Claire A

Brilliant and devastating. A perfect balance of despair and hope. A book that simultaneously has no heroes, and shows us that the connections and networks of even those most oppressed and persecuted make heroes of us all. A terrifying look at the realities of living under Stalin's bureaucratic dictatorship and how it quashes the souls and ideals of its citizens, while also showing how ideals animated by fundamental truths have a hold in the heart that can never be broken.

Clever retelling of the classic novel. Lots of obviously love for Jane Austen and great reworkings that make complete sense but also aren't always obvious. The sex scenes are very well-done. The main character's longing for each other and confusion about it is appropriately angsty. And the miscommunication here is not frustratingly nonsensical, but adds to the drama in a very compelling way.

SMG is such an amazing writer. This book excels in the things I come to SMG for - fantastically prickly characters, clever use of genre tropes, and a wonderful world to step into. SMG does an excellent job of developing her characters' internal lives and motivations as the as the characters get a chance to experience things beyond their normal world.

This book was plain old fun! Obviously not for all the characters who got murdered, but it is a fast-paced adventure centered on an assassination attempt on Palpatine and Vader, a look at a single rebel cell and the tactics they need to keep fighting, and the way that people acquiesce to imperial rule if they get a little bit of power. Plenty of juicy dramatic psychological stuff for Vader and Cham Syndulla, but my favorite part was Palpatine being simultaneously the most evil being in the galaxy and a campy troll out to cause chaos for fun.