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ameserole's review against another edition
2.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so I'll admit right here and right now that I had no idea what I was walking into. Heck, once I saw that the audio was available I was freaking out with excitement. Mostly because I just really wanted to dive into Star Eater after reading the synopsis. Unfortunately, that was the best part out of the entire freaking book. Well, at least for me it was.
I'm definitely blaming myself for all the hyping up I did because this book was just one huge disappointment to me. Some thing were just really too gross and I'm so happy that I wasn't eating or drinking anything when I got to those scenes. Then there are parts that confused me so much that I just didn't know what was going on. I honestly had no idea who was good or bad for most of this book and I secretly wished I had the ebook or physical to read instead of listening to the audiobook.
If I did, I don't think my opinion on the book would have changed drastically but I think some of my confusion would never appear. Maybe. Again, not completely sure right now. Other than that, I thought the whole nuns who were kind of like black widows was a pretty interesting idea. It definitely had potential to be a great book. Unfortunately, it just had parts where absolutely nothing was happening and I felt like I was missing a lot of information. Whether it was the lack of world building or even the characters. I honestly had no idea who was who and just sat back and watched the chaos unfold.
Before I forget, there was also some romance but I didn't really care for it. I think it would have been fine with zero romance and a lot more action to keep me from zoning in and out of the book. I'm also pretty happy that this isn't a series because I just don't think I could handle another book. It would definitely confuse me even more.
Okay, so I'll admit right here and right now that I had no idea what I was walking into. Heck, once I saw that the audio was available I was freaking out with excitement. Mostly because I just really wanted to dive into Star Eater after reading the synopsis. Unfortunately, that was the best part out of the entire freaking book. Well, at least for me it was.
I'm definitely blaming myself for all the hyping up I did because this book was just one huge disappointment to me. Some thing were just really too gross and I'm so happy that I wasn't eating or drinking anything when I got to those scenes. Then there are parts that confused me so much that I just didn't know what was going on. I honestly had no idea who was good or bad for most of this book and I secretly wished I had the ebook or physical to read instead of listening to the audiobook.
If I did, I don't think my opinion on the book would have changed drastically but I think some of my confusion would never appear. Maybe. Again, not completely sure right now. Other than that, I thought the whole nuns who were kind of like black widows was a pretty interesting idea. It definitely had potential to be a great book. Unfortunately, it just had parts where absolutely nothing was happening and I felt like I was missing a lot of information. Whether it was the lack of world building or even the characters. I honestly had no idea who was who and just sat back and watched the chaos unfold.
Before I forget, there was also some romance but I didn't really care for it. I think it would have been fine with zero romance and a lot more action to keep me from zoning in and out of the book. I'm also pretty happy that this isn't a series because I just don't think I could handle another book. It would definitely confuse me even more.
booklover160's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars - I recommend reading content warnings before reading the novel!
CW:
This was read for the #DTReadAlong group!! Feel free to join us for any of our read alongs!!
I really didn't think I'd like this one because I don't usually go for horror. Buuut "cannibal nuns who fight zombies made of their own STDs" sounded awesome and so, so weird.
[b:Star Eater|55077680|Star Eater|Kerstin Hall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1599778721l/55077680._SY75_.jpg|74138070] follows Elfreda, an ordinary Sister in her order. Except that the Order runs their floating island because the Sisters have magic... magic that they get by consuming the flesh of their mothers. Along with running the government and keeping the island floating, they also fight zombies, called Haunts, which are very rare. They're rare because they're created when a Sister has sex with men. The men slowly turn into Haunts, but the Sisters need to continue their line so they use criminals. The criminals are kept locked up and when they're too far gone, they get literally pushed off the edge of the floating island.
Elfreda gets tangled up in several plots and various political pulls. She agrees to spy for another Sister so long as she can get out of Renewals (the act of trying to get pregnant to continue the Sisterhood). But as she delves deeper into this plot, she learns things about herself that could change the future of the Sisterhood, and the whole island, forever.
WOW. SO MUCH happens in this book and I can't believe I kept up with it. (I don't think I did tbh)
Elfreda felt so real to me. She could keep her cool under pressure, but I loved being in her head and seeing her freak out and have all these dilemmas and weigh her options heavily. I loved seeing her interact with other characters and try to figure out who she can trust, even questioning those closest to her. She did take the news of who she is remarkably well and I was glad she went through with things, but it felt a bit... easy. Like there weren't many pages left and everything wrapped up a little too neatly or conveniently.
I liked the other characters; but there's A LOT. Thank goodness for the cast list at the beginning. I found it sorted oddly as our main character is at the bottom of the list but I was just happy to have it.
I think the plot was awesomely twisted and wicked. This world is cruel and hard mentally on the Sisters but they do what they need to do to survive. There were so many twists and turns that I was hanging on to every page. I think it was paced poorly, however. The beginning takes a while to get into and the end wraps up too neatly in my opinion. But it's still a fun and wild ride.
I also didn't find this as dark as I anticipated. Yeah, it's brutal but not as bad as I expected for a book in the 'horror' genre. I think it was much more of a political thriller?
All in all, it was better than I expected!! I'm grateful to my book club for making me step outside my comfort zone for this one!! I would read more from Kerstin Hall!!
CW:
Spoiler
cannibalism, religious trauma, implied rape, violence, body horrorThis was read for the #DTReadAlong group!! Feel free to join us for any of our read alongs!!
I really didn't think I'd like this one because I don't usually go for horror. Buuut "cannibal nuns who fight zombies made of their own STDs" sounded awesome and so, so weird.
[b:Star Eater|55077680|Star Eater|Kerstin Hall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1599778721l/55077680._SY75_.jpg|74138070] follows Elfreda, an ordinary Sister in her order. Except that the Order runs their floating island because the Sisters have magic... magic that they get by consuming the flesh of their mothers. Along with running the government and keeping the island floating, they also fight zombies, called Haunts, which are very rare. They're rare because they're created when a Sister has sex with men. The men slowly turn into Haunts, but the Sisters need to continue their line so they use criminals. The criminals are kept locked up and when they're too far gone, they get literally pushed off the edge of the floating island.
Elfreda gets tangled up in several plots and various political pulls. She agrees to spy for another Sister so long as she can get out of Renewals (the act of trying to get pregnant to continue the Sisterhood). But as she delves deeper into this plot, she learns things about herself that could change the future of the Sisterhood, and the whole island, forever.
WOW. SO MUCH happens in this book and I can't believe I kept up with it. (I don't think I did tbh)
Elfreda felt so real to me. She could keep her cool under pressure, but I loved being in her head and seeing her freak out and have all these dilemmas and weigh her options heavily. I loved seeing her interact with other characters and try to figure out who she can trust, even questioning those closest to her. She did take the news of who she is remarkably well and I was glad she went through with things, but it felt a bit... easy. Like there weren't many pages left and everything wrapped up a little too neatly or conveniently.
I liked the other characters; but there's A LOT. Thank goodness for the cast list at the beginning. I found it sorted oddly as our main character is at the bottom of the list but I was just happy to have it.
I think the plot was awesomely twisted and wicked. This world is cruel and hard mentally on the Sisters but they do what they need to do to survive. There were so many twists and turns that I was hanging on to every page. I think it was paced poorly, however. The beginning takes a while to get into and the end wraps up too neatly in my opinion. But it's still a fun and wild ride.
I also didn't find this as dark as I anticipated. Yeah, it's brutal but not as bad as I expected for a book in the 'horror' genre. I think it was much more of a political thriller?
All in all, it was better than I expected!! I'm grateful to my book club for making me step outside my comfort zone for this one!! I would read more from Kerstin Hall!!
lezreadalot's review against another edition
4.0
“But then there’s the cost,” she said softly. “And the question of who must pay it.”
I enjoyed the bejeezus out of this, even though several moments had me murmuring 'what the fuck what the fuck' underneath my breath. They were GOOD wtfs, because there's something so thrilling about a book being able to unseat you and unsettle you, even though you know the unpleasant parts are coming. (Yes, I'm talking about the cannibalism.) Broad strokes: El is a Sister of a cult that reigns in a floating city. She's mostly satisfied in with her life and friends and her place in the Sisterhood, but there's one duty that she dreads: becoming pregnant to carry on the bloodline. Different factions are rising in the city, including a rebellion, and El soon gets swept up in it.
Ngl, the appeal for me is in the horror and the unsettling nature of the plot and the world. I knew next to nothing going in, and I enjoyed that sense of blindness so much. (This book has a blurb that I feel actually does a good job of giving you an idea of what's coming, but not spoiling you for anything significant, which is frustratingly rare in blurbs.) I feel like I didn't really get a chance to stop and think about where the story might be going; I was just swept along by it so completely. Everything I learnt about this world and the Sisterhood was so horrid and fascinating. I adored the rituals and intricacies and how several characters were pushed to the limits of what they were willing to do. Tough to read, but gah, really good. I really liked all of the characters, especially Asan, Osan and Millie. I adored Elfreda; I feel like it's not too uncommon to have a protagonist who has fear (especially this specific fear) as one of her driving motivations and it was super interesting, and really compelling to me. I really loved the intrinsic complicatedness of all the mother/daughter relationships. Shout out to this book for having a main m/f love story that I really really liked. Also, El is bi (and polyam, I'm pretty sure?), and there are lots of prominent side f/f relationships.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Samara Naeymi: really excellent, lots of emotion, great voices. My only complaint about this is that the ending did feel a bit rushed and hobbled together, and... I don't know, I expected more to happen. I also wouldn't have minded if we'd gotten a bit more horror? But this was so good. I want more books in this world, especially about its history. I know this won't be my last from this author.
Content warnings:
Spoiler
cannibalism, forced impregnation and the dubious consent that attends it, death, blood, goreCall your children, call them in,
There will be blood in the fields,
There will be blood on our hands,
It will not be ours.
tdaak's review against another edition
3.0
Spoilers ahead:
But does anyone else think they missed a real opportunity to tie the black market meat to the ritual cannibalism and the recent influx of infected men/haunts?
But does anyone else think they missed a real opportunity to tie the black market meat to the ritual cannibalism and the recent influx of infected men/haunts?
actuallyahorsereads's review
2.0
Jesus Christ, what the actual hell did I just read? Two stars for he concept alone because this was an absolute mess and I really still can’t tell you what actually happened in this or why.
lqvekanej's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
etakloknok's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
wilderminds's review against another edition
5.0
This book was amazing! I might come back and write a longer review once my thoughts are settled, but it had fantastic worldbuilding, a really robust cast of mostly female characters, and I loved the protagonist, Elfreda. It was fast-paced and well-written. I was a little worried about the premise - cannibal nun cult - but it wasn't really very gory at all. The worst part for me was when but that was over very quickly. Most of the horror relied on the psychological aspects of watching Elfreda have to eat pieces of her comatose mother, and the constant fear for older Sisters who already had daughters. I would absolutely read more books set in this universe!
Spoiler
Verje was forcing Elfreda to cut out her own flesh, and it did get a bit descriptive when Elfreda was trying to choke down Verje's slightly rotted heartmaggs852's review against another edition
5.0
What in intensely impressive fantasy novel, not so unsimilar to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. It's so much more than a discussion the rights of women and bodily autonomy though. The fantasy world Hall creates in this book is both horrifying, yet realistic enough in so many ways. There's an undercurrent of horror throughout the storyline that makes it even more gripping.
ipomoea's review
5.0
Thanks to Tor and Edelweiss for the review copy.
Elfreda is a member of the Sisterhood like her mother before her and her mother before her. Her day to day work is in food storage and husbandry, because the city is running low on food and they'll need to be able to feed people if the crops don't produce. But in between experiments with mealworm husbandry, she must do her duty to the Sisterhood and participate in Renewal as well as the sacraments at the Martyrium, both of which she is appalled by, if not outright hates.
A rebellion has been brewing in the city, one that seeks to overthrow the Sisterhood. And within the Sisterhood, there's a faction that wants to upend their duties and their world. While El's friends are in the Rebellion, the secret faction within has also recruited her to spy. As she becomes more enmeshed in the upper reaches of the Sisterhood, more secrets are revealed, and Elfreda must find a way to save her city, her sisters, and herself.
THIS BOOK IS A RIDE. It's not the machine-gun humor of [b:Gideon the Ninth|42036538|Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1)|Tamsyn Muir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546870952l/42036538._SY75_.jpg|60943229], but it's got some of the same features: the dead and the use of them to reach goals, a religion full of secrets, and it's a Tor release (because Tor is really killing it right now). The unease in the city is evident in the writing, and El is a fascinating character. I don't know if this is a stand-alone title, but I hope it is, because I really appreciate an author committing to just ONE book instead of a trilogy or series to tell a story.
Elfreda is a member of the Sisterhood like her mother before her and her mother before her. Her day to day work is in food storage and husbandry, because the city is running low on food and they'll need to be able to feed people if the crops don't produce. But in between experiments with mealworm husbandry, she must do her duty to the Sisterhood and participate in Renewal as well as the sacraments at the Martyrium, both of which she is appalled by, if not outright hates.
A rebellion has been brewing in the city, one that seeks to overthrow the Sisterhood. And within the Sisterhood, there's a faction that wants to upend their duties and their world. While El's friends are in the Rebellion, the secret faction within has also recruited her to spy. As she becomes more enmeshed in the upper reaches of the Sisterhood, more secrets are revealed, and Elfreda must find a way to save her city, her sisters, and herself.
THIS BOOK IS A RIDE. It's not the machine-gun humor of [b:Gideon the Ninth|42036538|Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1)|Tamsyn Muir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546870952l/42036538._SY75_.jpg|60943229], but it's got some of the same features: the dead and the use of them to reach goals, a religion full of secrets, and it's a Tor release (because Tor is really killing it right now). The unease in the city is evident in the writing, and El is a fascinating character. I don't know if this is a stand-alone title, but I hope it is, because I really appreciate an author committing to just ONE book instead of a trilogy or series to tell a story.