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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
The audiobook narrator was good and I don't think I would've finished if I was reading physically, so she was doing a lot of heavy lifting in keeping me going. The vibes of the world were supe interesting, but the larger picture didn't really make sense as to why humanity moved to Jupiter and if they were on other planets/what the move to Jupiter looked like. Pleiti was annoying and I didn't get why Mossa would be into her. The romance had no substance and nothing about their relationship made sense to me.
Also at one point towards the end someone calls Pleiti a conservative and she starts crying and like... it read like conservatives making fun of liberals and made no sense with the rest of the book like why are we acting like being called a conservative is the sort of insult that would make you start crying? I get that she was mad that someone viewed her opinions differently than she did but like get it together girl! The overall government system and politics of this world were not explained at all so idk if they even use conservative the same way we'd use it, which made it make even less sense in context.
One cringy line isn't enough to ruin a book but since Pleiti was irritating to follow, I wasn't interested in the relationship, the world wasn't very developed, and the mystery wasn't anything special, I don't think I'll continue the series.
Also at one point towards the end someone calls Pleiti a conservative and she starts crying and like... it read like conservatives making fun of liberals and made no sense with the rest of the book like why are we acting like being called a conservative is the sort of insult that would make you start crying? I get that she was mad that someone viewed her opinions differently than she did but like get it together girl! The overall government system and politics of this world were not explained at all so idk if they even use conservative the same way we'd use it, which made it make even less sense in context.
One cringy line isn't enough to ruin a book but since Pleiti was irritating to follow, I wasn't interested in the relationship, the world wasn't very developed, and the mystery wasn't anything special, I don't think I'll continue the series.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really need to stop trying to read mysteries. I had hoped that good worldbuilding and a queer romance would be enough for me, but this book moved like molasses for me. I only really enjoyed the book by the very end when everything was finally coming clear.
Things I thought were done well: many elements of the worldbuilding of life on Jupiter felt tactile and genuinely lived-in; the aesthetics of noir mystery set in a swirling-mist world beset by storms; the inherited grief of a lost world and the ways different people respond to that even generations later. Oh, and two autistic-coded people navigating romantic history together.
If you enjoyed the eerie ambiance of Solaris by Stanislaw Lem, but wished the toxic relationship was healthy and queer, and the brutal violence of it was held at arm's length with many pots of tea and plates of scones, then this might be your jam.
Weirdly, even though the vibes were excellent, the actual details were often lacking. I had the damnedest time visualizing the trains, the platforms, the ways the rails intersected (I kept wishing for a map, especially since they're constantly referencing maps, globes, etc.) or how the settlements looked in relation to Jupiter itself. I got the sense that the author picked scones and tea because they're inherently cozy and easy to repeat again and again. But it seemed to me that much of the food and the cozy elements might have been added in as an afterthought at someone else's suggestion, rather than it coming from a love of culinary delights. For example, more than once the characters consume vague "food packets" or something that is a layered protein cylinder?
At times both main characters sounded so similar that it kept taking me out of the story. It seemed like you might have switched up their dialogue and not really noticed, much of the time.
Also, the main reason this book felt like a chore: I found the writing so stilted, convoluted, and formal that it left me frustrated and unable to write my own work, because my own mental "voice" has taken on her specific patterns.
This book probably deserves more than three stars, but I have to balance my appraisal of the success the author had in doing what she set out to do, with the fact that I really had to force myself to finish it. It just wasn't for me, but I shouldn't punish the author for that.
Things I thought were done well: many elements of the worldbuilding of life on Jupiter felt tactile and genuinely lived-in; the aesthetics of noir mystery set in a swirling-mist world beset by storms; the inherited grief of a lost world and the ways different people respond to that even generations later. Oh, and two autistic-coded people navigating romantic history together.
If you enjoyed the eerie ambiance of Solaris by Stanislaw Lem, but wished the toxic relationship was healthy and queer, and the brutal violence of it was held at arm's length with many pots of tea and plates of scones, then this might be your jam.
Weirdly, even though the vibes were excellent, the actual details were often lacking. I had the damnedest time visualizing the trains, the platforms, the ways the rails intersected (I kept wishing for a map, especially since they're constantly referencing maps, globes, etc.) or how the settlements looked in relation to Jupiter itself. I got the sense that the author picked scones and tea because they're inherently cozy and easy to repeat again and again. But it seemed to me that much of the food and the cozy elements might have been added in as an afterthought at someone else's suggestion, rather than it coming from a love of culinary delights. For example, more than once the characters consume vague "food packets" or something that is a layered protein cylinder?
At times both main characters sounded so similar that it kept taking me out of the story. It seemed like you might have switched up their dialogue and not really noticed, much of the time.
Also, the main reason this book felt like a chore: I found the writing so stilted, convoluted, and formal that it left me frustrated and unable to write my own work, because my own mental "voice" has taken on her specific patterns.
This book probably deserves more than three stars, but I have to balance my appraisal of the success the author had in doing what she set out to do, with the fact that I really had to force myself to finish it. It just wasn't for me, but I shouldn't punish the author for that.
A good read-alike if you're looking for vibes like in Becky Chambers' books! A sapphic sci-fi mystery set in the future with some interesting environmental/climate commentary. It is high-stakes yet low on violence. It took me a couple chapters to understand the depth of the characters and their dynamic, and once we got to see a little more of their background, I really enjoyed following their investigation. The world-building is clearly fully developed in the author's mind, and we get to see a few relevant pieces at a time (not overwhelming with excessive details, refreshingly!). I really enjoyed this first in a series and have already pre-ordered the second book. Looking forward to seeing where Mossa and Pleiti go next! Highly recommend.
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
medium-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:
No