Previous book here.
For various reasons I've certainly mentioned of late, it took me a long time to finally settle down to reading this. It's very good. Rather sad given the current apocalypse subject matter going on in the book and in the world around me, but it resolved well and I'm happy with that, and I hear it won an award recently? So that's good.
Anyway: situation's the same, all fucked up. Billions are about to die. Various coups are brewing and it seems likely that one way or another Emperox Grayland II doesn't have long to live thanks to all the plots. Her biggest enemy is still out there plotting away--though I do want to say that I am SUPER AMUSED that at one point said enemy is forced to use the alias "Karen." This was written before Karen-ing became A Thing, but amuses me so much. Right now it seems highly unlikely that billions can be saved, especially since there's one livable planet and it's got an army that's going to shoot anyone who comes near it. The emperox's boyfriend is working on the math and he's got a workable idea, which pleases me. But how the hell is Grayland--or anyone--going to stay alive long enough to pull it off?
Well.... Argh, for once I want to write a not super spoilery review, so I guess a lot of fun points I want to make will be below the spoiler cut. But it's a good read, if a bit sad, for reasons. Four and a half stars. I was amazed it all wrapped up in a little over 300 pages, given the complications.
Ugh. I wish I could be more articulate today, but nope, I am not. To the spoiler space we go!
Spoiler space
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What do I say?
Kiva Lagos: the bomb diggity, as always. She gets death faked for her and still manages to quietly stir up ship insurrection and even become the title character. Kiva: you are loved, you will be missed, with your sass and attitude and constant use of the f-bomb and insults. You are a delight. Go run that universe!
Kiva's mother: very much all about that "Did anyone actually see my daughter's body? Then she's still alive" trope. Go Kiva's mom.
Whoever was running the tablet (Cardenia?) during Kiva's prison break was the best.
Tomas: rocking it in this book with his deductions and personal insight.
Rachela: LOVE this development, love it. I'm not gonna go that into it, but loved that reveal. Very cool.
Marce: aww, that guy is just sweet. I'm happy he found a way to temporarily move people's habitats so they aren't all 100% doomed.
Oh, the engagement. OH. Oh, the saddest. Oh, I wish. It was so sweet. It was so doomed. That's why this was hard to read.
Cardenia: I'd heard some hints here and there (though somehow I manged to miss spoilers for months) that Cardenia might not make it out alive. That was accurate. Two thirds of the way through the book, she's out....though not entirely out, as the technology saves. I think it's great that she and Rachela can somehow technologically live on to help everyone out of there. But I am sad for her and Marce. As Marce himself says, it's losing the dream of what could have been.
Awwwww. It fits, but it's sad, but it fits.
Spoiler Space Quote Corner:
- From Cardenia's proposal: "Because these days the times when I'm happy are the times I get to be with you.... Because if the end is coming, I want you to know you mattered to me."
- "Bitch, you're in my spot." -Kiva
- Marce: "Your proposing to me was the happiest moment I can remember having. What hurts is imagining the future we would have, thinking about it and wanting it and then having it taken away...Having it taken away so soon after having the privilege of imagining it."
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