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A review by colossal
Star's End by Cassandra Rose Clarke
5.0
I think this is my favorite book by this author and one of the best books I've read recently.
The Coromina family control the corporation that owns and rules the entire Coromina system (a corpocracy). Esme is the eldest of four daughters and in line for CEO of the company once her father Philip passes, which is unexpectedly nearer than anyone thought. He requests that Esme gather his other three daughters who are all estranged from both Esme and Philip to see him on his deathbed.
The story follows the current events timeline as Esme visits her sisters and events from periods years ago that explain the relationships between Esme and her sisters, her father and the overall company and what it does. While foregrounding this engrossing family epic, there's a rich science-fictional background dealing with aliens, alien DNA, special powers and engineered lifeforms as well as the fascinating world of a "corpocracy" that has citizen-employees and can go to war with other corporations for profit.
Like Clarke's other books, I think you could criticize this for being slow, but I think that's a stylistic thing. I would describe it more as languid and detailed, and while there is action, the emotional payoff is what's at the heart of this book. Also like other books by this author, the events concentrate around an isolated powerful woman who is desperately lonely and at least partially responsible for her current state. I think this one is the best of her books that explores this thematic element.
Superb.
The Coromina family control the corporation that owns and rules the entire Coromina system (a corpocracy). Esme is the eldest of four daughters and in line for CEO of the company once her father Philip passes, which is unexpectedly nearer than anyone thought. He requests that Esme gather his other three daughters who are all estranged from both Esme and Philip to see him on his deathbed.
The story follows the current events timeline as Esme visits her sisters and events from periods years ago that explain the relationships between Esme and her sisters, her father and the overall company and what it does. While foregrounding this engrossing family epic, there's a rich science-fictional background dealing with aliens, alien DNA, special powers and engineered lifeforms as well as the fascinating world of a "corpocracy" that has citizen-employees and can go to war with other corporations for profit.
Like Clarke's other books, I think you could criticize this for being slow, but I think that's a stylistic thing. I would describe it more as languid and detailed, and while there is action, the emotional payoff is what's at the heart of this book. Also like other books by this author, the events concentrate around an isolated powerful woman who is desperately lonely and at least partially responsible for her current state. I think this one is the best of her books that explores this thematic element.
Superb.