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A review by beforeviolets
The Stars Undying by Emery Robin
5.0
Thank you Orbit for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I heard queer Shakespeare in space, how could I not come running?
The Stars Undying is a queer space opera retelling of Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra (partially the history, partially Shakespeare), featuring a butch lesbian Mark Antony and a gay dead god based on Alexander the Great.
Reading this book, I was constantly torn between the desire to pace myself to savor the material and the incapability to put it down. Emery Robin has delivered a shining pearl of a debut, overflowing with fascinating character dynamics, captivating dialogue, and expansive political world-building. And at the heart of the story stood Gracia, one of my FAVORITE main characters in a long time. She is quick and blunt and sexy and terrifying and badass, but most of all, fabulously unreliable. I had no idea what she had up her sleeve at any given time, and loved being on the edge of my seat all the way through her chapters.
I also didn't expect this book to be as Jewish as it was. Mind you, it isn't marketed as such, but Emery Robin is indeed Jewish and I found this to be reflective in the text, especially in some of the more religious elements of the story. It's not an obvious feature, and a goy would never recognize it, but I found myself gushing over some of the parts of the story that I found to deeply emulate the Jewish experience.
And though yes, it is based on history and Shakespeare, I don't think you need to be familiar with either to appreciate the craft of this work.
If you like dense political SFF stories, unreliable badass MCs, religious discussions, and were obsessed with either the Roman Empire, Ancient Egypt, or Shakespeare at any point in your life, I'd HIGHLY recommend The Stars Undying.
CW/TW: war, imprisonment, violence, gun violence, parental loss, grief, decapitation, sexual content (not graphic), child death, suicide (mention)
I heard queer Shakespeare in space, how could I not come running?
The Stars Undying is a queer space opera retelling of Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra (partially the history, partially Shakespeare), featuring a butch lesbian Mark Antony and a gay dead god based on Alexander the Great.
Reading this book, I was constantly torn between the desire to pace myself to savor the material and the incapability to put it down. Emery Robin has delivered a shining pearl of a debut, overflowing with fascinating character dynamics, captivating dialogue, and expansive political world-building. And at the heart of the story stood Gracia, one of my FAVORITE main characters in a long time. She is quick and blunt and sexy and terrifying and badass, but most of all, fabulously unreliable. I had no idea what she had up her sleeve at any given time, and loved being on the edge of my seat all the way through her chapters.
I also didn't expect this book to be as Jewish as it was. Mind you, it isn't marketed as such, but Emery Robin is indeed Jewish and I found this to be reflective in the text, especially in some of the more religious elements of the story. It's not an obvious feature, and a goy would never recognize it, but I found myself gushing over some of the parts of the story that I found to deeply emulate the Jewish experience.
And though yes, it is based on history and Shakespeare, I don't think you need to be familiar with either to appreciate the craft of this work.
If you like dense political SFF stories, unreliable badass MCs, religious discussions, and were obsessed with either the Roman Empire, Ancient Egypt, or Shakespeare at any point in your life, I'd HIGHLY recommend The Stars Undying.
CW/TW: war, imprisonment, violence, gun violence, parental loss, grief, decapitation, sexual content (not graphic), child death, suicide (mention)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual content, Child death, Grief, and Death of parent