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A review by pewter
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
I love giant mechs, queerness, found family, and political intrigue. So why didn't I love this book? A few reasons: the writing, characters, world building, and pace.
Firstly, I found I just couldn't suspend my disbelief. Other similar tales, (Hunger Games, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, or Hell Followed With Us), or even those targeting a younger Audience (Animorphs), do a better job convincing me of the world, the tech, or the people. Gearbreakers exposition lore doesn't match what is shown on page, does not stand up to any investigation of plot holes or questions. Gearbreakers just doesn't feel real.
Gearbreakers has the YA pieces. But all these ingredients together- the too-quippy teens, absent adults, and miraculous capers, and it just oozes eyerolling impossibility. Each secondary character is the same cardboard cutout with one quirk swapped out. The dialogue is constant witty snark. The bad characters are BAD. The good characters are GOOD. There is no development. Is it enemies to lovers when they aren't ever really enemies on-page? Is it slow burn if they are very clearly in love immediately and never waver?
Stories like these normally explore a push and pull of action and consequences, war and trauma. But there is no cause-and-effect on screen here; it is all previous trauma and no hesitation about violence or child soldiers. I am told the stakes are always at 1000%, which is exhausting. Kids with unbeatable magic gloves and no ups or downs. Those 1000% stakes aren't ever shown, just told.
What made this read harder is the writing and pace. The text is elaborate and demands attention, but the pace is breakneck. The mix is a difficult-to-follow blend of long emotional scenes mixed with short bursts the main plot, in a beautiful but challenging prose that isn't easy to follow. This, paired with POV swaps between two similar characters and floating dialogue that tends to have no owner, makes reading a chore.
I really really wanted to love this. I was looking forward to it and was so excited. And now I doubt I'll pick up the sequel, and instead opt to just find a synopsis.
Firstly, I found I just couldn't suspend my disbelief. Other similar tales, (Hunger Games, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, or Hell Followed With Us), or even those targeting a younger Audience (Animorphs), do a better job convincing me of the world, the tech, or the people. Gearbreakers exposition lore doesn't match what is shown on page, does not stand up to any investigation of plot holes or questions. Gearbreakers just doesn't feel real.
Gearbreakers has the YA pieces. But all these ingredients together- the too-quippy teens, absent adults, and miraculous capers, and it just oozes eyerolling impossibility. Each secondary character is the same cardboard cutout with one quirk swapped out. The dialogue is constant witty snark. The bad characters are BAD. The good characters are GOOD. There is no development. Is it enemies to lovers when they aren't ever really enemies on-page? Is it slow burn if they are very clearly in love immediately and never waver?
Stories like these normally explore a push and pull of action and consequences, war and trauma. But there is no cause-and-effect on screen here; it is all previous trauma and no hesitation about violence or child soldiers. I am told the stakes are always at 1000%, which is exhausting. Kids with unbeatable magic gloves and no ups or downs. Those 1000% stakes aren't ever shown, just told.
What made this read harder is the writing and pace. The text is elaborate and demands attention, but the pace is breakneck. The mix is a difficult-to-follow blend of long emotional scenes mixed with short bursts the main plot, in a beautiful but challenging prose that isn't easy to follow. This, paired with POV swaps between two similar characters and floating dialogue that tends to have no owner, makes reading a chore.
I really really wanted to love this. I was looking forward to it and was so excited. And now I doubt I'll pick up the sequel, and instead opt to just find a synopsis.