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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
There are just soooo many ideas crammed into this book that it is simultaneously overwhelming while also being so extremely slow to start. I like the MCs and the overarching concept is interesting, but I'm not sure the political plot or even the setting of the city inside a moon planet really hold up to too much scrutiny.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
I received an ARC copy of this novel and am willingly leaving a review in exchange.
I was so excited for this ARC. I was telling everyone I knew about how good it sounded, and how excited I was, and then I started it and ... dragged my feet on it, as only I can truly do (sorry!).
As a fan of YA, fantasy, urban fantasy, and queer lit, ACoS was an amalgam of everything I like in a book, with bonus world-building. However, I found the fact that the magic system is named after astrological signs jarring, and I think that's what made me put it down for a while. It wasn't like the naming convention came out of nowhere - we had contextual explanations for it as, y'know, the book's a sci-fi, but it just threw me a little to have something so ... known in a fantasy book. It just threw me a little, I think, and took me a little while to become re-absorbed in the world of Novilem as its own thing, and stop comparing the terms to what we use them for in astrology. I'd joke this is 'typical Aries' of me but ... actually, on second thought, "you can't walk around in full Aries aether all the time. It will overstimulate your nervous system" - perhaps it's not the ADHD and anxiety after all. I should give my psychiatrist a call.
Complaints aside (and they're little, and petty), I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the second (and last) in its duology. As some others have mentioned, a pronunciation guide and a map would be incredibly helpful, but I would also like to add a glossary could be useful too! I know they're not particularly popular these days, nor are character lists, but sometimes I do like them just so I can keep track of everything and submerge myself in the rest of the world.
All in all, a lovely debut, and I will be keeping an eye out for more Craig in the future.
I was so excited for this ARC. I was telling everyone I knew about how good it sounded, and how excited I was, and then I started it and ... dragged my feet on it, as only I can truly do (sorry!).
As a fan of YA, fantasy, urban fantasy, and queer lit, ACoS was an amalgam of everything I like in a book, with bonus world-building. However, I found the fact that the magic system is named after astrological signs jarring, and I think that's what made me put it down for a while. It wasn't like the naming convention came out of nowhere - we had contextual explanations for it as, y'know, the book's a sci-fi, but it just threw me a little to have something so ... known in a fantasy book. It just threw me a little, I think, and took me a little while to become re-absorbed in the world of Novilem as its own thing, and stop comparing the terms to what we use them for in astrology. I'd joke this is 'typical Aries' of me but ... actually, on second thought, "you can't walk around in full Aries aether all the time. It will overstimulate your nervous system" - perhaps it's not the ADHD and anxiety after all. I should give my psychiatrist a call.
Complaints aside (and they're little, and petty), I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the second (and last) in its duology. As some others have mentioned, a pronunciation guide and a map would be incredibly helpful, but I would also like to add a glossary could be useful too! I know they're not particularly popular these days, nor are character lists, but sometimes I do like them just so I can keep track of everything and submerge myself in the rest of the world.
All in all, a lovely debut, and I will be keeping an eye out for more Craig in the future.
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For a debut novel, this was well done. I enjoyed the storyline and the political intrigue, but the main character was my favorite and the love story was well developed and made my heart happy. I understand the hype for this book, and I'm excited about what Craig does next.
My only negative is that it took me a while to understand what character, and that is where Craig needs to develop in his storytelling. Other than that, he did a fantastic job.
My only negative is that it took me a while to understand what character, and that is where Craig needs to develop in his storytelling. Other than that, he did a fantastic job.
Read as part of SPFBO10
A Circle of Stars is a Young Adult title that plays with different powers depending on one’s star sign, it has social commentary and a political power struggle – all of that far away from Earth, way beyond the other side of stars. It’s tackling a lot of big problems and current pain points in society. This is not a bad thing, after all, literature, music and other arts have always given voice to the various struggles we face at any point in time.
At the 20% mark of this book I didn’t think I was going to finish the book. But, at the same time, I was curious how this all was going to play out, and the last 40% of the story simply flew by.
Why the struggle at the start? I found that perhaps there were just a few too many big conflicts flung at us at once, but credit to the author, once they all came to a merging point, it was smooth sailing. Montgomery balances the cruel and harsh aspects of society with idealistic views. Views, which we all wish were real, yet know to be impossible, because… well, people. I also found the main character Casper rather sheltered and naive, and that makes sense considering his upbringing, I guess, but personally, I am at a point in my life where I do not have a lot of patience for the juvenile character exploring the world all doe-eyed in its uncomfortable awkwardness. It’s wonderful, sure, but I’m past that phase, instead preferring the mature cynic. That said, I must commend Montgomery on the sci-fi bits in the story (yes, I call them bits!) – to make all the aether and astrology magic flow and make sense in such an accessible manner, to make it such an interesting part of the story – that was top notch!
A Circle of Stars is well written, fast paced, despite the fact that at times you feel like you’re not getting anywhere as yet another conflict is added, and managed to surprise me at the 60% mark with a shocking moment. Did NOT see that coming! If you like your cast young, able and heroic, as their abilities and loyalties are put to the test to change the world order, then this is the duology for you!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
A queer fantasy series that does a fantastic job of sucking you into the narrative. I read this very quickly because I was excited to see what happened next. Casper and Helix are fantastically complex characters in a book that has quite a few of them. The book has a really fun magic system that I enjoyed learning more about. There is some queer trauma at the start of the book, and I worried a little bit about how that was going to be treated in context. I needn't have worried. One of the great thing about the book is how that informs Casper's actions throughout—good and bad.
Video review on TikTok
Video review on TikTok