Author: Tristina Wright
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 400
Publication Date: October 3rd, 2017
Plot:
This book takes place over one night that lasts 27 hours, and contains an incredible, diverse cast of teens. Takes place on a planet that humans colonized but contained a species before they got there. The humans call them gargoyles, but they're Chimera.
The main characters spend the 27 hours trying to stop the war that's been going on since the original colonists landed on the planet. And learn things about themselves and their government they might of been better off not knowing.
The plot is interesting, and intricate, but the stars of this book are the characters. Four out of five are people of color, and all of them are queer. Rumor, Dahlia, Nyx, Braeden, Jude.
If you want a more in depth synopsis, goodreads, but honestly I'd suggest going in just knowing that. It's worth it and so good.
Review:
Content/trigger warnings (in the REVIEW, THIS REVIEW) for: colonization, racism.
I want to just put a disclaimer here that I loved this book. It's been a rough year for me - a rough life? - and something about this book touched me? The characters, mostly, I adored them all. I'm aware there are issues with it, though. However, hi, I'm white so the recent talk about this is not for me to speak about, though I agree with them. I'm just linking some reviews about the problems people had below which were about how it has colonization issues, and also not great PoC rep.
I’m not going to go into depth about either because it’s not for me to speak on, so I’ll just leave these reviews and go:
"Has colonist guilt & flawed racial representation" by Aimal (Bookshelves and Paperbacks blog) (quotes used here and below cause what their review is titled with/called)
2/5 - "disappointed and frustrated" by Jesse
3/5 - still had problems, but enjoyed by Anna Elisa Monte
I still have a few things to say, but honestly I feel like I should just leave it there. I just can’t, though, because I did really enjoy this book. Like I really, really loved this book. Mostly because I didn’t notice this was happening – well with the colonist bullshit, I was a little skeptical about the heritage representation, but I guess I added more time in my head. Looking back, maybe shouldn’t have read this during/right after BEA.
Tristina has addressed this online yet, so I’m just going to link that here with no more comment from me. Once again, not something for me to speak of.
I've rewritten this part about 100 times in the past three weeks and I just don't know anymore. First off - I loved this book, as I'm sure you can see by the rating. It's been a rough year, hell a rough few years, and this one just was amazing to me.
It was completely that right time, right book kind of thing and I'm fully aware of that but the characters. I love them so much. I had minor problems with it when I was reading it, but didn't see all the problems that are there. Mostly because I kind of forgot any of the main characters were white - and was confused a few weeks ago when I saw fanart and he was white, but apparently he's white.
I first read this book in June and haven't reread yet, but I just got the physical copy in my hands - wanted to reread the physical one because things do change. My personal problem is that we never get a clear answer about Braeden, if he's aro/ace or gray-romantic, I'm kind of on board for either but really want gray-rom/ace.
I feel a little guilty now, which is why I've rewritten this review so many times, with that I love this so much and it is problematic. I just - I'm not dealing with that well but that's my problem. I still wanted to review this, though, because I loved it so much.
And, no, some good rep doesn't cancel out the bad rep, that's now how that works, but it meant a lot to me when I read it and I think it might to others. If it did hurt you, though, I'm sorry - and definitely, if you're going to check it out, check into this before you do (reviews above)
Happy reading!
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