Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Actual Star by Monica Byrne

15 reviews

moonm's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective medium-paced
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

valentina_legge's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

The right book at the right time. 

Long and dense with research and complex world-building, but never too heavy, still a page-turner. Perfect structure. Loved the ending.

Will stay with me for a long time.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

okayhanh's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious 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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bailey_the_bookworm's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book! Wow. It melted my brain in the best way. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

caseythereader's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

krys_kilz's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous 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

This book blew me away! The world building was awe inspiring and each of the characters were complex and multifaceted. And how the three timelines braided together to create a multi-generational saga... it was powerful and truly mind blowing.

I could see parallels to Octavia's Earthseed books with god as entropy, Ursula K. Le Guin (especially The Dispossessed) with the questioning/challenging of utopia, and so many other influences.

This is probably one of my favorite books I have ever read.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

samsearle's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

nikichem's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional informative reflective tense slow-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

I finished this book and immediately started to reread it. I loved it so much but once you know how it ends you want to go back and enjoy all the Easter Eggs. I have been recommending this book like crazy. In each of the first three chapters, there were things that were shocking. I loved the ending. I loved the beginning and I loved the middle. I am not writer; I am a reader and this is the 1st book I can recall starting to read it again as soon as I finished it the 1st time. If you like speculative fiction, Slipstream, Science-Fantasy, Genre Blending, Visionary, Historical check this out it will change the way you view humanity. This book gave me Octavia Butler vibes and it also reminds me some of Cloud Cuckoo Land only based in Belize and with a span of 2000 years (1012 to 3012).
Expand filter menu Content Warnings

islasoul's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.5

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

voidboi's review against another edition

Go to review page

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.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings