A queer, Caribbean, anti-colonial sci-fi novella, inspired by the Count of Monte Cristo, in which …
I really dig the premise, but the execution bothered me a lot. Maybe they were just trying to do too much in a novella length, or maybe it's just me, but everything just felt rushed and clumsy. 🤷
Content warning full spoilers for Countess
@Tak@reading.taks.garden Strong agreement with these feelings. You put this much better than I did.
I think it's especially it's just that after finding the iridium and setting herself up as the Countess, everything moves VERY quickly to the end.
Rough page counts: * 25% initial setup and trial * 25% in the Pit * 30% with Davedeo and Dominique, going to Bocas, meeting with Baroness, initial negotiations with Invicta * 20% the final diplomatic meetings, plus a little wrap-up
I think I was good for the first 50% or so, and I really enjoyed the idea of the final diplomatic meeting to bring back Lyric and Alba for a final thematic betrayal, but plot wise the pacing felt very bad and the worldbuilding so thin that the payoff feels weak. I mostly blame the novella format for this too, and I think a novel could have let it stretch its legs a little bit more.
