A review by wayward_flowers
Starsight by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious 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

"A hero does not choos her trials, Spensa. She steps into the darkness. Then, she faces what comes next"

Finishing this book was like putting down a dagger after a great war. Exhilaration mixed in with desolation.

This was, with no doubt..everything.
From the intricately complex plot and the intense aerial combat scenes to Spensa's inner conflicts whilst coming to see the universe from a new vantage. It had it all.

“Those old stories have a lot of different themes, One I never quite understood until I started flying. It happens in the epilogues. The stories after the stories. Warriors who have fought return home, but find they no longer belong. The battle has changed them, warped them, to the point where they are strangers. They protected the society they love, but in so doing made themselves into something that could never again belong to it.”

Spensa's chatcter growth and development was beautiful. At the end of the day, she is but ofcourse still herself. But she is also someone whose mind has ventured far beyond the narrow caverns of itself.
Another being with wonderful development was M-bot. His inner war of his being and aliveness. His view of the world around him was well-done.
Scud (as spensa would imply), Who knew I would grow so attached to a sentient stealth aircraft?

"When you’re young, you can assume that everyone older than you has life figured out. Once you get command yourself, you realize we’re all just the same kids wearing older bodies."

The world itself was so interesting! Sanderson did an amazing job showcasing a world that was vastly different than ours. With different traditions and thinking, but at the same so very alive. 
And I would like to add that learning about their biology and the world's technology was super fun!
And the introduction of the new characters was amazing aswell

Anyways, I'm still not over THAT ending and I HAVE to know what happens next. So if you'll excuse me I'm off to catch my flight for the next book!

"During those days of sorrow, it’s the aged soldier—the one who was bowed by battle—who can stand and protect the weak."