The Actual Star

Alex Cabe reviewed The Actual Star by Monica Byrne

Deeply and Passionately Researched, Woven Together Brilliantly

5 stars

You could tell throughout that the author had thoroughly researched Belize and had a deep passion for the culture. The book tells three stories: past, present, and future, and weaves them together both plot-wise and thematically. The twins that were reincarnated throughout the timelines weren't always likeable, but were always compelling.

The future track had some elements that recalled the Culture novels. It did a great job of exploring how currently technology may evolve in a post-capitalist society.

Makes me dream about going to Belize and seeing the ATM cave myself.

Ending was a little bit sudden, but mostly satisfying.

alx@bookwyrm.social reviewed The Actual Star by Monica Byrne

A real achievement

5 stars

This novel alternates between three connected timelines, each separated by 1000 years from the next, each on the cusp of social (and environmental) change.

The future timeline is set in a utopian (though by no means perfect) global nomadic society, organised around principles of mutual aid. It's refreshing to see a vision of how humankind might adapt positively to the challenges facing us, even as some of the fault lines in that vision are exposed over the course of the story.

The other timelines are just as vividly drawn, and feel researched and sensitively written. All three are deftly woven into the greater whole, and I found reading the chapters in blocks (one for each timeline) helped me appreciate the connections being drawn across all three.

This will definitely be going onto my to-reread pile, as I'm sure there's a whole lot that I've missed on my first pass through. …

This novel alternates between three connected timelines, each separated by 1000 years from the next, each on the cusp of social (and environmental) change.

The future timeline is set in a utopian (though by no means perfect) global nomadic society, organised around principles of mutual aid. It's refreshing to see a vision of how humankind might adapt positively to the challenges facing us, even as some of the fault lines in that vision are exposed over the course of the story.

The other timelines are just as vividly drawn, and feel researched and sensitively written. All three are deftly woven into the greater whole, and I found reading the chapters in blocks (one for each timeline) helped me appreciate the connections being drawn across all three.

This will definitely be going onto my to-reread pile, as I'm sure there's a whole lot that I've missed on my first pass through.

Things to be aware of: this book is pretty bloody in some places, and horny as hell in others.

Derek Caelin reviewed The Actual Star by Monica Byrne

Incredible

5 stars

I inhaled this book, and I loved it, and I'm not entirely sure how to process it.

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