Made of Stars / Jenna Voris / Book Review

Shane and Ava have this down to a science. She charms the mark. He steals the cargo. They make a swift getaway. They get everything they need. They are everything they need. Until Shane gets caught. Ava can get him out. That's no problem. But breaking him out gets more eyes on their dynamic duo than ever before. Petty criminals like them don't make intergalactic news, but a high security prison break does.

Which is how they land on Cyrus's radar. Newly graduated from the flight academy, Cyrus has a bright and shiny career laid out before him. Until he gets tangled up in a heist-gone-right. Now Cyrus has his eyes set on bringing this Bonnie-and-Clyde duo to justice... and some revenge would also be nice.

But Ava and Shane have stumbled onto something far bigger than themselves. It's not just their necks on the line. Their entire planet is at risk, and criminals though they might be, Shane and Ava are willing to put everything on the line to save the people they love. 

Thoughts

The concept here was great! The execution was a bit... wobbly. I wanted more of the Bonnie-and-Clyde aspect, and I just didn't get it. It's a fun ride, and it's a wild one. But it could have been better. 

Pros

• Classic Sci-Fi: Moon prisons, blaster guns, war simulations, and space cadets: pretty much all the hallmarks of a science fiction space adventure are present in this book. Sci-fi in any form is rare in the YA space, and space adventure that feels this classic proves utterly unique in the market. I fell in love with the opening chapters of this book. I'm always on the lookout for a space adventure, and I was so happy to finally get one!

• Bonnie & Clyde: This book features a classic, Bonnie-and-Clyde style criminal duo. They're star-crossed lovers. They're runaways. They're wanted by intergalactic law enforcement agencies. They're violent criminals engaged in crime for the sake of supporting impoverished families. And this book embraces more of the Bonnie-and-Clyde story than just that. Their impoverished planet feels eerily similar to 1930s rural America--particularly to the environmental disaster that was the Dust Bowl. This whole planet is barely clinging to life, so of course quick-witted criminals would arise. 

• No Sugar Coat: This "pro" also comes with a "con" below, but it bears mentioning here first. Rebellion, revolution: these things are bloody, dark, and violent even when justified. People die. People are ruthless on both sides, and our killer couple here pulls no punches. Sure, they might be on the side of justice in this intergalactic battle, but that doesn't mean the impact of their revenge isn't felt. And I appreciate that. There are no heroes morally opposed to violence here. There are no heroes here, period. 

Cons

• Time Cuts: The pacing in this book is just... off. After the first act, when the tension is high and the stakes are higher, there's an inexplicable cut. The time jumps forward, and all of that action, all of that momentum leads to nothing. Said, done, in the past--and there really should have been some aftermath. I wanted to see what happened, and I wanted to know how the inevitable consequences played out. I wanted more Bonnie and Clyde, less law enforcement. All of the action was happening off stage, and it made me sad. 

• Brutal: Anyone who really knows the story of Bonnie and Clyde (and not just the romanticized notion that pop culture loves) will expect the brutality of this story. It is dark, violent, senseless, and cruel. The characters are ruthless, and the murders are easy. This dark and grim violence won't be for everyone, so Reader Beware!

• Low Stakes: The stakes here are more intimate than the plot arc suggests, and that mismatch made for an awkward reading experience. The world is sweeping. There are imperial forces involved. But what's actually at stake here? One planet. Not that one planet isn't a lot--especially when the people there aren't being relocated--but this is a personal stake. These characters could lose their families, lose their homes, but in the grand scheme of things (and this book does play in a lot of "grand" arenas), it just feels very small. The drama is there, but the ante feels too high in this book for the big picture. It was a tonal mismatch that created an unfortunate dissonance while reading. 

Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

6/10

Fans of Marissa Meyer's Cress will enjoy this particularly meddlesome space crew. Those who loved Cristin Terrill's The Stars Between Us will like the interpersonal stakes set against a sweeping, galactic backdrop that this book provides. 

Details

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Date: March 28, 2023
Series: N/A

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Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.