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ethias's review against another edition
2.0
I had high hopes for this book because I had heard it had non-binary representation and I am non-binary. It does have non-binary rep but the way it’s done just felt very gimmicky and I didn’t like the “twist” that Hiro was forcibly turned into Saito Ren, I feel like it could have been done better.
I really don’t like how pandering the book felt to be honest, and I feel like a lot of things were thrown in just for representation brownie points. One of my least favorite things to see in novels is when the disability rep turns out to be fake or magically fixed, and those both happened with Hiro and First Sister respectively. First Sister also should have had problems speaking again, she hasn’t spoken since she was a child it shouldn’t have been easy, it would have taken years for her to rehabilitate to that point.
I feel like a lot of heavy hitting topics were touched on but not in a way that had any impact, lots of things just kind of happening without weight to them.
Lito is honestly one of the most boring characters I have ever read, I don’t see the point of including him when we could have had an Aster character instead. Why make a white savior when we could have followed an Aster trying to get justice for their own people. He’s boring and his point of view adds nothing for me personally, I feel like the author wanted to have a “racism bad” plot but didn’t want to actually show it so they stuck with a white character who feels bad for the oppressed race.
Overall, I just feel like it was an interesting concept but badly executed, at least for me. Not sure I will continue the series.
I really don’t like how pandering the book felt to be honest, and I feel like a lot of things were thrown in just for representation brownie points. One of my least favorite things to see in novels is when the disability rep turns out to be fake or magically fixed, and those both happened with Hiro and First Sister respectively. First Sister also should have had problems speaking again, she hasn’t spoken since she was a child it shouldn’t have been easy, it would have taken years for her to rehabilitate to that point.
I feel like a lot of heavy hitting topics were touched on but not in a way that had any impact, lots of things just kind of happening without weight to them.
Lito is honestly one of the most boring characters I have ever read, I don’t see the point of including him when we could have had an Aster character instead. Why make a white savior when we could have followed an Aster trying to get justice for their own people. He’s boring and his point of view adds nothing for me personally, I feel like the author wanted to have a “racism bad” plot but didn’t want to actually show it so they stuck with a white character who feels bad for the oppressed race.
Overall, I just feel like it was an interesting concept but badly executed, at least for me. Not sure I will continue the series.
falkefarstar's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
nonesensed's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
First Sister isn't her name, it's her title, and she risks losing it now that her captain's abandoned her. Lito has his name, but he too has been betrayed, by the person who should be his closest ally and companion. They are both dragged into games of politics they did not choose and that will likely kill them. Unless they use the situation. Unless they put themselves before all rules and laws they've been told to follow. Rebellion is not easy, but it might be the only way to survive.
This is yet another first book in a trilogy that I got halfway through and then had to go out and buy the other two books in the series! Both main characters grabbed me, as did their world. Mars & Earth have formed a military empire, while Mercury and Venus has been settled by scientists, who are less than inclusive in who they consider full citizens. So many people caught in the crossfire between two war machines. I need to know how this continues! Can't wait to start book two!
Recommended reading, but please be aware that this book has plenty of violence and themes of sexual assault.
This is yet another first book in a trilogy that I got halfway through and then had to go out and buy the other two books in the series! Both main characters grabbed me, as did their world. Mars & Earth have formed a military empire, while Mercury and Venus has been settled by scientists, who are less than inclusive in who they consider full citizens. So many people caught in the crossfire between two war machines. I need to know how this continues! Can't wait to start book two!
Recommended reading, but please be aware that this book has plenty of violence and themes of sexual assault.
cow_png's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.75
ohwowowoowowow i very much enjoyed!! love the characters especially the first sister!! i kept wanting more of her like crazy.
Good book and can't wait to read the next one!!
Good book and can't wait to read the next one!!
dembury's review against another edition
4.0
An exciting and full-bodied space opera with high stakes and multiple POVs that each managed to hold my interest equally. "The First Sister" feels similar to something like "The Expanse" series but with more queer characters and deeper explorations into themes such as personal and group identities; consent both in terms of sexual matters and body modifications; the effects of war on groups of peoples and individuals; and the ways one can choose to alter the paths they've been set on. I'm well and thoroughly hooked by the plot and am eager to finish this trilogy!
aacinonyx's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I'm not sure where to begin here... spoilers ahead for those of you who care.
This book has split character point of views. There are technically three point of views. The first sister, Lito, and Hiro. I say technically because Hiro's point of view is from a recording they made for Lito. I love the concept! Having whole chapters dedicated to a transcription of this recording of Hiro explaining themselves to Lito is interesting, however, I found that the execution of it was lacking. My main grievance with it is because they speak just like the author's writing. They would say direct quotes and use dialog tags! No one quotes themselves and then says "I demanded".
and Lito oh my goodness. I can not get behind this boy. During the big moment where he's like "if only I knew how awfully they treated the Astors! I would never have allowed that to happen! Yet he quite literally ignored the harassment of an Astor on the bus earlier in the book. Why was this earlier scene included if he felt so strongly about the treatment of astors? Even his excuse for not stepping in to protect the astor from harassment was "not my job". I cannot believe that this is the same character that decided to risk everything to join the rebel astor faction or whatever they call themselves.
My frustration continues with the implants that rapiers and daggers receive. We have just learned that rapiers and daggers have some quasi communication through these implants. Then on the first mission Ofelia and Lito are tasked with, Ofelia takes a little too long for her portion of the mission Lito gets concerned and LEAVES HIS POST TO FIND HER. You can communicate through the implant!!! why are you physically going to find her if you just need to "think" at her?? Lito continues toruin the mission by killing an innocent astor kid he thought was threatening and Ofelia is all pissed about it. We find out later that Ofelia is special because she can control other implant users with her implant... Why did she let Lito kill the kid? Clearly both of these things needed to happen so that the plot could move forward but it it incredibly frustrating that that is the case.
Lastly we come to the First Sister. Hers was the most interesting of the story lines for me. However, I felt blindsided for her sudden love for Ren? They didn't actually have any meaningful conversations that made me feel like they were falling in love. Then in the end when the First Sister discovers the truth about Ren there is no conversation about this? She just lets Ren go? What was the point of this plot line? There could have been something interesting there with the first sister confronting Ren about their "love" in front of Lito and have Lito be like Nahh that's my partner Hiro! Ren/Hiro would have to explain themselves and actually make a decision about who/if they are in love, but no, All we get is "hey i'm not who you thought I was" and the First Sister just is ok with it? how boring.
All in all the book was entertaining enough to read since I finished it, but I don't think I will be continuing the series.
This book has split character point of views. There are technically three point of views. The first sister, Lito, and Hiro. I say technically because Hiro's point of view is from a recording they made for Lito. I love the concept! Having whole chapters dedicated to a transcription of this recording of Hiro explaining themselves to Lito is interesting, however, I found that the execution of it was lacking. My main grievance with it is because they speak just like the author's writing. They would say direct quotes and use dialog tags! No one quotes themselves and then says "I demanded".
and Lito oh my goodness. I can not get behind this boy. During the big moment where
My frustration continues with the implants that rapiers and daggers receive. We have just learned that rapiers and daggers have some quasi communication through these implants. Then on the first mission Ofelia and Lito are tasked with, Ofelia takes a little too long for her portion of the mission Lito gets concerned and LEAVES HIS POST TO FIND HER. You can communicate through the implant!!! why are you physically going to find her if you just need to "think" at her?? Lito continues to
Lastly we come to the First Sister. Hers was the most interesting of the story lines for me. However, I felt blindsided for her
All in all the book was entertaining enough to read since I finished it, but I don't think I will be continuing the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault
glowhoya's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.25
started this months ago and was bored. took a break, came back, had a wonderful time??? i love space sm this book has a lot of very interesting world mechanics!! idk the term for magic system in sci-fi but it’s good. an interesting spin on the “evil oppressive government w religious overtones”, good twists, both likable and unlikable characters (even among the good guys!!). good??? believable romance?? in this economy?? crazy.
honestly this has everything you’d want in space: swords, kissing, mind melding, big space war, cool aliens.
honestly this has everything you’d want in space: swords, kissing, mind melding, big space war, cool aliens.
zeporaza's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
gilbertbg1's review against another edition
5.0
This book had an interesting start. It was not necessarily slow paced or even slow to find its footing, it was just a little difficult for me to see where the story was going to go, how it would form, and how the paths of all the characters would intersect for the first.. half? of the book. Which may be more a commentary on me than the book itself, and could also be partially due to the fact that I was listening to this book and not physically reading it. But all my doubts and worries were quickly washed away as this book picked up to breakneck pace and blew me away.
This book would be a perfect choice for fans of The Expanse. Political and gritty, a 'near future' where humans have colonized the stars, putting down roots on mars, venus, mercury, and in the asteroid belt, but where humanity split into three factions, the Icarii of the closer Venus and Mercury, the Geans of Earth and Mars, and the Asters of the Asteroid Belt, conflict and tension led inevitably to war. Following The First Sister, a member of The Sisterhood of the Geans who holds a place of esteem on a Gean warship who we meet just as her life and position are thrown into turmoil and doubt, and Lito, an Icarii dualist recovering from battle wounds yet to heal who is sent back out on a mission that will test his every resolve, this book is a political space opera that grips you and never lets go. As the story truly unfolds and the secrets, lies, and plots begin to reveal themselves, it becomes very clear that Linden Lewis has crafted something truly exceptional. This book asks its characters to question every loyalty and duty they have ever known and in doing so, asks you as the reader to question your own morality in a deft and poignant way. Not to mention, expertly done plot twists that made me gasp aloud. Can't wait to read the rest of this series, this book is easily landing in the top three books I've read this year.
This book would be a perfect choice for fans of The Expanse. Political and gritty, a 'near future' where humans have colonized the stars, putting down roots on mars, venus, mercury, and in the asteroid belt, but where humanity split into three factions, the Icarii of the closer Venus and Mercury, the Geans of Earth and Mars, and the Asters of the Asteroid Belt, conflict and tension led inevitably to war. Following The First Sister, a member of The Sisterhood of the Geans who holds a place of esteem on a Gean warship who we meet just as her life and position are thrown into turmoil and doubt, and Lito, an Icarii dualist recovering from battle wounds yet to heal who is sent back out on a mission that will test his every resolve, this book is a political space opera that grips you and never lets go. As the story truly unfolds and the secrets, lies, and plots begin to reveal themselves, it becomes very clear that Linden Lewis has crafted something truly exceptional. This book asks its characters to question every loyalty and duty they have ever known and in doing so, asks you as the reader to question your own morality in a deft and poignant way. Not to mention, expertly done plot twists that made me gasp aloud. Can't wait to read the rest of this series, this book is easily landing in the top three books I've read this year.