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inuyasha's review against another edition
3.0
the author's note for this starts off with calling this "more of a rom-com featuring robots than anything else" and that is both the best and worst thing about this book. like... yes... waiter my compliments to the chef the yuri was incredible but also outside of the romance in this i was left,,,, Wanting. but before i derail this by being a negative hater i really want to drive home how loveable and well fleshed out the two main characters are, how naturally their relationship unfolded, how much i adored their dynamic and how much it went against expectations i had for them (especially given that this was a YA).
ok, now hater hour: the world building in this feels really hollow at times - the hook that made me pick up this book was the reference to the mechas being revered in this as gods, but we really don't see any of that outside of vague mentions. i kept thinking about how much harder we could go here - seeing reverent worshippers, people who collect photocards of pilots the way people do k-pop idols, etc. for a technologically advanced, centuries beyond our own reality world, this felt very rooted in the 2020s. and by keeping us only in the academy and the hollows, we explore very little of the world at large (and although the characters often go on long journeys between these two locations, we aren't given much of a description) and makes everything feel kind of cartoonishly flat. i would have appreciated the world feeling more of a living breathing thing rather than a background for puppets of sona and eris to flirt in front of (altho i did love the flirting!)
this also has the normal pitfalls of YA: too many named side characters that don't necessarily move the plot along and a forced, sickly-sweet "found family" trope that upsets the pacing of the narrative because at certain points the author is too focused on shoving this concept down your throat instead of moving things along. but also,,,, i am not a found family person so . shrug emoji.
all that being said this passed my really only true litmus test for YA which is: if i read this in high school would i be kind of obsessed and stay up late to write fanfic for this that would get maybe 20 hits ? and the answer is absolutely.
ok, now hater hour: the world building in this feels really hollow at times - the hook that made me pick up this book was the reference to the mechas being revered in this as gods, but we really don't see any of that outside of vague mentions. i kept thinking about how much harder we could go here - seeing reverent worshippers, people who collect photocards of pilots the way people do k-pop idols, etc. for a technologically advanced, centuries beyond our own reality world, this felt very rooted in the 2020s. and by keeping us only in the academy and the hollows, we explore very little of the world at large (and although the characters often go on long journeys between these two locations, we aren't given much of a description) and makes everything feel kind of cartoonishly flat. i would have appreciated the world feeling more of a living breathing thing rather than a background for puppets of sona and eris to flirt in front of (altho i did love the flirting!)
this also has the normal pitfalls of YA: too many named side characters that don't necessarily move the plot along and a forced, sickly-sweet "found family" trope that upsets the pacing of the narrative because at certain points the author is too focused on shoving this concept down your throat instead of moving things along. but also,,,, i am not a found family person so . shrug emoji.
all that being said this passed my really only true litmus test for YA which is: if i read this in high school would i be kind of obsessed and stay up late to write fanfic for this that would get maybe 20 hits ? and the answer is absolutely.
trankz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.0
the_booksnom's review against another edition
I tried, I can't do it. It's very early 2010s YA with a manic pixie MC that is the best of the best by 17. Also the writing is a bit confusing or I just couldn't focus.
ilvee's review against another edition
3.0
Voor mij 3,5 ster verhaal leuk maar dat je elk hoofdstuk switch tussen 2 personen vond ik minder
elisanataf's review against another edition
4.0
this book was really good!! i had a good time! i will say i was reading this on my kindle which i feel affected my reading experience but thats not the books fault. anyways overall very good, im exited for the next book!!
matchafiction's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
chenyinyin's review against another edition
3.5
most of the book had alright writing. there were some very pretty phrases, but the writing felt disjointed.
i came around to sona. she felt robotic (😏) in the first part, but i have slowly come to understand that’s part of her charm.
the ricocheting between sona’s formal, descriptive, poetic speech and eris’ gruff, swear-filled perspective was sometimes jarring.
that ending has me very excited to read the the next one, which is right next to me and which i will start immediately!!!
fantastic setup! sona as the last pilot, under godolia’s control.
i came around to sona. she felt robotic (😏) in the first part, but i have slowly come to understand that’s part of her charm.
the ricocheting between sona’s formal, descriptive, poetic speech and eris’ gruff, swear-filled perspective was sometimes jarring.
that ending has me very excited to read the the next one, which is right next to me and which i will start immediately!!!
terranstorm's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-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? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed the story overall, but despite having many elements that look for in a fun queer sci fi, I found it hard to sink into. I stuck it out and definitely enjoyed the two mains growing closer and kicking ass together… but I had forgotten this was a series with, you guessed it, a cliffhanger. I kinda hate that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Body horror and Torture
ashylibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? No
3.75