Did Not Like the Book Presentation (but I could like the book)
When I read this summary I didn’t like it at all. And, I didn’t feel like the story the author wrote was at fault but the way in which the information about the book was laid out for readers, here. I had the hardest time thinking of what to say about what I thought as I felt, when I read the summary, that at so many points the story shifted into left field in the summary. Usually, when that happens, you are reading a book by an author who doesn't know how to write well. And, as I know that is not the case, I believe that the summary/ excerpt presentation of the book was entirely wrong. And that is because I know an author that bad (the way in which the story is presented in the summary) couldnt be published by a house this good (Viking). And, while I am sure I have read other summaries that didn’t make sense, I really never studied summaries as I am now, here, and that is why all this is hard to speak about. Hard to put my finger on what I don’t like and what doesn't make sense but I will try below.
First, there are too many mentions of what motivates the couple (or rather, the way in which these motivations are presented in the summary and then, on the cover is wrong). First, readers see the two are motivated by their love for one another (especially with the mention of Bonnie & Clyde). Next, we find that Ava is motivated by fame (only from the cover, which is probably the reason why, in the summary, there is the mention of the two making international headlines) and Shane, by his imprisonment. (And, why was this mentioned at all in the summary, headlines, or that it just didn't work well where it was mentioned in the summary). With the mention of Shane’s imprisonment, the summary began to fall apart for me. Because, as I read on, I kept thinking, when, in the story, was Shane locked up? Because, in the summary, you don’t get a cognizant storyline, the way in which the information is laid out for readers. When did things happen in the story? Had it said, Shane and Ava were always like Bonnie & Clyde until Shane was caught and imprisoned. But, I don’t know if that was what even happened?
Then, with the mention of Cyrus, even his presentation felt as though it made the summary disjointed. It felt, after each paragraph, there was this huge shift in what was going on in the book, that everything changed, and it was uncomfortable to read (as a summary of a story. As a book, I assume it is much better). And, when there is a mention of the run in between Cyrus and the lovers, readers don’t know at what point this happened. Was Cyrus the one to put Shane in prison? While I don’t think so, I don’t know. And, if Shane was just released from prison, did the couple meet Cyrus before or after his release? Because I felt that, having mentioned Cyrus’s first mission as a failure in the summary, that Cyrus is currently, in the story, fresh out of the academy. Did the pair connect with Cyrus and Lark long ago? Before or after Shane’s prison stint? And, when Cyrus is at the point of being of “two minds”, is he still fresh out of the academy, as I think he is because of how the summary reads?
And then, wow, the third paragraph. I must say I had to read it several times to understand what was going on in the story. Didn’t see any of that coming especially with the mention of Shane pulling a big heist, in the first paragraph. I thought, when the heist was mentioned, the summary (and storyline) would move on until it got to the big heist. The big heist however, well, whatever happened to that? Why was it mentioned at all as it just disappeared? What is really going on in this story? Even the mention of Cyrus and his run in with the rebels. Who are the rebels? What do they have to do with the story? And what, in a sense, is this story? Even the ending, that Shane and Ava will bring the planet to its knees…I thought they were trying to save their planet? Do they do this to another planet (bring it to its knees) to save their planet? Why would they bring their own planet to its knees? Maybe mentioning their planet’s name might help somewhere in the summary?
In the end, the only reason I would read this book is to prove that there was a better summary to be made of it. Because from what I read here, Shane got out of prison, at some point, went to do his biggest job, and then, what happened to that job, well, maybe he did it and got caught, by Cyrus or maybe that is when he found out that his own planet was at the mercy of Cyrus’s m;litary leaders? I am only guessing here. But, that is how I know the problem is probably with the presentation of the book and not the book.
Until I can answer those questions, the problem lies with the summary (and the book gets the benefit of the doubt). And Cyrus, well, he might have been the one who arrested Shane but, I don’t think so as his copilot fell for Ava’s deception so they probably got away. But, who put Shane in jail then? And, if the run in between Cyrus was mentioned in the summary and Shane was arrested as a reader, I would deduce that was when Shane might be arrested. Is that the truth of the story though? And the rebel’s, well they have something to do with what in the story? Like I said, nothing seems connected here and I hope that it's just the summary. If it was rearranged and presented as the story I think it could be, yes, it's probably one that will be popular. From what I read here though, it doesn't make sense, at least, to me.
And, as the cover states that Ava wants fame, I didn’t get that feeling, at all, that was her motivation for her criminal acts, from the summary. That is why, with the mention of making “interstellar news”, in the summary, it should be expanded on to explain Ava’s motivation for her criminal acts. Love and fame. Shane, he is motivated by revenge for the time that was taken from him. But, in summary, the presentation was all wrong. The cover reminds me of comic book characters. And, they don’t look any different really from humans. It would be nicer to see some planets, a cover more like the one for the book The Hermes Protocol where we get some kind of background.
Would I read the book based on the summary and cover I saw here? No. If there was a better arrangement of the material, I feel I might. As I see some good things here, improperly arranged, but promising. I am just really disappointed with the presentation I saw for Made of Stars by Jenna Voris.
First, there are too many mentions of what motivates the couple (or rather, the way in which these motivations are presented in the summary and then, on the cover is wrong). First, readers see the two are motivated by their love for one another (especially with the mention of Bonnie & Clyde). Next, we find that Ava is motivated by fame (only from the cover, which is probably the reason why, in the summary, there is the mention of the two making international headlines) and Shane, by his imprisonment. (And, why was this mentioned at all in the summary, headlines, or that it just didn't work well where it was mentioned in the summary). With the mention of Shane’s imprisonment, the summary began to fall apart for me. Because, as I read on, I kept thinking, when, in the story, was Shane locked up? Because, in the summary, you don’t get a cognizant storyline, the way in which the information is laid out for readers. When did things happen in the story? Had it said, Shane and Ava were always like Bonnie & Clyde until Shane was caught and imprisoned. But, I don’t know if that was what even happened?
Then, with the mention of Cyrus, even his presentation felt as though it made the summary disjointed. It felt, after each paragraph, there was this huge shift in what was going on in the book, that everything changed, and it was uncomfortable to read (as a summary of a story. As a book, I assume it is much better). And, when there is a mention of the run in between Cyrus and the lovers, readers don’t know at what point this happened. Was Cyrus the one to put Shane in prison? While I don’t think so, I don’t know. And, if Shane was just released from prison, did the couple meet Cyrus before or after his release? Because I felt that, having mentioned Cyrus’s first mission as a failure in the summary, that Cyrus is currently, in the story, fresh out of the academy. Did the pair connect with Cyrus and Lark long ago? Before or after Shane’s prison stint? And, when Cyrus is at the point of being of “two minds”, is he still fresh out of the academy, as I think he is because of how the summary reads?
And then, wow, the third paragraph. I must say I had to read it several times to understand what was going on in the story. Didn’t see any of that coming especially with the mention of Shane pulling a big heist, in the first paragraph. I thought, when the heist was mentioned, the summary (and storyline) would move on until it got to the big heist. The big heist however, well, whatever happened to that? Why was it mentioned at all as it just disappeared? What is really going on in this story? Even the mention of Cyrus and his run in with the rebels. Who are the rebels? What do they have to do with the story? And what, in a sense, is this story? Even the ending, that Shane and Ava will bring the planet to its knees…I thought they were trying to save their planet? Do they do this to another planet (bring it to its knees) to save their planet? Why would they bring their own planet to its knees? Maybe mentioning their planet’s name might help somewhere in the summary?
In the end, the only reason I would read this book is to prove that there was a better summary to be made of it. Because from what I read here, Shane got out of prison, at some point, went to do his biggest job, and then, what happened to that job, well, maybe he did it and got caught, by Cyrus or maybe that is when he found out that his own planet was at the mercy of Cyrus’s m;litary leaders? I am only guessing here. But, that is how I know the problem is probably with the presentation of the book and not the book.
Until I can answer those questions, the problem lies with the summary (and the book gets the benefit of the doubt). And Cyrus, well, he might have been the one who arrested Shane but, I don’t think so as his copilot fell for Ava’s deception so they probably got away. But, who put Shane in jail then? And, if the run in between Cyrus was mentioned in the summary and Shane was arrested as a reader, I would deduce that was when Shane might be arrested. Is that the truth of the story though? And the rebel’s, well they have something to do with what in the story? Like I said, nothing seems connected here and I hope that it's just the summary. If it was rearranged and presented as the story I think it could be, yes, it's probably one that will be popular. From what I read here though, it doesn't make sense, at least, to me.
And, as the cover states that Ava wants fame, I didn’t get that feeling, at all, that was her motivation for her criminal acts, from the summary. That is why, with the mention of making “interstellar news”, in the summary, it should be expanded on to explain Ava’s motivation for her criminal acts. Love and fame. Shane, he is motivated by revenge for the time that was taken from him. But, in summary, the presentation was all wrong. The cover reminds me of comic book characters. And, they don’t look any different really from humans. It would be nicer to see some planets, a cover more like the one for the book The Hermes Protocol where we get some kind of background.
Would I read the book based on the summary and cover I saw here? No. If there was a better arrangement of the material, I feel I might. As I see some good things here, improperly arranged, but promising. I am just really disappointed with the presentation I saw for Made of Stars by Jenna Voris.