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andicbuchanan's review
4.5
Loved this whole trilogy - the aesthetic, the characters, the belief that you can care about make-up _and_ fight facism. There were a couple of things that didn't quite work in this (one thing resolved too easily in my opinion) but overall these are among my favourite books and I wish I'd had them as a teen.
else's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
verumsolum's review against another edition
5.0
This trilogy has been wonderful. I normally hate battle scenes: they have too much detail for me to care about, and almost always leave me lost and hoping it ends soon so we can get on to whatever follows the battle. The author of this book did an excellent job of figuring out what was necessary and spending as long as it took to explain that, but no longer. It felt thorough, but tight, never boring me, but never leaving me confused. And… these characters. I wish I knew some of them in real life, because they are outstanding people.
khardan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
pyrocat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
rants_n_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
5.0
What a magnificent end to a sprawling space opera trilogy! This series is all about the power of perseverance, kindness, and sisterhood. In this final act, our heroes must figure out how to save the galaxy without losing their morals or their very selves in the process.
We follow three young women: Tina, the kind-of-reincarnation of the galaxy’s most famous fleet captain; Rachael, an artist gifted with the ability to communicate with a long-dead alien race; and Elza, brilliant hacker turned techno-princess.
This series is definitely a gift from Charlie Jane Anders to every queer child who had to squint to see themselves in Star Trek. Not only is it culturally expected to begin every introduction with your name AND pronouns, but there is not a person in the series who intentionally misgenders someone. Not even a villain! And there’s a universal translator that makes you unable to misgender someone, even intentionally? Heck yeah!
The Royal Fleet has definite Federation vibes, but in more of a bronze-age than golden-age era. It’s still a very multi-planetary venture, but this book really lets us explore the idea that Space Racism could and probably would exist. After all, not everyone who gets into the wider galaxy is going to do so because things are hunky-dory at home. A lot of spacefaring people are going to be colonizers. And we see the down-the-road effects of this, with secondary characters from both sides of the conflict: the descendant of colonizers, trying to make amends, and the descendant of the colonized, still recovering from the trauma of subjugation.
This book is aimed at a young adult audience, but any queer scifi fan should give it a go.
Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.
We follow three young women: Tina, the kind-of-reincarnation of the galaxy’s most famous fleet captain; Rachael, an artist gifted with the ability to communicate with a long-dead alien race; and Elza, brilliant hacker turned techno-princess.
This series is definitely a gift from Charlie Jane Anders to every queer child who had to squint to see themselves in Star Trek. Not only is it culturally expected to begin every introduction with your name AND pronouns, but there is not a person in the series who intentionally misgenders someone. Not even a villain! And there’s a universal translator that makes you unable to misgender someone, even intentionally? Heck yeah!
The Royal Fleet has definite Federation vibes, but in more of a bronze-age than golden-age era. It’s still a very multi-planetary venture, but this book really lets us explore the idea that Space Racism could and probably would exist. After all, not everyone who gets into the wider galaxy is going to do so because things are hunky-dory at home. A lot of spacefaring people are going to be colonizers. And we see the down-the-road effects of this, with secondary characters from both sides of the conflict: the descendant of colonizers, trying to make amends, and the descendant of the colonized, still recovering from the trauma of subjugation.
This book is aimed at a young adult audience, but any queer scifi fan should give it a go.
Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.
fox_rainbow_'s review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
himalaya's review
3.25
solid end, but I think the cheesy teens / friendship will save the day kind of vibe is a little too much for me (but teens are the audience! so that's fine I guess.)
I don't really have any particular thoughts, I do enjoy the characters and all the alien worldbuilding and cultures.
Honestlytina coming back was. anticlimactic. too easy. VERY missed opportunity for guyinyourhead trope!! that would have been more interesting to me, specifically,
I don't really have any particular thoughts, I do enjoy the characters and all the alien worldbuilding and cultures.
Honestly