The Oceans 8 meets Blade Runner comps are not what I would consider to be an accurate description of this novel. Just because we are very much set in a cyberpunk setting does not mean we are getting a Blade Runner experience. From the Oceans 8 perspective however, we are fulfilled in spades.

But to be honest, I could've used more from the cyberpunk angle. Because while the setting and political landscape and the fact that the general society is chipped and modded is a major focus of the story, we don't really get to explore or expand much about it. It's the vehicle which drives the plot along considering the whole potential memory modification that Atlas is fixated on is the proprietary target of the heist with which the story revolves around, but I never felt it was a strong aspect of the novel as a whole.  

The characterization was decent. The story definitely wanted to focus on the relationships between Edie and their family especially Andie and , between them and Angel, and between them and the crew - whether it was Cy as their cybernetic cyborg cousin, Malia as their kid-sister adjacent child hacker, Tatiana as the young upstart runner who could take their place, etc. And it definitely does so in a way that valued all of the characters and what they brought to the table. But I also think because the story is so plot driven, that we don't really get a feel for some of the characters to the degree that I wanted to. But that sense of family and familial bonds was strong and I felt the deep-seated hatred for Tyler, Edie's brother-in-law any time he was on page. Not that it takes much to anger me on a good day, but still, emotion from me means the author is doing something well enough (or sometimes poor enough) to evoke it.

I will say, the representation in this novel is fantastic - it is unashamedly sapphic, and even though I never really came to enjoy Angel as the love interest, I definitely understand her and Edie as a couple. I think the romance was a little lacklustre for me because while it was prevalent in that Angel and Edie were clearly always thinking about one another, I never felt like it was focused on in the way I wanted it to be. And that's just by nature of the story - it was plot driven and about a heist so of course that was what was always at the forefront of the novel. And while it took me a hot minute, I found myself enjoying the Pidgin that was woven into the story by the end of the tale, and if this was ever adapted to the big screen I think it would hit even harder.

I didn't love the story, but I did enjoy my time with it and that alongside a truly gorgeous cover is still a win in my books.