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A review by mafiabadgers
Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
First read 01/2025
Was it a brilliant piece of sci-fi? No. But if the plot holes can be overlooked, then the world is written in such a way that it doesn't feel entirely artificial.
Was it a brilliant piece of romance? No. But the characters were likeable enough, if rather bland. They came into this relationship with certain issues, and slowly worked through them. It's a very linear sort of healing, and they feel disgustingly reasonable. They survive an assassination attempt at one point, and are totally unphased by the experience, because Maxwell is too busy having them deal with their pre-existing personal problems to let them acquire new ones. At the beginning, they're constantly interrupted by reminders that they have to attend some sort of event whenever they begin to have meaningful conversations. They're both oblivious, and it can be frustrating. Still, the premise of two people who wildly overestimate each other's competence is somewhat amusing.
Was it a brilliant story? No. But it gets the job done. In fact, that can be said of most of the book. It's easy to get sucked into, easy not to think about, and easy to enjoy if you like the genres it's playing with.
Was it a brilliant piece of sci-fi? No. But if the plot holes can be overlooked, then the world is written in such a way that it doesn't feel entirely artificial.
Was it a brilliant piece of romance? No. But the characters were likeable enough, if rather bland. They came into this relationship with certain issues, and slowly worked through them. It's a very linear sort of healing, and they feel disgustingly reasonable. They survive an assassination attempt at one point, and are totally unphased by the experience, because Maxwell is too busy having them deal with their pre-existing personal problems to let them acquire new ones. At the beginning, they're constantly interrupted by reminders that they have to attend some sort of event whenever they begin to have meaningful conversations. They're both oblivious, and it can be frustrating. Still, the premise of two people who wildly overestimate each other's competence is somewhat amusing.
Was it a brilliant story? No. But it gets the job done. In fact, that can be said of most of the book. It's easy to get sucked into, easy not to think about, and easy to enjoy if you like the genres it's playing with.