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snailtayl's review
5.0
There was a span of about fifty pages in which I worried that this book was going to disappoint me, but I was gloriously proven wrong. ‘A Complicated Love Story Set in Space’ was nothing like what I expected it to be and still managed to surpass my every expectation. Not a single bated breath was wasted waiting for this book.
pazfauxster's review
4.0
A funny, bittersweet YA-page turner that tackles some heavier themes and does it well, too.
I was annoyed with the MC first but grew to like him as he changed throughout the book. The science stuff wasn’t overwhelming but still detailed enough. I laughed out loud at some moments, which is always a good sign.
While the plot twist had my jaw on the floor, looking back, I could have predicted it if I hadn’t been too busy feeling anxious about Noa and DJ’s romantic storyline haha. Also, I would have loved to see a bit more development for the female character, Jenny. Those are minor quips, however. For a YA book, it’s very solid and raises some interesting questions.
I was annoyed with the MC first but grew to like him as he changed throughout the book. The science stuff wasn’t overwhelming but still detailed enough. I laughed out loud at some moments, which is always a good sign.
While the plot twist had my jaw on the floor, looking back, I could have predicted it if I hadn’t been too busy feeling anxious about Noa and DJ’s romantic storyline haha. Also, I would have loved to see a bit more development for the female character, Jenny. Those are minor quips, however. For a YA book, it’s very solid and raises some interesting questions.
rainbowbookworm's review
Saw that coming from a mile away.
I was enjoying the book, but the plot lost steam and became predictable.
I was enjoying the book, but the plot lost steam and became predictable.
twentyone_trinitys's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
swamp_rat's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
smtvash's review
3.0
The second half is definitely stronger than the first, and only because it's ideas are much better.
There's a great book in here somewhere but it suffers from structure, more pages should have been dedicated to fleshing out the twist than setting us up for it because, in my opinion, that precious page-real-estate was wasted on something that wasn't worth it.
I'd totally pick this up for a TV adaptation, rework the premise, flesh it out, and improve characterization. Then we have a winner.
There's a great book in here somewhere but it suffers from structure, more pages should have been dedicated to fleshing out the twist than setting us up for it because, in my opinion, that precious page-real-estate was wasted on something that wasn't worth it.
I'd totally pick this up for a TV adaptation, rework the premise, flesh it out, and improve characterization. Then we have a winner.
ash_books25's review
3.0
I liked the book, I was confused at some parts. Overall it was an excellent book!
hayleybeale's review
3.0
Noa had gone to bed in Seattle and wakes up...in an astronaut’s suit outside the spaceship Qriosity which, he is informed by DJ, another mystified teen, is about to explode. Ricocheting from one crisis to the next, Noa and his new friend DJ, learn that they’re stuck in space with no way of getting back to earth.
Later Noa finds a girl, Jenny, locked in a bathroom and the three of them have a series of episodic adventures including battling an Alien-esque monster, getting stuck in a Groundhog Day-esque time loop, and Noa’s descent into apathy and depression. Through it all DJ nurses a crush on Noa, which Noa, suffering from a traumatic relationship on earth, is unable to return. But then they come across a high school in outer space and things get really weird.
This odd mix of science fiction, homage, and space soap opera didn’t quite work for me. While I enjoyed some of the individual episodes, I wasn’t particularly gripped by the overarching mystery and while the resolution was clever it came out of nowhere.
I did appreciate that Noa and DJ’s relationship was completely normalized and while Noa is a bit of a pill for much of the time, DJ and Jenny more than make up for it.
I’d certainly recommend this to teens who like wacky adventures, but I’m not sure I’m inclined to seek out any more of Mr Anderson’s novels.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for the digital review copy
Later Noa finds a girl, Jenny, locked in a bathroom and the three of them have a series of episodic adventures including battling an Alien-esque monster, getting stuck in a Groundhog Day-esque time loop, and Noa’s descent into apathy and depression. Through it all DJ nurses a crush on Noa, which Noa, suffering from a traumatic relationship on earth, is unable to return. But then they come across a high school in outer space and things get really weird.
This odd mix of science fiction, homage, and space soap opera didn’t quite work for me. While I enjoyed some of the individual episodes, I wasn’t particularly gripped by the overarching mystery and while the resolution was clever it came out of nowhere.
I did appreciate that Noa and DJ’s relationship was completely normalized and while Noa is a bit of a pill for much of the time, DJ and Jenny more than make up for it.
I’d certainly recommend this to teens who like wacky adventures, but I’m not sure I’m inclined to seek out any more of Mr Anderson’s novels.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for the digital review copy
juliannapritchard's review
4.0
My younger sibling warned me that I'd read this book quickly, and oh MAN, they weren't kidding. This was WILD. After I started reading this on audio, I read off and on for the first few chapters in the first couple days, but yesterday I read most of the book and today I finished off the last two hours as soon as I got home from school. Anyway--to me, this book shared a lot of vibes with "The Good Place" and "Severance," which are both tv shows and not books, but I digress. I'm obsessed with the trope of two people finding each other over and over again after losing their memories of each other. This book was not what I expected, and the plot twist took me totally by surprise, and yet managed to remain entirely self-consistent. The plot is phenomenal. This book was exactly what I needed this week.