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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I saw a lot of enthusiasm for this on GR and elsewhere, I love sci-fi, and I've enjoyed a few K-pop romances, but this didn't really work for me. It is very fanfic-y, and I love a lot of fanfic, but not the idol band parts of it, which always seem to feature people with no sense of personal space as if that's a positive. Anyway, if your sweet spot is people presuming to touch other people uninvited, you night like this better than I did. It takes a moment to understand what constitutes a band in this universe, and that's somewhat interesting, but it takes a lot of skill to write about sound/light/color in a compelling way, and I don't think it was achieved consistently here. The romance is annoying and vanishingly mild. I doubt I will continue with the series.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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:
Complicated
might’ve been a little slow but the world-building is so fresh and beautiful and characters are so complex and charming that I was… shall we say, transfixed !
Absolutely adored this.
It had a bit of a slow start, but once it turned fully into its "singing competition at alien boarding school" plot I was totally on board. I won't talk about what the book is about, because describe the plot makes it sound weird and random, but on page within the narrative it works super well. I love the way this alien music functions and introduces both mundane and alien aspects.
The real highlight of the book is its protagonist, Phex. With a traumatic childhood that turned him into a refugee with no real home, he is quiet and reserved, hardened but still kind, and I really really enjoyed reading from his perspective.
Some of the bullying subplots felt overdone, but I suppose they fit into the book, and I hope they won't return in the sequels.
I gotta admit, I was really miffed when I reached the ending, because it cut the book off in the middle of the story. I had not previously read into the marketing of the book so I hadn't realized it is a fully written story published as a trilogy (if I'm not mistaken.) Thankfully books 2 and 3 will still release this year, but I wish I had only started reading when all three are out. Having finished this now, I felt roughly yanked out of the story, and it will be awkward to get back in without re-reading, but re-reading a book so soon after having first read it is also awkward, you know?
Still, great book, I had a great time with it, I loved the aliens. The one thing I'm not sure I'm looking forward to in the sequels is the romance, but maybe it will convince me.
It had a bit of a slow start, but once it turned fully into its "singing competition at alien boarding school" plot I was totally on board. I won't talk about what the book is about, because describe the plot makes it sound weird and random, but on page within the narrative it works super well. I love the way this alien music functions and introduces both mundane and alien aspects.
The real highlight of the book is its protagonist, Phex. With a traumatic childhood that turned him into a refugee with no real home, he is quiet and reserved, hardened but still kind, and I really really enjoyed reading from his perspective.
Some of the bullying subplots felt overdone, but I suppose they fit into the book, and I hope they won't return in the sequels.
I gotta admit, I was really miffed when I reached the ending, because it cut the book off in the middle of the story. I had not previously read into the marketing of the book so I hadn't realized it is a fully written story published as a trilogy (if I'm not mistaken.) Thankfully books 2 and 3 will still release this year, but I wish I had only started reading when all three are out. Having finished this now, I felt roughly yanked out of the story, and it will be awkward to get back in without re-reading, but re-reading a book so soon after having first read it is also awkward, you know?
Still, great book, I had a great time with it, I loved the aliens. The one thing I'm not sure I'm looking forward to in the sequels is the romance, but maybe it will convince me.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-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
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I believe in Phex!
Phex is an adorable, albeit insecure, potential god who is desperate to find a place to fit in after escaping his childhood as a Crudrat on the Wheel. Somehow, without really understanding how it happens, he finds himself recruited to sing for the Dyesi’s entertainment empire, which is actually sort of a quasi religion and who’s best stars are considered to be actual gods. Yes, it sounds like a strange, intricate plot, but by the end I, too, was a believer. I now worship Phex and his merry band of intergalactic alien friends. I think they’ll make amazing gods.
Can’t wait to see the divinity unfurl in the rest of this series.
Phex is an adorable, albeit insecure, potential god who is desperate to find a place to fit in after escaping his childhood as a Crudrat on the Wheel. Somehow, without really understanding how it happens, he finds himself recruited to sing for the Dyesi’s entertainment empire, which is actually sort of a quasi religion and who’s best stars are considered to be actual gods. Yes, it sounds like a strange, intricate plot, but by the end I, too, was a believer. I now worship Phex and his merry band of intergalactic alien friends. I think they’ll make amazing gods.
Can’t wait to see the divinity unfurl in the rest of this series.
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Yes