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A review by btaylorb
Ocean's Godori by Elaine U. Cho
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I don't mean to demand more work from someone when publishing a single novel is a feat in and of itself, but I sincerely hope there's more of this story in the works, because damn.
I picked up the ARC and am recommending it for purchase for the library where I work. A slow start that focuses on the characters, with breadcrumbs of backstory that give early insight into both their motives and social, cultural, and technological details of a future solar system colonized by humans. The pace ramps up after about 100 pages with some well executed fights and space-chase scenes, without sacrificing some thoughtful exploration of the consequences of capitalism and colonialism on outer space. I appreciated the bi representation; The chemistry between all the characters clearly defines crew relationships, friendships and burgeoning romances. Even the side characters within the two crews feel distinctive and fleshed out. The ending feels like it could be satisfying enough as a stand-alone, but with enough things left unresolved (and also kind of a cliffhanger!) that left me excited for the possibility of follow-ups.
Other things this book has that made me love it:
I picked up the ARC and am recommending it for purchase for the library where I work. A slow start that focuses on the characters, with breadcrumbs of backstory that give early insight into both their motives and social, cultural, and technological details of a future solar system colonized by humans. The pace ramps up after about 100 pages with some well executed fights and space-chase scenes, without sacrificing some thoughtful exploration of the consequences of capitalism and colonialism on outer space. I appreciated the bi representation; The chemistry between all the characters clearly defines crew relationships, friendships and burgeoning romances. Even the side characters within the two crews feel distinctive and fleshed out. The ending feels like it could be satisfying enough as a stand-alone, but with enough things left unresolved (and also kind of a cliffhanger!) that left me excited for the possibility of follow-ups.
Other things this book has that made me love it:
- Cheeky, nerdy Shakespeare references.
- Romantic tension that is expressed and played out in different ways for the different characters involved. I didn't feel like I was reading the same love story with different faces pasted on. Hope that makes sense?
- Ocean is such a compelling character in my opinion. The moment where she tells another character that she doesn't regret something she did in her past was very powerful to me. I loved the discussion of being able to stand by your own decisions and actions, and the impact that has on her life in both good and bad ways. That steadfastness that might make her seem stubborn, arrogant or (ugh) "unlikeable" is also what makes her crew trust her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Gun violence
Minor: Colonisation and Classism