A loosely based Persuasion set in space, The Stars We Steal is like The Bachelor set in space. But back to the good things, did I mention the LGBTQ+ rep? Because this book features prominent lesbian and asexual rep, as well as a few mentions of gay characters and a reference to nonbinary and queer people overall, which I adored.If you tell me, “It’s X set in a space” that’s a sure way to get my attention. Although, there definitely is some girl-on-girl hate here as well, which really wasn’t great.
A female friendship is one of the most important relationships in this book (besides the romance and the sister’s dynamic) and that was really great to see. There are also plenty of side characters, each one fairly fleshed out and well developed. I thought that was a really important and healthy dynamic to have in a YA book. I really love how flawed he was, and how both him and Leo didn’t just forgive each other each time they made a mistake they had to work through them, and apologize or show remorse before they could move on. He’s idealistic, occasionally a jerk, but ultimately a good person whose (broken) heart is in the right place. Elliot, the love interest, is Leo’s ex, her first love who disappeared for three years only to return rich, and the Valg’s most eligible bachelor. The Stars We Steal follows Leo, a broke princess who is strong, logical, and ruled by reason, sometimes to a fault. That said, the plot is still fun and enjoyable if you’re looking for some angst and fluff, but not much action. However, it felt a little too late and made the ending seem rushed. A more tangible plot does begin to emerge a little before the last act of the book, which brings forward great themes surrounding morality and advanced capitalism that were hinted at earlier but never fully explored. Listen, I love romance so much, but this book really could have used a little more of something-anything else. There are some mentions of politics and some suspicious characters but overall, this book is about the drama. Sometimes that can be fun, but in this case, it made the first half of the book feel a little slow. The plot centers mostly around: the drama of the Valg, Leo being stuck between her desire to not get married and her desire to help her family, and the angst between Leo and her ex, Elliot.
The world building is done pretty well, without horribly heavy exposition, but it can feel like a lot to take in at first, and that’s with me having already read the spin-off novel that takes place in the same universe. The world she built is unique and interesting, the premise being that 200 years in the future the Earth is inhabitable due to an ice age and all of humanity orbits it on various spaceships that represent countries. But that doesn’t mean her setting is lackluster.
Alexa Donne’s writing style is simple and easy to get into, her books read like a contemporary despite being sci-fi.
0 kommentar(er)
