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abby_ace_of_books 's review for:
The Stars Too Fondly
by Emily Hamilton
The best way I can describe this book is Heartstopper in space.
The Stars Too Fondly is listed as a sapphic rom-com and cozy sci-fi, but I really don't think that description gives any clue as to the depth and weight conveyed within the story. I really didn't find it to be too much of a "rom-com" (I don't like rom-coms typically, so this worked in my favor), and while I see where the "cozy" sci-fi comes from, there is a LOT more going on than what I would expect from something labeled as "cozy."
Told through a handful of mediums (traditional prose, secret internal monologues, archived conversations, etc), this book details the story of a friend group of queer young scientists as they navigate the stars in search of a spaceship crew that disappeared nearly 19 years ago. The pacing is a bit slow at times, which is why I think this counts as "cozy" (most of the story takes place in one setting). That being said, there is a fair amount of angst, which I enjoyed greatly, and the ending was much more meaningful than I think any true rom-com could've managed. I did find some of the plot twists to be predictable, but that wasn't a huge deal. I also want to note that some "sci-fi" elements read more as "science fantasy," which I saw as a main complaint in other reviews and while I didn't mind it, I do think it's important for people to understand this isn't the most scientific of sci-fis.
This book really emphasizes found family vibes, too. While I struggled a bit to connect to the main character, Cleo, and her romance with Billie (the ship's holographic captain), I was rooting for them by the end. Kal and Abe reminded me a lot of Elle and Tao from Heartstopper, but I thought they were neat as side characters. Ros was my favorite, mostly because they were mysterious, angsty, and done with everyone else's crap. I thought the villain was pretty well done in making the reader dislike them, but I do think they were "defeated" pretty easily.
The Stars Too Fondly is a sapphic sci-fi novel about a found family of queer scientists that balances cozy vibes with themes of the dangers of progress.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.5/5
The Stars Too Fondly is listed as a sapphic rom-com and cozy sci-fi, but I really don't think that description gives any clue as to the depth and weight conveyed within the story. I really didn't find it to be too much of a "rom-com" (I don't like rom-coms typically, so this worked in my favor), and while I see where the "cozy" sci-fi comes from, there is a LOT more going on than what I would expect from something labeled as "cozy."
Told through a handful of mediums (traditional prose, secret internal monologues, archived conversations, etc), this book details the story of a friend group of queer young scientists as they navigate the stars in search of a spaceship crew that disappeared nearly 19 years ago. The pacing is a bit slow at times, which is why I think this counts as "cozy" (most of the story takes place in one setting). That being said, there is a fair amount of angst, which I enjoyed greatly, and the ending was much more meaningful than I think any true rom-com could've managed. I did find some of the plot twists to be predictable, but that wasn't a huge deal. I also want to note that some "sci-fi" elements read more as "science fantasy," which I saw as a main complaint in other reviews and while I didn't mind it, I do think it's important for people to understand this isn't the most scientific of sci-fis.
This book really emphasizes found family vibes, too. While I struggled a bit to connect to the main character, Cleo, and her romance with Billie (the ship's holographic captain), I was rooting for them by the end. Kal and Abe reminded me a lot of Elle and Tao from Heartstopper, but I thought they were neat as side characters. Ros was my favorite, mostly because they were mysterious, angsty, and done with everyone else's crap. I thought the villain was pretty well done in making the reader dislike them, but I do think they were "defeated" pretty easily.
The Stars Too Fondly is a sapphic sci-fi novel about a found family of queer scientists that balances cozy vibes with themes of the dangers of progress.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.5/5