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A review by fillory
Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
Did not finish book. Stopped at 42%.
Look, I love a good dash of whimsy and I never thought I'd say it, but this is too much. It's trying too hard to be Douglas Adams, and at least Hitchhiker's Guide had some subtlety and room to breathe between witticisms. Lessons learned: Making your exposition dump whimsical doesn't make it any less of an exposition dump. I was exhausted after ten pages.
CJ the X has a 27 minute video essay on skipping the first five minutes of Tangled and now I understand. Skip the first two chapters of Space Opera. Start on Chapter 3. It's where the story should have begun and from what I can tell you miss nothing in doing it.
…And then if you get 42% into the book and you're still not enjoying it, Douglas Adams' ghost will rise from the pages and grant you permission to skip the rest.
Alternate recommendations:
• The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
• The Worst Band in the Universe
• Gideon the Ninth
• anything by Terry Pratchett
CJ the X has a 27 minute video essay on skipping the first five minutes of Tangled and now I understand. Skip the first two chapters of Space Opera. Start on Chapter 3. It's where the story should have begun and from what I can tell you miss nothing in doing it.
…And then if you get 42% into the book and you're still not enjoying it, Douglas Adams' ghost will rise from the pages and grant you permission to skip the rest.
Alternate recommendations:
• The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
• The Worst Band in the Universe
• Gideon the Ninth
• anything by Terry Pratchett