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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
This review appears on my blog: https://confessionsofabookwormweb.wordpress.com/2020/07/06/book-review-the-stars-we-steal-by-alexa-donne/
I've been meaning to read The Stars We Steal since last year when I borrowed my friend Allison's ARC, however I never got to it. But I decided that I was going to wait to read it in February of this year, when it was released. One of the biggest draws for me is that it was priched to me as a Persuasion retelling set in space, which sounded very intriguing.
The Stars We Steal follows Princess Leonie Kolburg, also known as "Leo", who is the heir to a destitute spaceship where Leo is desperately trying to figure out how to make ends meet. In order to save her family from losing everything, she either needs to find a way to patent her invention, or find a husband durinf the fleet's Valg season, as season in which all the young adults get togeter and spend a month going on various activities in the hopes that they will find a spouse at the end of the season.
However, Leo's plans go awry when an ld friend and old love shows up, Elliot, who has recently become a successful captain. Several years ago he was deemed as an unsuitable match, but now that he is wealthy, all the women are looking to catch his eye, he also seems determined to make Leo pay for breaking his heart in the past. However, Leo finds that she still has feelings for the one who got away.
I really enjoyed The Stars We Steal and thought tit was a very compelling read...in fact, I read most of it in one sitting! It was a good take on Persuasion and I loved the setting of aboard a spaceship and felt that the world building was done very well.
Before I get into the things I liked, let me first discuss a couple of things that I did not like. The first thing was, and I apologize if this is a minor spoiler, is the rebel group Freiheit that makes an appearance at the beginning of the novel, and mentioned in passing several times...I kept expecting there to be more about them, and that they had played a bigger role in the novel, but they weren't, especially since there is some question as to who might be involved with them, but then it just kind of disappears.
The second thing I didn't like is that Elliot's backstory seemed thrown together and I felt like there was a lot more that could have been explained about it.
Alright, now into everything that I liked about the novel. First, Leo, she was a really great character and she tries deperately to live life as she wants to, or to try and save her family from being destitute, or the duty to marry well in order to help her family. I also liked how she interacted with the other characters throughout the novel. Another thing I really liked about Leo is that I believe she is a plus-sized character, however even though she is ridiculed by a few of the other characters, she also described as being beautiful in her own way, which I appreaciated.
And then there is Elliot, who I think is supposed to be swoon-worthy, and he is at times, but he is also kind of a piece of crap. One of the main things that made him unlikable was that he initially comes back into Leo's life to make her miserable, and there are a couple of other things he does through the novel that make him extremely flawed.
The plot was pretty good and a there was a decent plot-twist near the end, however there were some bluffs to potential action - which I mentioned before - that ended up being just thrown in and kind of a letdown.
Overall, I reall enjoyed The Stars We Steal and I am excited to read more of Alexa Donne's books in the future. I might try and pick up her first book Brightly Burning soon! 4/5 Stars.
I've been meaning to read The Stars We Steal since last year when I borrowed my friend Allison's ARC, however I never got to it. But I decided that I was going to wait to read it in February of this year, when it was released. One of the biggest draws for me is that it was priched to me as a Persuasion retelling set in space, which sounded very intriguing.
The Stars We Steal follows Princess Leonie Kolburg, also known as "Leo", who is the heir to a destitute spaceship where Leo is desperately trying to figure out how to make ends meet. In order to save her family from losing everything, she either needs to find a way to patent her invention, or find a husband durinf the fleet's Valg season, as season in which all the young adults get togeter and spend a month going on various activities in the hopes that they will find a spouse at the end of the season.
However, Leo's plans go awry when an ld friend and old love shows up, Elliot, who has recently become a successful captain. Several years ago he was deemed as an unsuitable match, but now that he is wealthy, all the women are looking to catch his eye, he also seems determined to make Leo pay for breaking his heart in the past. However, Leo finds that she still has feelings for the one who got away.
I really enjoyed The Stars We Steal and thought tit was a very compelling read...in fact, I read most of it in one sitting! It was a good take on Persuasion and I loved the setting of aboard a spaceship and felt that the world building was done very well.
Before I get into the things I liked, let me first discuss a couple of things that I did not like. The first thing was, and I apologize if this is a minor spoiler, is the rebel group Freiheit that makes an appearance at the beginning of the novel, and mentioned in passing several times...I kept expecting there to be more about them, and that they had played a bigger role in the novel, but they weren't, especially since there is some question as to who might be involved with them, but then it just kind of disappears.
The second thing I didn't like is that Elliot's backstory seemed thrown together and I felt like there was a lot more that could have been explained about it.
Alright, now into everything that I liked about the novel. First, Leo, she was a really great character and she tries deperately to live life as she wants to, or to try and save her family from being destitute, or the duty to marry well in order to help her family. I also liked how she interacted with the other characters throughout the novel. Another thing I really liked about Leo is that I believe she is a plus-sized character, however even though she is ridiculed by a few of the other characters, she also described as being beautiful in her own way, which I appreaciated.
And then there is Elliot, who I think is supposed to be swoon-worthy, and he is at times, but he is also kind of a piece of crap. One of the main things that made him unlikable was that he initially comes back into Leo's life to make her miserable, and there are a couple of other things he does through the novel that make him extremely flawed.
The plot was pretty good and a there was a decent plot-twist near the end, however there were some bluffs to potential action - which I mentioned before - that ended up being just thrown in and kind of a letdown.
Overall, I reall enjoyed The Stars We Steal and I am excited to read more of Alexa Donne's books in the future. I might try and pick up her first book Brightly Burning soon! 4/5 Stars.
*Spoiler*
POOR DANIEL.
From the beginning, I didn’t think that ‘The Stars We Steal’ was going to be my cup of tea, but the first part of the novel was in fact, a delight to read. The problem with pacing and many plot threads and characters being introduced and then disappearing, just to appear again gave a very jarring affect that dampened the enjoyment of my reading. It was still a fun romp until the engagement with Daniel and the subsequent *spoilers* breaking off of it, with no real resolution for any other characters spoiled it for me. I do find it irritating as an LGBT person when characters who are LGBT are reduced to sidekicks or fall by the wayside for a ‘normal’ person’s happiness. I very much appreciate Alexa’s inclusion of these characters - I loved Daniel and Evgenia, however I just wish that there had been a happy ending for Daniel as the other characters had, and that Evgenia being a lesbian didn’t feel so much like a plot device to stop her from being another rival. Overall however, I enjoyed the style and the writing and I will be reading more of The author’s books in the future!
POOR DANIEL.
From the beginning, I didn’t think that ‘The Stars We Steal’ was going to be my cup of tea, but the first part of the novel was in fact, a delight to read. The problem with pacing and many plot threads and characters being introduced and then disappearing, just to appear again gave a very jarring affect that dampened the enjoyment of my reading. It was still a fun romp until the engagement with Daniel and the subsequent *spoilers* breaking off of it, with no real resolution for any other characters spoiled it for me. I do find it irritating as an LGBT person when characters who are LGBT are reduced to sidekicks or fall by the wayside for a ‘normal’ person’s happiness. I very much appreciate Alexa’s inclusion of these characters - I loved Daniel and Evgenia, however I just wish that there had been a happy ending for Daniel as the other characters had, and that Evgenia being a lesbian didn’t feel so much like a plot device to stop her from being another rival. Overall however, I enjoyed the style and the writing and I will be reading more of The author’s books in the future!
okay listen - i loved this book! was it the next mind-blowing, incredibly written, must-read bestseller of our generation? no! but i couldn't put it down and THAT counts for SOMETHING. i was heavily invested in the plot, the characters, and i didn't really care so much about the details because it was a fun little space romp with bridgerton-esque drama. and as we all know, i love a fun little romp!
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 stars
I was intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book, especially because the novel looked like a re-telling of Jane Austen's Persuasion (I find that most of the re-tellings out there are based on Pride and Prejudice). Sadly, it was a pale imitation of the real thing, and rather painful to read in some parts.
Here goes a list of all the things I struggled with while reading:
1) The setting/era- the book was clearly meant to be set in a future universe with a space/sci-fi theme to it. The trouble was, vague descriptions and a lack of world building left me with a vague and blurry impression of where this story was actually taking place. A giant space station? A planet? Some other nebulous portion of the galaxy close to Earth? These descriptions of "ships" had no context whatsoever and I struggled to even imagine what this world was like other than a few references to technology and virtual reality. Honestly, the book could have taken place on planet Earth in modern times because the setting did absolutely nothing to contribute to the plotline.
2) The plot- I kept reading this book and wondered where things were going. Oh, and I kept wondering where the climax was too. Sadly, I didn't find it. There was some potential in the beginning with the introduction of a Robin Hood type of rebel group that threatened mayhem and chaos and would have lifted the story, but this plotline disappeared almost as quickly as it came. The black market plotline was nothing more than a teaser in the background and served mainly as a source of angst for the main couple in question. The villain of the story could be spotted a mile away, so there was no surprise there as well. Basically, plotlines were vaguely introduced and then dropped in favor of a much duller main love story.
3) The characters- extremely one-dimensional and single-minded with really no sign of growth or development. Leonine/Leo the main character has her good moments and demonstrates flashes of female empowerment. But she quickly reverts back to a "teenager in love" trope, can't make up her mind, makes foolish decisions, and in the end picks the guy we all knew she would end up with (but frankly is just as one-dimensional as her, condescending, and rude and not at all the stuff of romantic dreams or a healthy relationship).
4) The love story- I've seen other folks comment on this, and I agree with their assessments that this was a "tell" story rather than a "show" when it came down to the relationship. All of the supposed relationship building between Elliot and Leo happened in their past, and so now we get to assume that they had a love for the ages and are meant to be. The trouble is, it's hard to believe when half the time they are ignoring each other, trying to make each other feel guilty or hurt by their actions, or fighting in the present timeline. The romance simply wasn't believable, and it felt very contrived.
5) Borrowing from Persuasion- don't get me wrong, I love a good re-telling. However, the fact that this book had such a strong and classic story foundation to use and then didn't get creative at all with the adaptation made me more frustrated than anything. The author goes so far as to re-use names (Wentworth, Elliot, etc) and even lines straight from Persuasion, including this particular one: "I am half agony, half hope." Line such as this are beautiful and poetic when read in Jane Austen's original context. Here, it just feels like a laugh and a stab at romanticism, especially coming from such a morally gray and manipulative character like Elliot. In addition, the fact that the book uses modern language for the entirety of the book and then decides to slip in this tidbit from a book written in the 1800s is just too much to handle. It leaves me wanting to beg the author to stick to one era.
All in all, I was left very disappointed and it's doubtful that I'll read anything else by this author. If anyone is looking for recommendations of other re-tellings set in a dystopian or future world, I'd highly recommend the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer- the world-building is solid, contributes to the story, and the characters are wonderful.
I was intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book, especially because the novel looked like a re-telling of Jane Austen's Persuasion (I find that most of the re-tellings out there are based on Pride and Prejudice). Sadly, it was a pale imitation of the real thing, and rather painful to read in some parts.
Here goes a list of all the things I struggled with while reading:
1) The setting/era- the book was clearly meant to be set in a future universe with a space/sci-fi theme to it. The trouble was, vague descriptions and a lack of world building left me with a vague and blurry impression of where this story was actually taking place. A giant space station? A planet? Some other nebulous portion of the galaxy close to Earth? These descriptions of "ships" had no context whatsoever and I struggled to even imagine what this world was like other than a few references to technology and virtual reality. Honestly, the book could have taken place on planet Earth in modern times because the setting did absolutely nothing to contribute to the plotline.
2) The plot- I kept reading this book and wondered where things were going. Oh, and I kept wondering where the climax was too. Sadly, I didn't find it. There was some potential in the beginning with the introduction of a Robin Hood type of rebel group that threatened mayhem and chaos and would have lifted the story, but this plotline disappeared almost as quickly as it came. The black market plotline was nothing more than a teaser in the background and served mainly as a source of angst for the main couple in question. The villain of the story could be spotted a mile away, so there was no surprise there as well. Basically, plotlines were vaguely introduced and then dropped in favor of a much duller main love story.
3) The characters- extremely one-dimensional and single-minded with really no sign of growth or development. Leonine/Leo the main character has her good moments and demonstrates flashes of female empowerment. But she quickly reverts back to a "teenager in love" trope, can't make up her mind, makes foolish decisions, and in the end picks the guy we all knew she would end up with (but frankly is just as one-dimensional as her, condescending, and rude and not at all the stuff of romantic dreams or a healthy relationship).
4) The love story- I've seen other folks comment on this, and I agree with their assessments that this was a "tell" story rather than a "show" when it came down to the relationship. All of the supposed relationship building between Elliot and Leo happened in their past, and so now we get to assume that they had a love for the ages and are meant to be. The trouble is, it's hard to believe when half the time they are ignoring each other, trying to make each other feel guilty or hurt by their actions, or fighting in the present timeline. The romance simply wasn't believable, and it felt very contrived.
5) Borrowing from Persuasion- don't get me wrong, I love a good re-telling. However, the fact that this book had such a strong and classic story foundation to use and then didn't get creative at all with the adaptation made me more frustrated than anything. The author goes so far as to re-use names (Wentworth, Elliot, etc) and even lines straight from Persuasion, including this particular one: "I am half agony, half hope." Line such as this are beautiful and poetic when read in Jane Austen's original context. Here, it just feels like a laugh and a stab at romanticism, especially coming from such a morally gray and manipulative character like Elliot. In addition, the fact that the book uses modern language for the entirety of the book and then decides to slip in this tidbit from a book written in the 1800s is just too much to handle. It leaves me wanting to beg the author to stick to one era.
All in all, I was left very disappointed and it's doubtful that I'll read anything else by this author. If anyone is looking for recommendations of other re-tellings set in a dystopian or future world, I'd highly recommend the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer- the world-building is solid, contributes to the story, and the characters are wonderful.
The Bachelor meet space opera ... it was a sweet story where you can see everything for a mile away, but still cute to read.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
