Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I struggled with this one a bit. I read it because people suggested if you liked Gideon the Ninth, this was similar but I didn’t find that. Similarities in the unreliable narrator, space sci-fi, weird religious undertones but I feel like it lacked the charm of GtN.
I won't lie, the "similar to GTN" was what got me to read this, but I'm not seeing the connection. I had very high hopes for this book, but I think it was just a little too confusing. Like, I felt like we never really got the whole picture? I feel like this would be such a great story if there was a sequel, but that being said I did like the ending. But yeah, I had really high hopes for the giant mechs and Joan of Arc inspired story, but I don't think it quite delivered.
I was super conflicted on this one. I actually started it very early in the month, but I had trouble sticking with it. I very much wanted to know what happened, but also kept putting it down. For the first part I wanted an explanation, but then I realized that wasn't how this story was going to go. I also got really annoyed at her . That was actually the point at which I picked up and read an entire 'nother book.
Anyway I made it to the end. Then I realized that maybe I had no idea what happened after all. A strange book, but the world was really compelling.
Spoiler
whaling on the heretic prisoner she had been dream screwing. Her sudden anti-Heretic stance seemed strange; she'd never been that into the Church and even though she got the key I felt like that was way over the topAnyway I made it to the end. Then I realized that maybe I had no idea what happened after all. A strange book, but the world was really compelling.
Interesting concept and world but the main character's plot renders them unlikeable which made this a very tedious read for me. The ending drops some really interesting crumbs and if/when another book is released I would read it, but at the moment it is just a relief to be done
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think this is Neon Yang's first full length novel, and as a step from their novella series, this is an interesting intermediary step. Yang shifts their writing style focus from a broader plot driven storytelling to a more character driven storytelling, and it doesn't entirely land for me. I can name two characters, tops, and the cast is significantly broader than that. It feels more like a broad pitch document for the first season of an anime that Yang then had to figure out how to then sketch out further and turn into a novel. It also can't decide if it wants to commit to the arch storytelling of a bard, or a more down to earth around the campfire story. It also took way longer than I was expecting to get to the mecha part of the novel. Like, in terms of the cliffhanger at the end of the novel, I am incredibly intrigued. This just feels like it can't quite decide what to be just yet. Still interested to see what comes next!
bought this to see how bad it was and it was really bad
adventurous
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
There is so much about this that I wanted to like. Mechs, space war, religious ferver. But it all fell a bit flat. And then the final twist left me underwhelmed and disappointed.
this book left me with very mixed feelings. a pretty interesting plot, queer space people in a society deep with religious fanaticism. however, it falls flat as the protagonist becomes the ninth messiah and after some confirmation of this, completely changes her personality and character. she does not question anything anymore and is no fun. of course, this can be seen as a demonstration of religious zealotry and how it draws you in, but it is not fun to read two hundred pages of a boring newly religious and righteous character with murderous intentions. she is not a likable character! a great concept and has a lot of potential, will be reading the second one when it (hopefully) comes out!