A Conspiracy of Stars Review

3.5 stars!!! Going into this book, I really didn't know what to expect. But from the blurb, I was pretty excited from the brief synopsis. I was looking for something which was a departure from the usual YA fantasy and I would say this novel did deliver in that regard. However, there were some aspects of the novel which could have been explored further. Let me explain this more fully. Firstly, the worldbuilding was very immersive. The author has come up with a whole world filled with such unique creatures and living organisms that I actually felt as though I was on another planet. The descriptions, history as well as imagery was detailed, vivid and engaging. I would say it was pure escapism and I applaud the author for this. Plus, there was consistency in details which I also appreciated. Secondly, the MC Octavia was a pretty awesome character. I loved her relationship with her friends and family. Even the romance element was handled in a realistic manner. It was the slow burn kind which I like. I also liked how her character developed as she learns about her family's secrets and deals with her own vulnerabilities. From the outset, we can see how fragile her family situation is and her keenness to emulate her parents. She longs for their acceptance but as the story progresses, she learns that things are not as they seem. While at the same time, she learns to forge her own path. I liked how the author fleshed out her character in the sense we see her resilience, level-headedness and independence. In addition, I also liked how the minor characters played a pivotal role in the overall storyline. This gave the novel a captivating and richer context. Thirdly, I really enjoyed the premise of the novel. The idea of imperialism where one civilization seeks to dominate another made for an interesting read. Moreover, the elements of environmentalism along with caring for nature gave the storyline an even deeper message as it parallels with many issues our current world faces. I also liked reading about the abilities of the Faloii and how every species is interconnected. The only downside to this is that we get more of a glimpse into how the animals behave but not much of the native people. This was sorely disappointing as it left some plot points disjointed and underdeveloped. Overall, the story was a rather pleasant read. But, I did feel like the novel dragged on in some places with unnecessary details. There's a bit of action in the later chapters but from what I can guess, the story is more character driven with emphasis placed on building a solid foundation for the series. With this being said, the sequel should be pretty interesting and I look forward to reading it.

#aliens #scifi #family #youngadult #romance #space #OliviaACole