Reviews

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

grae's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ashleybee_reading's review against another edition

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funny slow-paced

2.5

eralbesu's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced

2.5

Whew. Very glad to be done with this one. From the very first page I knew it was going to be a slog and the ONLY reason I finished it was because it was a gifted copy from a beloved press. But I know they wish they didn’t give this to me because I didn’t like it at all. 

This had a lot of potential but it really overwhelmed me with everything that was going on. I was also put off by the passing stereotyping of dumb Americans from the South. I know the author tried to flip it on its head a bit but I didn’t care for it. 

I thought the premise was interesting but the execution actually left me wanting less. 

fether_reads's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

lahowitt's review against another edition

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2.0

[audiobook] a cheap knockoff of the Hitchhiker’s Guide. 

reading_tea's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

shella688's review against another edition

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4.0

In all honesty, this isn't a good book. It's overwritten, the alien worldbuilding is a bit hit or miss, the plot is all over the place, and the ending is kinda shoehorned in there

That being said-
SPACE, and I cannot stress this enough, EUROVISION

Space Opera features lots of glitz and glam, songs with suitably humourous titles, everyone very carefully looking away from the wartime tensions boiling just below the surface, surprisingly emotional sections buried beneath all the literary sequins, and everyone's favourite "leggy psychedelic ambidextrous omnisexual gendersplat glitterpunk financially punch-drunk ethnically ambitious glamrock messiah" Danesh 'Decibel Jones' Jalo, washed-up ex-lead singer of Decibel Jones and the Absolute Zeroes.

All he has to do to ensure that humanity isn't decimated with extreme prejudice by the various alien species is Not place dead last in space Eurovision. Simple! Well, you'd think


When I first read it, I gave Space Opera three stars. Since then, I've read it three times, so it probably deserves the fourth one. So no, maybe it isn't that good. I love it anyway though

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Because the opposite of fascism isn't anarchy, it's theatre. When the world is fucked, you go to the theatre, you go to the shine, and when the bad men come, all there is left to do is sing them down. You didn't get it, I didn't think you understood, you can't sing a dirge to the reaper, he's already heard them all.



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Oh I had a fantastic time talking to the depressive socialist moonbeam. After fifteen minutes, I actually asked it to kill me, but I was informed that would be nonunion work

hannchilada's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No

2.0

They brought back some fun plot points for the finale, and the writing style was impressively detailed and funny, but it’s just too much to read an entire book that doesn’t take a break from the style. 

green_with_3nvy's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

e11en's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.75