I received this book in a subscription box and I was so excited. I hadn’t heard anything about it prior to receiving it, but Ann Aguirre has written several books that I’ve enjoyed in the past, and I’ve been in the mood for sci-fi recently. Also, the idea of a sentient ship was really intriguing. I’ve read some reviews refer to them as ‘space whales’ and that actually seems relatively accurate, especially taking into account their relationship to music and the fact that they communicate using song.

I was also excited about the idea of a street-smart, badass lady protagonist, especially when I realized that she is a woman of color.

I was so prepared to fall in love with this book, which is what makes it all the more disappointing that I was so incredibly bored listening to this.

I did attempt to read the physical copy but my mind would wander and I would realize that I’d read pages without actually processing the words I was reading. So I switched to the audiobook, thinking that if I still found my mind wandering, at least I was accomplishing something else at the same time (I will do chores or other things while I listen to audiobooks.

Things I liked:

1. The concept. I am loving sci-fi stories with non-human characters right now. Usually that means AI characters, but I was really intrigued by the Leviathans. I also felt like the authors set up what could have been an interesting mystery as to why honors wouldn’t want to be chosen for a mission and what exactly is entailed in a mission. There was also a slightly dystopian feel to this society which was intriguing.

2. Zara and Beatriz’s friendship. I wish this had been detailed more because the scenes we had with the two of them were pretty good.

3. Beatriz. She was my favorite character in this book. I loved that she started out as someone who seemed weak to Zara but as the story goes we see her strengths and her sass and wit.

What I didn’t like:

1. The pacing. This book is boring. That is my biggest issue. All of the promise that it showed with the concept just dies with the slow pace of the plot. And I am not someone who needs a super fast-paced, action-filled plot. I appreciate character-driven stories even when there is little to no plot. But the character of Zara wasn’t interesting enough to me to carry this book. The set up of her life as a thief and getting sent to rehab and then competing for a spot as an honor was so boring and slow. That being said, the whole ‘competition’ aspect of the book isn’t very long, pagewise. But it isn’t interesting either. It felt like a lot of telling, not showing. I pushed through, hoping that once she started her mission the action would pick up. It didn’t. Even in the climactic parts of the book I just found myself wishing I could set the player to higher than 2X speed.


2. The characters, specifically Zara and Nadim and their ‘relationship’. As earlier stated, I can forgive a slow beginning and a weak plot if I love the characters. Unfortunately, I didn’t. While
I really liked Beatriz, she ended up being the third wheel in one of the strangest and most awkward love stories I’ve ever read. You read that right. Zara and Nadim (the space whale) are ‘connected’ to each other because of some Leviathan DNA that was put into Zara’s brain to stop her brutal headaches when she was younger. I felt slightly nauseated reading the passages where they ‘become we’ and they touch/caress each other. It’s strange. And it’s not just me reading into something that is supposed to be benign. It is clearly stated as being seductive, and Zara is afraid that Nadim will be upset when he learns that she ‘bonded’ with another ship who was trying to harm them. The word sexy is also used at points when talking about their bond.

And I just...no. I don’t know if the authors are trying to make some sort of comment about sexual preference or gender norms, but it could’ve been done in a more effective way, in my opinion. First of all, if you want to get technical, this is really insta-lovey. They are immediately drawn to one another. Secondly, they both cross lines when they connect to the other without asking permission, so there could also be a discussion about consent issues between these two characters. Also, it got incredibly intense in a very short period of time. I just wasn’t comfortable with their relationship at all. If I had a friend who became involved with another person with the same speed and intensity I would be incredibly cautious and concerned. I’m just saying.

Also, this creates a very strange dynamic with the two of them and Beatriz, who almost becomes a cheerleader for their relationship. It almost felt like she existed only to prop up their relationship as being something okay.

3. Racial stereotypes.
I was happy to learn that two of the main characters in this book were women of color. Specifically, Zara is black and Beatriz is Brazilian. However, as I read this book, I felt like the authors fell into stereotypes that could offend some readers. Zara, the black character, is from a rundown area in a rundown city. She’s a thief who takes drugs, runs around with a bad crowd, doesn’t trust authorities, and gets sent to rehab. I just felt like this perpetuates false stereotypes and the fact that the two authors are white women merits some concern.

I don’t think I’ll continue with this series. From the ratings I’ve seen so far I am definitely in the minority when it comes to this book, so while I don’t personally recommend it I know that there are many others who will.