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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I went in expecting space horror - some sci fi, terror, and fear - instead I just got some ghosts. I needed more horror, more feeling trapped in space. This just felt very watered down and the romance seemed misplaced and half-assed. And the epilogue? Should've just ended it.
Aaa this started SO good and the first half was genuinely creepy and so suspenseful. It loses a lot with the amnesia plotline and the rushed ending though. At first it was very event horizon but by the end it was Aliens without the xenomorphs sigh.
Claire is the sole survivor of a space disaster years back when she accidentally broke a quarantine, killing her whole colony. Haunted by ghosts (metaphorical and literal) she's only found peace in the smallest crewed missions repairing satellites in the middle of nowhere space. Unfortunately, she and her crew come across a long-presumed destroyed luxury cruise ship that is filled with 600 dead passengers but worth tantalizing millions in recovery.
Claire recounts this whole story in a hospital to corporate suits who are the most irritating and obviously evil ever. Having received a head injury sometime during her stint on the cruise ship, she doesn't remember everything of what happened - but she knows people died and they all saw impossible things. This could have been interesting if we actually ever got to see it, but basically we never find out what happened during that time and it's a shame for the crew that dies during that time - they were mostly interesting characters and it felt like they got shortchanged.
I thought for a while it was going for an eldritch/alien situation (there were signed of something big moving around in the atrium!! CMON) but sigh. so didn't totally stick the landing but the first half was really good I thought.
Claire is the sole survivor of a space disaster years back when she accidentally broke a quarantine, killing her whole colony. Haunted by ghosts (metaphorical and literal) she's only found peace in the smallest crewed missions repairing satellites in the middle of nowhere space. Unfortunately, she and her crew come across a long-presumed destroyed luxury cruise ship that is filled with 600 dead passengers but worth tantalizing millions in recovery.
Claire recounts this whole story in a hospital to corporate suits who are the most irritating and obviously evil ever. Having received a head injury sometime during her stint on the cruise ship, she doesn't remember everything of what happened - but she knows people died and they all saw impossible things. This could have been interesting if we actually ever got to see it, but basically we never find out what happened during that time and it's a shame for the crew that dies during that time - they were mostly interesting characters and it felt like they got shortchanged.
I thought for a while it was going for an eldritch/alien situation (there were signed of something big moving around in the atrium!! CMON) but
Spoiler
it was a evil corporation device cop out
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have yet to find a sci fi mystery/thriller that I actually enjoy. This one was fine for the most part. It was trying too hard to be too many things I think. And I didn’t really feel much connection for any of the characters so all of the sympathetic emotional stuff didn’t really land. I think the concept was interesting, enough to keep me reading, but the pacing and semi-lazy world building didn’t really help keep my attention as much as I think the author intended. Bottom line, it was fine. And if it had been shorter it would have been more enjoyable, but as it is a 13 hr audiobook it took more commitment and effort from me than I initially wanted to expend. Luckily I had a lot of unpacking to do and so it kept me company because it’s the only audiobook I had checked out on libby. Thank goodness for 2x speed.
World building: 3
Enjoyment: 3
Emotional impact: 2
=2.75
World building: 3
Enjoyment: 3
Emotional impact: 2
=2.75
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me a bit to get into it but by the end of it I was riveted and completely invested in the story and the characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Gore, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Classism
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail