Made of Stars by Jenna Voris is a Bonnie and Clyde-inspired story that follows Ava, Shane, and Cyrus on their journeys across the galaxy. Ava and Shane are thieves and on the run, intent on righting the wrongs done on their home planet. Cyrus is about to graduate and become part of the military, just following orders from the general. His life becomes entwined with Shane's and Ava's as he learns more about what is really occurring on each planet in the galaxy.
I was really excited to read this book. The whole concept of a Bonnie and Clyde story set in space really intrigued me, but this book just really disappointed me. The next several paragraphs will be my semi-coherent thoughts on the book that I wrote down just after I finished reading it. There are spoilers included.
The story seemed okay, but it fell a little flat. I liked Cyrus the most as a character and it seemed like we as readers knew the most information about him. Shane and Ava felt like half of the characters they should have been. They were intriguing, but they felt a little surface level. I wanted to know more about them and their motivations. Shane steals for the money and to help his family, and also because he wants to expose the injustices occurring on his home planet. Ava wants to be famous. She initially wanted to become a movie star, but after leaving with Shane all she wants is her name in the papers. I assume she stays and steals for the thrill of it, but all she really seems to want is attention.
Shane and Ava are in love, but I feel like we don't really get to see a lot of build up to this. We are told about their past together that occurs before the start of the book, but that's it. Shane would do anything for Ava (such as kill someone), but why? We don’t really know. And we also don't really know why Ava likes (or loves I guess) Shane.
The book seems good on the surface, but it really just left me wanting more. More explanations, more backstory, more build up, more character development, more action, just more. We are told more about the action that occurs and not shown it. We'll hear something occurring, then all of a sudden something else happens, and then we move on. This book needed some more revisions before going to the printing press.
Based on the ending, there should be a sequel that answers all questions and follows Cyrus, Clara, and Jared as they fix all the issues, but I don't think there will be one. Usually, I do like stories with these kind of open, ambiguous endings where not everything is resolved, but I feel like this one kind of needed it. Although, a sequel like that would require a lot of action and more explanations on the politics and more worldbuilding, but I don't know if the author is up to the task.
The novel relied on the "Bonnie and Clyde in space" tagline a little too much. Are these two really Bonnie and Clyde, or was the claim that this is a Bonnie and Clyde inspired story just a marketing tactic?
I'm completely fine with the ending. We all know the Bonnie and Clyde died, just as Shane and Ava do in this book. Ordinarily, this would be annoying to me, but I feel like with this story their death was meant to really drive home the point of it. Not everyone survives a war, not everyone can complete their mission before death. Their ideas for revolution will live on in Cyrus, Clara, and Jared.
Overall, I really did want to like this book. I think if some more time went into it, I would like it a lot more. For now, however, it's just fine and a little disappointing.
I was really excited to read this book. The whole concept of a Bonnie and Clyde story set in space really intrigued me, but this book just really disappointed me. The next several paragraphs will be my semi-coherent thoughts on the book that I wrote down just after I finished reading it. There are spoilers included.
The story seemed okay, but it fell a little flat. I liked Cyrus the most as a character and it seemed like we as readers knew the most information about him. Shane and Ava felt like half of the characters they should have been. They were intriguing, but they felt a little surface level. I wanted to know more about them and their motivations. Shane steals for the money and to help his family, and also because he wants to expose the injustices occurring on his home planet. Ava wants to be famous. She initially wanted to become a movie star, but after leaving with Shane all she wants is her name in the papers. I assume she stays and steals for the thrill of it, but all she really seems to want is attention.
Shane and Ava are in love, but I feel like we don't really get to see a lot of build up to this. We are told about their past together that occurs before the start of the book, but that's it. Shane would do anything for Ava (such as kill someone), but why? We don’t really know. And we also don't really know why Ava likes (or loves I guess) Shane.
The book seems good on the surface, but it really just left me wanting more. More explanations, more backstory, more build up, more character development, more action, just more. We are told more about the action that occurs and not shown it. We'll hear something occurring, then all of a sudden something else happens, and then we move on. This book needed some more revisions before going to the printing press.
Based on the ending, there should be a sequel that answers all questions and follows Cyrus, Clara, and Jared as they fix all the issues, but I don't think there will be one. Usually, I do like stories with these kind of open, ambiguous endings where not everything is resolved, but I feel like this one kind of needed it. Although, a sequel like that would require a lot of action and more explanations on the politics and more worldbuilding, but I don't know if the author is up to the task.
The novel relied on the "Bonnie and Clyde in space" tagline a little too much. Are these two really Bonnie and Clyde, or was the claim that this is a Bonnie and Clyde inspired story just a marketing tactic?
I'm completely fine with the ending. We all know the Bonnie and Clyde died, just as Shane and Ava do in this book. Ordinarily, this would be annoying to me, but I feel like with this story their death was meant to really drive home the point of it. Not everyone survives a war, not everyone can complete their mission before death. Their ideas for revolution will live on in Cyrus, Clara, and Jared.
Overall, I really did want to like this book. I think if some more time went into it, I would like it a lot more. For now, however, it's just fine and a little disappointing.