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blrobin2's review against another edition
When I'm 33% into the book and it's still building its world, I find it hard to stay invested. I'm vaguely aware of a dozen characters, but I still don't know what this book is about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Self harm, Violence, Blood, and Murder
gw7's review against another edition
dnf 160/576
Compared to Cloud Atlas and aptly so, didn't like that one either.
It was only after getting this far and looking through reviews that I decided to dnf. I found all of the characters annoying and boring and they all think they're the only smart person left on the entire planet. I get that this is (kind of) the POINT of this book- cycles and how things change, but essentially we're all still talking about the same ideas... but so what? I don't care if characters are insufferable in that way, if the author is aware of that, but I don't know if that's the case. Every chapter for 160 pages EVERY character is explaining very simple and basic things like they're the ONLY one thinking it and the FIRST to EVER think it. I just don't care about anything and it sounds like it doesn't get better the way I would want it to in my mind.
But i do mean the first line: if you like Cloud Atlas, you might like this. I just REALLY HATE stories like this, as it turns out. I actually found this better than Cloud Atlas personally (which I also dnf'd)
Finally, as a trans and queer own voices review, a note on gender/sexuality as written...
...eh.... why???????????????? I FULLY understand the move towards a more historically minded, non whitewashed view of gender and sexuality, fully realised in a social media style setting of 3012... but... no... kinda... really... no. Like it's... (fine)... but totally pointless and unrealistic and... not actually 'liberated' AT ALL... which the characters *kind of* point out (but, duh, again) but then they also *don't* point it out and understand it.... are all of these characters 12 and has all of humanity recently awoken from a 100 year coma, is my question. I dunno... fine... but... why???????? And, no. But whatever, but no.
Also, sure incest icky, but historical, it was just how those scenes and EVERYTHING about the whole sex/gender/whatever-the-fuck-was-going-on was described was just not a nice vibe. Like... 'fine' though??? Like, not icky WRONG... but icky, why are we focusing here? And focusing here CONSTANTLY in EVERY. FLIPPIN. CHAPTER????????????????
Compared to Cloud Atlas and aptly so, didn't like that one either.
It was only after getting this far and looking through reviews that I decided to dnf. I found all of the characters annoying and boring and they all think they're the only smart person left on the entire planet. I get that this is (kind of) the POINT of this book- cycles and how things change, but essentially we're all still talking about the same ideas... but so what? I don't care if characters are insufferable in that way, if the author is aware of that, but I don't know if that's the case. Every chapter for 160 pages EVERY character is explaining very simple and basic things like they're the ONLY one thinking it and the FIRST to EVER think it. I just don't care about anything and it sounds like it doesn't get better the way I would want it to in my mind.
But i do mean the first line: if you like Cloud Atlas, you might like this. I just REALLY HATE stories like this, as it turns out. I actually found this better than Cloud Atlas personally (which I also dnf'd)
Finally, as a trans and queer own voices review, a note on gender/sexuality as written...
...eh.... why???????????????? I FULLY understand the move towards a more historically minded, non whitewashed view of gender and sexuality, fully realised in a social media style setting of 3012... but... no... kinda... really... no. Like it's... (fine)... but totally pointless and unrealistic and... not actually 'liberated' AT ALL... which the characters *kind of* point out (but, duh, again) but then they also *don't* point it out and understand it.... are all of these characters 12 and has all of humanity recently awoken from a 100 year coma, is my question. I dunno... fine... but... why???????? And, no. But whatever, but no.
Also, sure incest icky, but historical, it was just how those scenes and EVERYTHING about the whole sex/gender/whatever-the-fuck-was-going-on was described was just not a nice vibe. Like... 'fine' though??? Like, not icky WRONG... but icky, why are we focusing here? And focusing here CONSTANTLY in EVERY. FLIPPIN. CHAPTER????????????????
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest
Moderate: Murder
bluemonkey14's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed this but in the end it left me a bit cold. It felt like the first two acts were building towards something huge and revelatory, but the ending felt like it petered out without really tying up most of the loose ends.
Some of the sexual content felt corny to me, especially contrasted with the grand arcs of the overall storyline and took away from the overall experience. I think it would have been better to gloss over it a little more and let the reader fill in the gaps with their imagination.
Contrary to other reviews I don't think Laviaja is supposed to be taken as some sort of perfect utopia, but just another version of civilisation with pros and cons, similar to how modern society is very different from the Mayan society, but in no way perfect. As we know, anything presented as a utopia is usually nothing of the sort, and I think that holds true here. Byrne cites Black Mirror as one of her influences and I think the 3012 portion of the book should be taken in that same vein - a possible future.
The Laviaja sections were my favourite, and I would personally love to see more development of it, both before and after the events of The Actual Star. We know some history of the Age of Emergency - aspects like nomadism, mutual aid and the push back against hoarding of resources all make sense in that context. But naturally given the format, there is a huge gap between what we know of today, and where Laviaja is in 3012. And of course there's scope to see how things play out, especially given Niloux's theory about the location of further cortadas.
Some of the sexual content felt corny to me, especially contrasted with the grand arcs of the overall storyline and took away from the overall experience. I think it would have been better to gloss over it a little more and let the reader fill in the gaps with their imagination.
Contrary to other reviews I don't think Laviaja is supposed to be taken as some sort of perfect utopia, but just another version of civilisation with pros and cons, similar to how modern society is very different from the Mayan society, but in no way perfect. As we know, anything presented as a utopia is usually nothing of the sort, and I think that holds true here. Byrne cites Black Mirror as one of her influences and I think the 3012 portion of the book should be taken in that same vein - a possible future.
The Laviaja sections were my favourite, and I would personally love to see more development of it, both before and after the events of The Actual Star. We know some history of the Age of Emergency - aspects like nomadism, mutual aid and the push back against hoarding of resources all make sense in that context. But naturally given the format, there is a huge gap between what we know of today, and where Laviaja is in 3012. And of course there's scope to see how things play out, especially given Niloux's theory about the location of further cortadas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Cancer, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, and Vomit
ceilidhwilliams's review
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Incest, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
cleo_wylde's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Loved the world the author has conceptualised and how it all comes together. A book that tries very hard to hit lots of points and overall succeeds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
caseythereader's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thanks to Harper Voyager for the free copy of this book.
- Wow, how do I even review a work like THE ACTUAL STAR? This book is a massive undertaking, telling the stories of three sets of people in three timelines each a thousand years apart. We watch as their stories braid, repeat, differ, and merge.
- I saw elements of Ursula LeGuin, Octavia E. Butler, Simon Jimenez, and more from across decades of sci-fi and fantasy literature in this story.
- I felt deeply invested in each timeline, and was on the edge of my seat as the stories came together. It’s quite a feat to make a slow paced, 600+ page novel a page turner.
- Story aside, the writing is fantastic, too. Beautifully written, with the recurring elements never becoming too heavyhanded.
- Wow, how do I even review a work like THE ACTUAL STAR? This book is a massive undertaking, telling the stories of three sets of people in three timelines each a thousand years apart. We watch as their stories braid, repeat, differ, and merge.
- I saw elements of Ursula LeGuin, Octavia E. Butler, Simon Jimenez, and more from across decades of sci-fi and fantasy literature in this story.
- I felt deeply invested in each timeline, and was on the edge of my seat as the stories came together. It’s quite a feat to make a slow paced, 600+ page novel a page turner.
- Story aside, the writing is fantastic, too. Beautifully written, with the recurring elements never becoming too heavyhanded.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Terminal illness
aclaman's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death, Incest, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Murder
buntatamilis's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, Sexual content, and Murder
voidboi's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Genius storytelling and worldbuilding, thoughtful reflection on change, religion, humanity, place, entropy, and so much more. Every time I started a new chapter I would be excited all over again to see what was happening with Ixul, or Leah, or Niloux (and the surrounding characters). Discovering the threads running between each time was delightful. I loved the structure of this novel, and how it collapses in on itself.
In particular, the world of Laviaja was fascinating, and the conflict between Niloux and Tanaaj was the perfect framing for a refreshingly nuanced look at utopia. I both longed for a society like Laviaja, and found it difficult at many times. I was pulled in strongly and challenged by the characters and the way they think about their world.
Also, this book has an excellent acknowledgements section, which only impressed upon me more the labor and care that the author took to create such an intelligent and compassionate story.
In particular, the world of Laviaja was fascinating, and the conflict between Niloux and Tanaaj was the perfect framing for a refreshingly nuanced look at utopia. I both longed for a society like Laviaja, and found it difficult at many times. I was pulled in strongly and challenged by the characters and the way they think about their world.
Also, this book has an excellent acknowledgements section, which only impressed upon me more the labor and care that the author took to create such an intelligent and compassionate story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
hammy91's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Very interesting! I enjoyed the first two time periods so much that I didn't want it to end.
The last time period which is in the future was very hard to follow at first, but I want to believe it's because I do not know any Spanish so I had no idea of the Spanish words and conversations. But I later found out there's a glossary in the back so I was referencing it while I read which was very helpful!
As I said, the first two was amazing, I especially enjoyed Leah's story. The Mayan time period was interesting too but during the middle part I felt the plot dragged out a little bit but eventually picked up and things got INTENSE.
I love the ending which is basically all of Book 3 it was just so fun to see everything finally align together.
It wasn't an absolute five-star read but close enough! Definitely recommend!
The last time period which is in the future was very hard to follow at first, but I want to believe it's because I do not know any Spanish so I had no idea of the Spanish words and conversations. But I later found out there's a glossary in the back so I was referencing it while I read which was very helpful!
As I said, the first two was amazing, I especially enjoyed Leah's story. The Mayan time period was interesting too but during the middle part I felt the plot dragged out a little bit but eventually picked up and things got INTENSE.
I love the ending which is basically all of Book 3 it was just so fun to see everything finally align together.
It wasn't an absolute five-star read but close enough! Definitely recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Incest, Self harm, Slavery, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Terminal illness and Vomit