't describe in depth the environment and fauna/flora of the planet in depth; something I was aching for. I wanted to be more lost in the world building and visualize the concept Cole has created.
I did enjoy the journey and discoveries made, the characters were fleshed out and had equally combative personalities that reflected a well rounded cast. Octavia was a strong protagonist, and Rondo and Alma were incredible companions. Samirah and Octavius were masterminds in their fields, and even the antagonists had depth and reason.
Octavia is the daughter of two head whitecoats on the planet of Faloiv where the study of animals is essential for their survival. However, when announced as a new apprentice alongside her friends Alma and Rondo, she is thrust into mistrust and deception as her loved ones are harboring secrets of immense tragedy and change. Can Octavia save herself from the damage, and can she protect the indigenous people of Faloiv from ruin?
Something I admired about the novel was the prospect of mystery and challenge our protagonist faces; distrusting her parents, never really understanding who holds the moral high ground in relation to their respective research - a mother who wishes to protect and remain, and a father projected into the past, seeking to propel their future using new technologies. There is a wide contrast between the natural order and man-made destruction that comes into force within this story. However, scientific studies and world building still didn't describe in depth the environment and fauna/flora of the planet in depth; something I was aching for. I wanted to be more lost in the world building and visualize the concept Cole has created.
I did enjoy the journey and discoveries made, the characters were fleshed out and had equally combative personalities that reflected a well rounded cast. Octavia was a strong protagonist, and Rondo and Alma were incredible companions. Samirah and Octavius were masterminds in their fields, and even the antagonists had depth and reason.
christajls's review against another edition
4.0
It’s only January but I feel confident that A Conspiracy of Stars will end up being one of my favourite science fiction novels of the year. It’s about a young girl, Octavia, who lives on the planet Faloiv. Her grandmother and parents helped settled the colony on the planet and set up N’Terra, a laboratory where they can live and study the native plants and animals in order to advance their own technology and survive on their new home. This is one of those novels you want to set aside time to sink into. At the beginning, Cole takes her time to slowly build layers onto the world and into the characters so much so that it really begins to feel like a real place that you’re visiting. But once the scene is set, the real mystery and adventure take over and you’ll have a hard time tearing yourself away from the page. Featuring a diverse cast and tackling issues like colonialism and the ethical dimension of scientific research, A Conspiracy of Stars would be the ideal read for fans of Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer and The Office of Mercy by Ariel Djanikian.
Originally posted on Bookmarked
Originally posted on Bookmarked
noolna's review
3.0
I felt that this was just too slow and a little too boring for me. I struggled to get through most parts and I found myself skimming. I also felt like the romance was too much too soon for me and I couldn't really get myself to like the protagonist.
zu_reviews's review against another edition
2.0
There was nothing fundamentally wrong with this book! If you loved James Cameron's "Avatar" movie, you'll probably love this. It had the seeds of so much I liked but it ultimately fell flat, only because of personal taste.
I wanted to see more of the alien planet, and the pacing was off for me. This is a duology but this whole book feels unnecessarily long to me and stretched. It was hard to keep picking it up and reading it, and honestly I only did because I I already bought the second book and felt bad not reading it.
I think I also expected a bit more nuance - for it to not be so black and white in terms of "good" and "bad". I have confidence the second book will be more enjoyable to me though because of how this one ends and where the MC is at. This book feels like the really long prologue to what I wanted to see - the world.
I wanted to see more of the alien planet, and the pacing was off for me. This is a duology but this whole book feels unnecessarily long to me and stretched. It was hard to keep picking it up and reading it, and honestly I only did because I I already bought the second book and felt bad not reading it.
I think I also expected a bit more nuance - for it to not be so black and white in terms of "good" and "bad". I have confidence the second book will be more enjoyable to me though because of how this one ends and where the MC is at. This book feels like the really long prologue to what I wanted to see - the world.
routergirl's review against another edition
3.0
There is some beautiful writing here - sparse, effective, sometimes lovely. But its combined with some cringe worthy aspects, and some areas not explored that left me wondering - perhaps to be addressed in a sequel. Cringe worthy - telepathic communication as blobs of color. Left me wondering - Eggs that are possibly not eggs, but kawa. Cringe worthy - so many MANY repetitive distinctions between life on Faloiv and the origin planet. Octavia seems to know what meat is (she mentions her father comparing a plant to it), but later in the book she is SHOCKED at what meat is. The interns, running around this high tech facility (with shielding glass windows that hide whats inside), with no one catching them? Dr. Albatur, the most villainy villain ever.
Ok, so maybe it was more cringe worthy than I thought. Still, I enjoyed it mostly, read it fast, and might pick up the next one, if there is nothing else on my to read shelf that looks more interesting.
Ok, so maybe it was more cringe worthy than I thought. Still, I enjoyed it mostly, read it fast, and might pick up the next one, if there is nothing else on my to read shelf that looks more interesting.