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caffeinatedgen's review
2.0
*Thank you for the ARC NetGalley and Amy Sundberg*
The book started strong - I loved the idea of getting a compatibility rating after playing a game through an interface that's implanted from a young age. Right away, we find out that implants are costly, and with a big family such as Lisette's, who is our MC - they do what they can to make ends meet. The compatibility rating is important for work, especially for those who want to be an FTL pilot (our MC). But aside from that, it's not explained HOW this rating affects others. It would be better if it was elaborated - why is being compatible great for work? How is it great?
The world is also slowly introduced. They are onboard a floating community, Meryton V, with limited resources and they have known the people living there all their lives. This presents two problems:
1. The number of people they can check their compatibility with is limited, given that you barely have visitors from other floating communities/planets
2. People don't visit unless its "official business" (which seemed so redundant - its either a symposium or seminar or interview or whatever because the family cannot afford to travel outside of Meryton V).
We're also presented with the plot - Lisette wants to be an FTL pilot - her family is not well off, she has to fight her way to get scholarships and schmooze with the right people. To emphasize their financial issues, there are four siblings and one is a 15-year-old male, Florian, who happens to be gay. It's good to have diverse characters but it seems to me that he is written to be so stereotypical that his lines include, "Whatever," most of the time. He goes to bars to flirt with the military docking in their community and dresses everyone flamboyantly. Aside from that, he has no other personality traits present, just Carpe Diem. Another diverse character is Lisette's older sister, who happens to like females - but at least we see more personality from Jayne than Florian.
Everything goes downhill after Will Darcy's crew arrives for the seminar. There is no build-up whatsoever between him and Lisette so when he decides to kiss her (out of nowhere) I felt awkward and ashamed about the scene. I didn't feel butterflies or a sense of rightness - I wish there were more - small stolen glances, blushing, staring - describe to me how you would know if someone likes you. We get it. Will Darcy is all brooding and big and handsome - but I want to grasp a slither of emotion from him so it won't be awkward when he asks to kiss Lisette.
Also, two more males are introduced and of course, they want Lisette.
I just wanted to dnf the book after this.
But things get a bit better when Lisette gets a chance to visit Paladium. PS: This book should be divided into parts. Part I should be Meryton V and then Part II should be Paladium. And part III should be Londinium.
Paladium is another floating community where Lisette gets to meet and greet prominent people in the hopes of gaining a scholarship. Of course, she bumps into Will, again.
The only good thing about this part is that we are given an in-depth explanation of the class system in this world - the rich vs the poor. But suddenly, the tone of the characters changes. From dialogues that seem normal, they suddenly talk like they are from a Bridgerton novel. And of course, Lisette meets another male. We also discover that she has a 99% compatibility rating with Will - who asks her to be his partner but she turns him down - WHY?
Because Will is rich, that's why. But her reasoning doesn't seem to be at par with what we read. We get to know Will as a reasonable and level-headed person. And Lisette, who is ambitious denies this guy the chance to follow her dreams based on principle alone (which is weird because she wants George as he is one of the masses - and that's her only reason). She knows very little of George to begin with.
We know this is a retelling, but it doesn't have to tick off all the boxes. The world was awesome and I wish she showed us more of Meryton V - how is it like growing up in such a confined space? What other places are there in the community? We were thrown in a lecture hall and a party and everything else was forgotten.
As the novel progresses, Lisettes goes to Londinium for a university interview and she gets in! Yay. But more difficulties are thrown at Lisette, and she has to decide between getting her scholarship or helping her brother. And of course, she chooses the latter.
And with each problem thrown her way, Will is silently helping her (because he has the money). I felt like everything is repetitive.
The ending is quite predictable - just like everything in the story. Yes, I understand it's a retelling - but it also seems like the author didn't make her flow of things. There are way better retellings that utilized just the crux of the original story and let their imaginations grow wild.
The book started strong - I loved the idea of getting a compatibility rating after playing a game through an interface that's implanted from a young age. Right away, we find out that implants are costly, and with a big family such as Lisette's, who is our MC - they do what they can to make ends meet. The compatibility rating is important for work, especially for those who want to be an FTL pilot (our MC). But aside from that, it's not explained HOW this rating affects others. It would be better if it was elaborated - why is being compatible great for work? How is it great?
The world is also slowly introduced. They are onboard a floating community, Meryton V, with limited resources and they have known the people living there all their lives. This presents two problems:
1. The number of people they can check their compatibility with is limited, given that you barely have visitors from other floating communities/planets
2. People don't visit unless its "official business" (which seemed so redundant - its either a symposium or seminar or interview or whatever because the family cannot afford to travel outside of Meryton V).
We're also presented with the plot - Lisette wants to be an FTL pilot - her family is not well off, she has to fight her way to get scholarships and schmooze with the right people. To emphasize their financial issues, there are four siblings and one is a 15-year-old male, Florian, who happens to be gay. It's good to have diverse characters but it seems to me that he is written to be so stereotypical that his lines include, "Whatever," most of the time. He goes to bars to flirt with the military docking in their community and dresses everyone flamboyantly. Aside from that, he has no other personality traits present, just Carpe Diem. Another diverse character is Lisette's older sister, who happens to like females - but at least we see more personality from Jayne than Florian.
Everything goes downhill after Will Darcy's crew arrives for the seminar. There is no build-up whatsoever between him and Lisette so when he decides to kiss her (out of nowhere) I felt awkward and ashamed about the scene. I didn't feel butterflies or a sense of rightness - I wish there were more - small stolen glances, blushing, staring - describe to me how you would know if someone likes you. We get it. Will Darcy is all brooding and big and handsome - but I want to grasp a slither of emotion from him so it won't be awkward when he asks to kiss Lisette.
Also, two more males are introduced and of course, they want Lisette.
I just wanted to dnf the book after this.
But things get a bit better when Lisette gets a chance to visit Paladium. PS: This book should be divided into parts. Part I should be Meryton V and then Part II should be Paladium. And part III should be Londinium.
Paladium is another floating community where Lisette gets to meet and greet prominent people in the hopes of gaining a scholarship. Of course, she bumps into Will, again.
The only good thing about this part is that we are given an in-depth explanation of the class system in this world - the rich vs the poor. But suddenly, the tone of the characters changes. From dialogues that seem normal, they suddenly talk like they are from a Bridgerton novel. And of course, Lisette meets another male. We also discover that she has a 99% compatibility rating with Will - who asks her to be his partner but she turns him down - WHY?
Because Will is rich, that's why. But her reasoning doesn't seem to be at par with what we read. We get to know Will as a reasonable and level-headed person. And Lisette, who is ambitious denies this guy the chance to follow her dreams based on principle alone (which is weird because she wants George as he is one of the masses - and that's her only reason). She knows very little of George to begin with.
We know this is a retelling, but it doesn't have to tick off all the boxes. The world was awesome and I wish she showed us more of Meryton V - how is it like growing up in such a confined space? What other places are there in the community? We were thrown in a lecture hall and a party and everything else was forgotten.
As the novel progresses, Lisettes goes to Londinium for a university interview and she gets in! Yay. But more difficulties are thrown at Lisette, and she has to decide between getting her scholarship or helping her brother. And of course, she chooses the latter.
And with each problem thrown her way, Will is silently helping her (because he has the money). I felt like everything is repetitive.
The ending is quite predictable - just like everything in the story. Yes, I understand it's a retelling - but it also seems like the author didn't make her flow of things. There are way better retellings that utilized just the crux of the original story and let their imaginations grow wild.
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