Scan barcode
astropova's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Characters are my main reading pathway, and the characters in this book did not feel strong to me. We have this big cast of characters, and at first they are all very different from each other and vibrant. However, that quickly seems to disappear as the quirks start feeling more like window dressing rather than purposeful. Most of the characters do not end up very fleshed-out at all. Only Ocean, Teo, and Phoenix get any significant screentime during which they could possibly have a character arc. And yet it seems that Haven is the only one that experiences any significant growth.
My second issue is that the pacing seemed very off. There's this air of mystery and investigation for the entire book, but the final confrontation is extremely abrupt. It felt kind of like the author didn't really know how to tie up any of the character arcs or relationships, so instead she just plopped the final battle in. This ties into my issue with the characters. There seems to be no resolution to anyone's problems or relationships, nor to many, many plot questions. I am left wondering:
Also, I don't think the description and the comp titles do a good job of previewing the book. The comparison to Firefly I can agree with, but this felt nothing like Becky Chambers to me, probably because of the supreme lack of chemistry between the characters. The description also makes it seem like Ocean was really going to struggle with her lack of Korean-ness, but this seems to be limited to just
Finally, I read this book as an audiobook, and I do not recommend it. I think the narrator did an ok job, but struggled with male characters' voices and mispronounced pretty standard words.
Really bummed that I didn't enjoy this very much. The cover is beautiful and that's what made me grab it. Definitely props to the artist!!
Graphic: Violence and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Murder
Minor: Toxic relationship
rorikae's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
The novel centers on a cast of characters, primarily Ocean Yoon and her friend Teo. Ocean is working aboard a space ship when Teo's ship is attacked. After reports note that he has arrived home, Ocean and the crew of the ship she is on are surprised to find an escape pod with Teo outside of their ship. As they work to determine what is really going on, they get caught up in space fights and Teo's family's business history.
This story has so much promise. It has great characters, a fascinating world, and interesting political situations. Unfortunately, it tries to do far too much in too short of a space. Though I like the characters and understand their motivations, I never felt like I had the full amount of time to fully get to know them. Plot beats move too quickly and the ending is particularly rushed. With a complex world and political machinations, this book should have been given a lot longer. More time on each plot point would have gone a long way. I will definitely be interested in what Cho writes next since they clearly have a great mind for plot and characters. I hope in their next book, they will provide themselves more time to let their story really feel fleshed out and well paced.
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Classism
chanlo1994's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Car accident
caseythereader's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
- Y’all know how much I love a ragtag space crew adventure, and OCEAN’S GODORI is a great one, full of gunslinging, witty quips, and found family love.
- Cho hits that sweet spot of worldbuilding and interstellar politics where it feels real but doesn’t get bogged down in too many people or other details.
- My one gripe is the pacing - some parts moved very fast and others felt super slow. However, it’s a pretty short book so even the “slow” parts don’t last too long.
- I really hope this becomes a series. The ending is left wide open, and I’d love to see what else Cho can do.
Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Alcohol
kuporeads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Fire/Fire injury
bookish_purrsuits's review against another edition
Maybe it's because I went into this book expecting something like Becky Chambers, but none of this worked for me which is a huge shame. The cover is gorgeous and I really was looking forward to reading a diverse space opera!
Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Torture
starrysteph's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Colonisation, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, Classism, Grief, Mental illness, Death, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
btaylorb's review
- 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
5.0
I picked up the ARC and am recommending it for purchase for the library where I work. A slow start that focuses on the characters, with breadcrumbs of backstory that give early insight into both their motives and social, cultural, and technological details of a future solar system colonized by humans. The pace ramps up after about 100 pages with some well executed fights and space-chase scenes, without sacrificing some thoughtful exploration of the consequences of capitalism and colonialism on outer space. I appreciated the bi representation; The chemistry between all the characters clearly defines crew relationships, friendships and burgeoning romances. Even the side characters within the two crews feel distinctive and fleshed out. The ending feels like it could be satisfying enough as a stand-alone, but with enough things left unresolved (and also kind of a cliffhanger!) that left me excited for the possibility of follow-ups.
Other things this book has that made me love it:
- Cheeky, nerdy Shakespeare references.
- Romantic tension that is expressed and played out in different ways for the different characters involved. I didn't feel like I was reading the same love story with different faces pasted on. Hope that makes sense?
- Ocean is such a compelling character in my opinion. The moment where she tells another character that she doesn't regret something she did in her past was very powerful to me. I loved the discussion of being able to stand by your own decisions and actions, and the impact that has on her life in both good and bad ways. That steadfastness that might make her seem stubborn, arrogant or (ugh) "unlikeable" is also what makes her crew trust her.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Gun violence
Minor: Colonisation and Classism