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A review by steinmetzka
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
4.0
Huge thank you to DAW Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! This was an easy 4-stars to give! The book blurb for this story was really captivating and I was really excited for this read from the get-go. The structure of this book was interesting and a nice change of pace from my previous reads. Almost every chapter is narrated by a different character while still feeling fluid and, especially towards the end of the book, very interconnected. Many of the chapters left me on a bit of a cliff-hanger in a particular character's story, however, those moments were often picked up by intertwining another character and their respective chapter. It was a refreshing stylistic choice. It was easy to fall in love with all of the characters and the unique world that they existed in. It felt incredibly realistic and like a potential future outcome for our current world state.
While there are certainly "cozy" aspects to this story, especially in regards to the conversations had between characters and much of their own internal development, I loved that it had more edge to it. There was plenty of mystery, political/environmental disruption, and even with some thrill - this really helped keep me engaged in the story line, especially as an avid thriller/horror reader. It didn't feel quite so cozy by the end and I'm thankful for that outcome.
After finishing this book, I felt like I could have read whole, individual books written by many of these characters - not necessarily a bad thing, I just felt like I would have been happy with more from many of them. My biggest qualm with the book was that the ending felt a little rushed. I feel like I needed more closure - or, better yet, a full sequel. While some of the excitement felt "let go of" in the ending, I think there could still be a lot of promise for a continuation of what happens with The Lamplighter and with Andromeda.
Bonus points for the inclusivity in this book! The inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters and disabilities were beautifully interwoven and oh-so natural! It never felt like the author was "trying hard" to show they were creating inclusive characters and there was never a big show around their introductions or presence in the story. Loved!
I was also so pleased with the prevalence of climate issues in this book. We learn that the reason people are even in this galaxy is because Earth was stripped of its resources and became uninhabitable. The Empire carries on the same practice for many of the planets in their new home galaxy, and this particularly impacts vulnerable, lower-income, and working-class populations (aka not the elite and wealthy). This felt very well-delivered and poignant!
Overall, I really enjoyed this read and look forward to seeing more from the author, Grace Curtis!
While there are certainly "cozy" aspects to this story, especially in regards to the conversations had between characters and much of their own internal development, I loved that it had more edge to it. There was plenty of mystery, political/environmental disruption, and even with some thrill - this really helped keep me engaged in the story line, especially as an avid thriller/horror reader. It didn't feel quite so cozy by the end and I'm thankful for that outcome.
After finishing this book, I felt like I could have read whole, individual books written by many of these characters - not necessarily a bad thing, I just felt like I would have been happy with more from many of them. My biggest qualm with the book was that the ending felt a little rushed. I feel like I needed more closure - or, better yet, a full sequel. While some of the excitement felt "let go of" in the ending, I think there could still be a lot of promise for a continuation of what happens with The Lamplighter and with Andromeda.
Bonus points for the inclusivity in this book! The inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters and disabilities were beautifully interwoven and oh-so natural! It never felt like the author was "trying hard" to show they were creating inclusive characters and there was never a big show around their introductions or presence in the story. Loved!
I was also so pleased with the prevalence of climate issues in this book. We learn that the reason people are even in this galaxy is because Earth was stripped of its resources and became uninhabitable. The Empire carries on the same practice for many of the planets in their new home galaxy, and this particularly impacts vulnerable, lower-income, and working-class populations (aka not the elite and wealthy). This felt very well-delivered and poignant!
Overall, I really enjoyed this read and look forward to seeing more from the author, Grace Curtis!