You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

A review by bookcheshirecat
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

4.0

“Fretting about death is an aristocrat’s pastime, she thought. The rest of us are too busy trying to live.” 

➽ Floating Hotel was the kind of sci-fi I'm always looking for! It might not be the book for everyone, but I loved this cozy mystery sci-fi told from the perspectives of the staff and guests. I worried that the many different POVs might make it difficult to connect to the characters, but I loved getting to know all of their lives! The story starts with Carl, the current manager of the Abeola Hotel who once came aboard as a desperate stowaway. Nowadays he's bringing his guests an unforgettable experience with his hotel ship that's charting a route among the different planets humanity has colonized. However, with many different mysteries onboard, Carl wonders what the future for the Abeola holds.

➽ I loved how the author wove together all the different perspectives! It takes skill to make me feel connected to so many characters and I loved how each POV contributed something to the mystery and worldbuilding. We start with Carl, but quickly get to know his entire crew and some of the guests, such as the mysterious Mr. Corinth and the academics on board for their annual problem-solving conference. I liked that his staff is a ragtag crew of people with difficult pasts, be it war, abandonment or crime, who found their home on the Abeola. Be it Uwade, Rogan, Sasha, Dunk or the newest member Daphne, I loved getting to know everyone and getting a glimpse into their lives. It was also great getting to see the perspective of the guests, such as Professor Azad and her colleague Ooly, who become unwilling partners in a mysterious competition to decipher a secret code. Each perspective was interesting and offered something new!

➽ I liked seeing the different mysteries coming together. From the mysterious conference to secret messages written in sonnets to a possible spy on board the ship, there are many different plotlines. The focus quickly becomes the seclusive Lamplighter, an anonymous broadcaster who critiques the empire and has become a target for their forces. Rumors say they might be on board the ship, so we've got both government spies and rebels trying to find them. I liked the glimpses into the futuristic world where an Emperor has ruled for over 500 years and kept a very capitalistic system alive. Many planets just exist to be harvested for their resources and censorship keeps people from making their voices heard. I found it especially interesting that the Emperor has forbidden any depictions of alien life, as he's terrified something will overrule the superiority of humanity.

➽ I just wish that Floating Hotel had been a bit longer. The ending needed more time to show how all the mysteries came together. While it was a satisfying conclusion, I still have some questions about the Empires and the latest revelations!
Such as why the Emperor fears Aliens so much and what the message from the other Galaxy might indicate. It has started to degrade, so we don't know if the Abeola might even reach someone, now that it was set to drift.


"I reckon there's a lot more to love than romance. Sometimes love can be making a bed, you know. Fixing a drink."
"The perfect drink."
"You get it.” 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings