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A review by write_of_passages
A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery
4.0
TL;DR: A super interesting premise for a world (especially because I love astrology so much), coupled with some intense themes and a main pairing who are crafted with some beautiful qualities I don't see often in fiction.
THIS REVIEW IS SPOILER-FREE
CHARACTERS: I'm really impressed by Casper. His backstory and the trauma of his past is not something I have personally read much of in my fiction travels. There is an instant sympathy for his plight and a desire to see him succeed. I was really impressed with how he was written overall. Helix comes up just slightly behind him in terms of how well-rounded and impressive he is. But their character arcs through this first book were definitely worth the read.
PLOT: The plot is heavily internal, as suggested by the blurb, with 'political intrigue'. Not necessarily my favorite, as I prefer external plots that don't rely so much on secrets and miscommunication or non-communication, but eventually we get somewhere with it. The exposition is slow going, sometimes dense because of how intricate the world is. I will admit that I skimmed the parts that weren't from Casper or Helix's POV.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
4 of 5. This one is high based upon some of the deeper themes in the backstory. It also touched upon a couple of 'pressure points' for me (see my profile for that, no spoilers!). This one is too intricate to work well as a beach read, and the stakes are high enough that you can't be certain for a HEA ending.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
For a first book of two, I was 99% fulfilled, as usual. The conflict of the first book is wrapped up, the set up for the main conflict of the second book is there, and our main pairing grows both as individuals and within their relationship. I'm keen to see how the series will end.
WOULD I GO BACK IN TIME AND READ THIS BOOK KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW?
Yes, I would still read this one. It's good to know where it stands on the intensity scale, so I know how much emotional and mental brainpower I'd need, but I would still read this one.
THIS REVIEW IS SPOILER-FREE
CHARACTERS: I'm really impressed by Casper. His backstory and the trauma of his past is not something I have personally read much of in my fiction travels. There is an instant sympathy for his plight and a desire to see him succeed. I was really impressed with how he was written overall. Helix comes up just slightly behind him in terms of how well-rounded and impressive he is. But their character arcs through this first book were definitely worth the read.
PLOT: The plot is heavily internal, as suggested by the blurb, with 'political intrigue'. Not necessarily my favorite, as I prefer external plots that don't rely so much on secrets and miscommunication or non-communication, but eventually we get somewhere with it. The exposition is slow going, sometimes dense because of how intricate the world is. I will admit that I skimmed the parts that weren't from Casper or Helix's POV.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
4 of 5. This one is high based upon some of the deeper themes in the backstory. It also touched upon a couple of 'pressure points' for me (see my profile for that, no spoilers!). This one is too intricate to work well as a beach read, and the stakes are high enough that you can't be certain for a HEA ending.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
For a first book of two, I was 99% fulfilled, as usual. The conflict of the first book is wrapped up, the set up for the main conflict of the second book is there, and our main pairing grows both as individuals and within their relationship. I'm keen to see how the series will end.
WOULD I GO BACK IN TIME AND READ THIS BOOK KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW?
Yes, I would still read this one. It's good to know where it stands on the intensity scale, so I know how much emotional and mental brainpower I'd need, but I would still read this one.