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Tin Star #1
Tin Star
On their way to start a new life, Tula and her family travel on the Prairie Rose, a colony ship headed to a planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy. All is going well until the ship makes a stop at a remote space station, the Yertina Feray, and the colonist's leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.
When three humans crash land onto the station, Tula's desire for escape becomes irresistible, and her desire for companionship becomes unavoidable. But just as Tula begins to concoct a plan to get off the space station and kill Brother Blue, everything goes awry, and suddenly romance is the farthest thing from her mind.
When three humans crash land onto the station, Tula's desire for escape becomes irresistible, and her desire for companionship becomes unavoidable. But just as Tula begins to concoct a plan to get off the space station and kill Brother Blue, everything goes awry, and suddenly romance is the farthest thing from her mind.
242 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2014
47 people are currently reading
3942 people want to read
About the author
Cecil Castellucci
221 books722 followersCecil Castellucci is an author of young adult novels and comic books. Titles include Boy Proof, The Year of the Beasts (illustrated by Nate Powell), First Day on Earth, Rose Sees Red, Beige, The Queen of Cool The Plain Janes and Janes in Love (illustrated by Jim Rugg), Tin Star Stone in the Sky, Odd Duck (illustrated by Sara Varon) and Star Wars: Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
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February 7, 2018
Tin Star is the story of Tula Bane, a teenager who joined a space colonizing cult from Earth. She is abandoned on a way station near the edge of the known universe on the way to her new home.
How will Tula Bane survive among aliens who think human beings are the worst? Will she ever be able to go home to Earth or the colony's planet? How will she manage to put bread on the table?
I love a good space opera and I thought that I would enjoy Tin Star more than I did.
The promise of books set in space, in my opinion, is the opportunity for unique interstellar exploration and worlds created entirely from the author's imagination. Because of Tula's unique plight- being stuck in what is essentially a space gas station- the author left herself very little room to write a creative story.
Mainly, Tin Star deals with character development and social struggles, not adventuring in new places.
The villain of the tale was charismatic and creepy. Take this description: "He had his hand on my shoulder in a way that he had a million times before. Only before it was comforting, encouraging, affectionate. Now it was menacing. He was looking at me and his face was smiling. To anyone looking from afar, he seemed to be pleased with me, but it was just a mask. His attitude shifted from concerned leader to unknowable monster." pg 4
Tula manages to befriend a shady, insect-like alien named Heckleck. He's my favorite character.
In this passage, Heckleck explains the problems Tula will face in trying to leave the station: "I know about you," Heckleck said. "Everyone does. And you will never get off this station. You are nobody. And worse, you're a Human. Even if you did not get on a ship that would take one of your kind, you'd have nowhere to go but to roam like the others of your kind do." pg 35.
Keeping it real: with Heckleck.
I thought Cecil Castellucci could have done more with the cultural differences between Tula and the others on the station.
One of the most interesting exchanges in the book was between Tula and Tournour, the head of the outpost. She's trying to figure out how old he is and, because they're from different planets/species, it's a surreal conversation. More of that would have been nice.
But Castellucci wrote cultural and language barriers out of the story by introducing nanites into Tula's bloodstream to translate alien languages for her.
Something that Castellucci did well was writing profound silences between characters into her story. For much of this story, Tula finds herself standing around with Heckleck and Tournour and having nothing to say. But, somehow, it works.
I liked how Castellucci wrote the thoughts spinning through Tula's mind at these moments. It reminded me of myself when I can't think of anything to say: "It was a silent agreement between us that if we spoke too much then we would have to talk about the practical things. ... If we ever spoke of the things that truly pressed up against us, our very real worries, our seemingly impossibly plans for escape, our divergent hopes for the future, our bubble would blow apart." pg 184
This book in three lines: "In the end, good must win over evil. The trouble is trying to figure out which is which. Sometimes they look so much alike." pg 204
Read this book if you enjoy light, young adult drama in space. If you're looking for a meaty, space adventure, you'll need to find another title.
Some read-alikes are: The Knife of Never Letting Go (teen trying to survive on an alien planet) or Gated (teen trying to leave a cult).
Thank you to Roaring Brook Press for sending an advance reader copy of this book.
How will Tula Bane survive among aliens who think human beings are the worst? Will she ever be able to go home to Earth or the colony's planet? How will she manage to put bread on the table?
I love a good space opera and I thought that I would enjoy Tin Star more than I did.
The promise of books set in space, in my opinion, is the opportunity for unique interstellar exploration and worlds created entirely from the author's imagination. Because of Tula's unique plight- being stuck in what is essentially a space gas station- the author left herself very little room to write a creative story.
Mainly, Tin Star deals with character development and social struggles, not adventuring in new places.
The villain of the tale was charismatic and creepy. Take this description: "He had his hand on my shoulder in a way that he had a million times before. Only before it was comforting, encouraging, affectionate. Now it was menacing. He was looking at me and his face was smiling. To anyone looking from afar, he seemed to be pleased with me, but it was just a mask. His attitude shifted from concerned leader to unknowable monster." pg 4
Tula manages to befriend a shady, insect-like alien named Heckleck. He's my favorite character.
In this passage, Heckleck explains the problems Tula will face in trying to leave the station: "I know about you," Heckleck said. "Everyone does. And you will never get off this station. You are nobody. And worse, you're a Human. Even if you did not get on a ship that would take one of your kind, you'd have nowhere to go but to roam like the others of your kind do." pg 35.
Keeping it real: with Heckleck.
I thought Cecil Castellucci could have done more with the cultural differences between Tula and the others on the station.
One of the most interesting exchanges in the book was between Tula and Tournour, the head of the outpost. She's trying to figure out how old he is and, because they're from different planets/species, it's a surreal conversation. More of that would have been nice.
But Castellucci wrote cultural and language barriers out of the story by introducing nanites into Tula's bloodstream to translate alien languages for her.
Something that Castellucci did well was writing profound silences between characters into her story. For much of this story, Tula finds herself standing around with Heckleck and Tournour and having nothing to say. But, somehow, it works.
I liked how Castellucci wrote the thoughts spinning through Tula's mind at these moments. It reminded me of myself when I can't think of anything to say: "It was a silent agreement between us that if we spoke too much then we would have to talk about the practical things. ... If we ever spoke of the things that truly pressed up against us, our very real worries, our seemingly impossibly plans for escape, our divergent hopes for the future, our bubble would blow apart." pg 184
This book in three lines: "In the end, good must win over evil. The trouble is trying to figure out which is which. Sometimes they look so much alike." pg 204
Read this book if you enjoy light, young adult drama in space. If you're looking for a meaty, space adventure, you'll need to find another title.
Some read-alikes are: The Knife of Never Letting Go (teen trying to survive on an alien planet) or Gated (teen trying to leave a cult).
Thank you to Roaring Brook Press for sending an advance reader copy of this book.
November 11, 2013
2 STARS
That sounds phonetically like nails on a blackboard but I find it quite apt for a book as… unique as Tin Star.
This review is brought to you by the word: BORED.
In an unspecified time in the future when intergalactic travel is possible, the Earth chooses to maintain an Isolationist ideal as, relative to the universe, humans are considered Minor Species. Fifteen-year old Tula Bane and her family are members of the Children of the Earth, a cult-like movement that counters this perspective by voyaging into the galaxy, seeking for new stars to colonize led by its charismatic leader Brother Blue.
On a stopover in their journey to colonize Beta Granade, Tula was beaten up and abandoned by Brother Blue in the Yertina Feray Space Station where she is the only human present. A home for the banished and shamed, here she meets and befriends an oddball mix of antennaed, alien characters including Tournour the station's constable, Thado the caretaker of the arboretum and Heckleck, a black market dealer who takes her under his wing (literally) as his errand girl. Gradually Tula settles in the life of a dealer in the seedy underbelly of the Space Station. Until a few years after, propelled by the changing universal political climate, three young humans crashed in the Yertina Feray. Giving Tula Bane the perfect means to exact her vengeance.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
And bland.
And confusing.
Something about the writing makes me think either this was translated poorly from a different language or, more probably, the creativity was so focused on the world building that none was left to spare for the characters and the delivery of the story. I was quite impressed with the depth of imagination dedicated to constructing the socio-political atmosphere that served as the backdrop for Tula's story. Humans as the intergalactic marginalized minority is hardly original but how this fits into the universe of the distant future was quite interesting. Nanotechnology in your bloodstream, a cult that does good on the promise of being one with the stars, different alien races with distinct quirks and features… there are so many reasons why this should've worked.
But so much more why it didn't.
Starting with the absolute lack of emotion in this story. I suppose it's about finding home in the midst of desolation and friendship outside of… interspecies differences but it was delivered in such an automated manner that I'm wondering if there's a message this was trying to deliver at all.
Whose grocery list is this?!
I mean, I hate excessive drama as the next occasional sci-fi reader but I do expect to take away or feel something, be it good or bad, from every book that I read. There were a lot of hollow points, the development of the story was jumpy and this book just ended up feeling… empty. And I know it is supposed to feel empty because duh, this is set in space, but I found myself longing for a few adjectives here and there, some emotional connection with Tula who, even by telling this entirely through her perspective, still feels like a stranger to me by the end. And maybe that's because she's lived in an alien environment for so long and the humanity has been drained out of her but even in that rationale her character is stuck in that stasis throughout the story. So she's a human with alien emotions now… what then? Why should I care what becomes of her? Why should I even bother with this book?
The introduction of the 3 humans Els, Caleb and Reza just piled in on the confusion and added some eye-roll worthy attempts at injecting romance in this story. Which was a surprise because with the droll delivery of the story thus far, I was willing to accede even to a love triangle to liven things up. Well it didn't go there… wait, I THINK it didn't go there…
Or maybe it did…
Yup, even after finishing this I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure some insta-love was at play and definitely some insta-weird happened in the end. I may have forgotten or my brain may have experienced short-term death by boredom. Or maybe I was just too busy doing something else while all these were going on.
Certainly (and I'm being VERY generous here) the story did choose some interesting turns which with proper character depth and crunchier dialogue which should be labelled as bold and creative… but since it has neither it just went the path of bizarre and strange. The kind that makes you go "Oh. Hmm. Yeah."
So this had an interesting premise going for it and the story wasn't half-bad. It's just the delivery magnified all its faults: a bland heroine, in a bland setting with bland problems.
Also on BookLikes.
ARC provided by Roaring Brook Press thru NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes may not appear in the published edition.
"Everywhere has something that'll disappoint you. It's just choosing a disappointment and having it be the most tolerable."
That sounds phonetically like nails on a blackboard but I find it quite apt for a book as… unique as Tin Star.
This review is brought to you by the word: BORED.
In an unspecified time in the future when intergalactic travel is possible, the Earth chooses to maintain an Isolationist ideal as, relative to the universe, humans are considered Minor Species. Fifteen-year old Tula Bane and her family are members of the Children of the Earth, a cult-like movement that counters this perspective by voyaging into the galaxy, seeking for new stars to colonize led by its charismatic leader Brother Blue.
On a stopover in their journey to colonize Beta Granade, Tula was beaten up and abandoned by Brother Blue in the Yertina Feray Space Station where she is the only human present. A home for the banished and shamed, here she meets and befriends an oddball mix of antennaed, alien characters including Tournour the station's constable, Thado the caretaker of the arboretum and Heckleck, a black market dealer who takes her under his wing (literally) as his errand girl. Gradually Tula settles in the life of a dealer in the seedy underbelly of the Space Station. Until a few years after, propelled by the changing universal political climate, three young humans crashed in the Yertina Feray. Giving Tula Bane the perfect means to exact her vengeance.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
And bland.
And confusing.
Something about the writing makes me think either this was translated poorly from a different language or, more probably, the creativity was so focused on the world building that none was left to spare for the characters and the delivery of the story. I was quite impressed with the depth of imagination dedicated to constructing the socio-political atmosphere that served as the backdrop for Tula's story. Humans as the intergalactic marginalized minority is hardly original but how this fits into the universe of the distant future was quite interesting. Nanotechnology in your bloodstream, a cult that does good on the promise of being one with the stars, different alien races with distinct quirks and features… there are so many reasons why this should've worked.
But so much more why it didn't.
Starting with the absolute lack of emotion in this story. I suppose it's about finding home in the midst of desolation and friendship outside of… interspecies differences but it was delivered in such an automated manner that I'm wondering if there's a message this was trying to deliver at all.
The bell rang. The hocht began. We moved toward each other and began to circle. I kept up my stare. He swung. I dodged. He swung again. I dodged. I saw an open spot on his face, and I punched. My knuckles connected with his chin. It was a soft punch. It did no harm. He sprung back, more surprised than hurt. I crouched again, and he swung over my head. I hissed at him.
He pushed me.
Whose grocery list is this?!
I mean, I hate excessive drama as the next occasional sci-fi reader but I do expect to take away or feel something, be it good or bad, from every book that I read. There were a lot of hollow points, the development of the story was jumpy and this book just ended up feeling… empty. And I know it is supposed to feel empty because duh, this is set in space, but I found myself longing for a few adjectives here and there, some emotional connection with Tula who, even by telling this entirely through her perspective, still feels like a stranger to me by the end. And maybe that's because she's lived in an alien environment for so long and the humanity has been drained out of her but even in that rationale her character is stuck in that stasis throughout the story. So she's a human with alien emotions now… what then? Why should I care what becomes of her? Why should I even bother with this book?
The introduction of the 3 humans Els, Caleb and Reza just piled in on the confusion and added some eye-roll worthy attempts at injecting romance in this story. Which was a surprise because with the droll delivery of the story thus far, I was willing to accede even to a love triangle to liven things up. Well it didn't go there… wait, I THINK it didn't go there…
Or maybe it did…
Yup, even after finishing this I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure some insta-love was at play and definitely some insta-weird happened in the end. I may have forgotten or my brain may have experienced short-term death by boredom. Or maybe I was just too busy doing something else while all these were going on.
Certainly (and I'm being VERY generous here) the story did choose some interesting turns which with proper character depth and crunchier dialogue which should be labelled as bold and creative… but since it has neither it just went the path of bizarre and strange. The kind that makes you go "Oh. Hmm. Yeah."
So this had an interesting premise going for it and the story wasn't half-bad. It's just the delivery magnified all its faults: a bland heroine, in a bland setting with bland problems.
Also on BookLikes.
ARC provided by Roaring Brook Press thru NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes may not appear in the published edition.
December 5, 2013
What started as a promise of a new beginning on a distant planet for Tula Bane and her family turns into a nightmare of death, destruction and brutal deceit at the hands of a man Tula had once trusted with her life. Stranded and alone, the only human on an alien space station, Tula learns to survive by any means from Heckleck, an insect-like creature. Driven by the need for revenge, Tula yearns for the day she will see Brother Blue again and he will pay for the pain he has caused her. A career petty thief now, Tula feels the ever-present and watchful eyes of the law on her. Everywhere she turns, there is Tournour. Talk about cramping her business style! After years of never quite fitting in, being the only human around, her life becomes a little more complicated as three humans come aboard. Will they be friend or foe? Is Tula attracted to one of them in a romantic way or will she discover someone else may be the one for her?
Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci is an “out of this world” addition to the Sci-fi genre, filled with intrigue, aliens and truly creative writing! I wasn’t just reading about the interior of this space station, I was moving along inside of it, “seeing” the different alien species through the words of this detail oriented author! Trust me they go far beyond “little green men!” Cecil Castellucci did not stop at building a fascinating world and populating it with diversified characters, he took us inside their minds and hearts, particularly Tula’s, whose loss and “aloneness” can be painful at times. No wonder she finds trusting difficult! Well done with strong characters and vivid backgrounds, this fast-paced fantasy is definitely a keeper and a great addition to the YA Sci-fi genre!
I received an ARC edition from Roaring Brook Press in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 9781596437753
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Number of Pages: 240
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci is an “out of this world” addition to the Sci-fi genre, filled with intrigue, aliens and truly creative writing! I wasn’t just reading about the interior of this space station, I was moving along inside of it, “seeing” the different alien species through the words of this detail oriented author! Trust me they go far beyond “little green men!” Cecil Castellucci did not stop at building a fascinating world and populating it with diversified characters, he took us inside their minds and hearts, particularly Tula’s, whose loss and “aloneness” can be painful at times. No wonder she finds trusting difficult! Well done with strong characters and vivid backgrounds, this fast-paced fantasy is definitely a keeper and a great addition to the YA Sci-fi genre!
I received an ARC edition from Roaring Brook Press in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
ISBN: 9781596437753
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Number of Pages: 240
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
December 14, 2013
I was lucky enough to get an arc copy of this book and I stayed up until the wee hours reading it because, uhm, I couldn't put it down. I love science fiction and Tin Star is a great new addition to the sci-fi pantheon. Smart plotting, interesting characters, and a really cool universe kept me wanting more!
January 14, 2014
Initial reaction: This is the first time I've actually been utterly and completely stumped on how to reflect on a book, so I think I'll just give it a night to sink in. Maybe it'll make sense in the morning? (Somehow I doubt it. This book was weird.)
Full review:
"Tin Star" is only my second read from author Cecil Castellucci, and for what it's worth - I liked the first read I had from her in "Boy Proof." It was very quick to read and the author has a way of streamlining her prose so that her stories are quick and easy to go through. The protagonist was identifiable and the overarching narrative did well for the subject provided. That said...I'm not sure if such a method worked for "Tin Star." This narrative had a great premise and motive for revenge, but I honestly could not get into this book at all. Probably if I'd had an uninterrupted reading session, I could've read this in an hour with how easy it was to move through, but the overarching story left much to be desired and failed to engage me.
Tula is a young woman who was abandoned for very little reason by her leader and group on an alien planet around the age of 14-15. Her leader, Brother Blue, beats her so badly that she's gravely injured, and simply leaves her as the only human on this respective alien planet. The insinuation is that he saw her as a threat because she could communicate with a universal language, but considering how much summarization is noted in the narrative, it kind of overshoots making a more invested point on the matter.
In any case, Tula's left with little choice but to stay on the alien planet, mingle with the citizens, and find a way to live. I did like the brief immersion of the environment of the aliens and there are a few characters that I actually really liked among the alien race that Tula interacts with. But for the life of me, even during this time, I could never find a point of connection with Tula. She seemed passive and resigned and it was difficult to feel invested in her motivations. Sure, she could say that she wanted to kill Brother Blue because he nearly killed her and left her on the planet, as well as led a colony that resulted in her losing her family - but it was all tell, not really showing those details. It was very difficult to feel for her character. Notably, I felt more invested in the alien beings (Heckleck, etc.) who were acting as side characters than Tula herself. One of the more interesting characters was killed off early in the narrative and that gutted me because of the potential that character had as well as how he carried the story/conflict better than the central character did (and if you have a hard time connecting with the person that's supposed to be the MC, that's a *huge* problem.)
Fast forward quite a few years later, and another group of humans find themselves stranded in the same area. Tula can't find it within herself to trust such a group since humans were part of the measure that burned her before, but at the same time she ends up falling romantically for one of the stragglers who are on the planet (Reza). Alongside meeting Ela and Caleb, there's a bit of a convoluted story here that further confused me as to motivations. It's supposed to be a part of Brother Blue's corruption and conning. It's summarized to a fine point, but there's no connectivity to the characters or the overarching conflict at all. I saw what the author was doing in places (which include a fake murder plot and some jarring scenes of murder in cold blood), but there's no investment, depth or suspense to them at all. I couldn't feel for the characters, and the transitions were often baffling and awkward. I'm not sure what happened with the execution of this.
Even the scenes between Reza and Tula are really threadbare and awkward aside from their initial meeting. It's like watching a movie with the fast-forward button pressed down the whole time. You're watching the scenes, you know something exciting's going on, but there's no time to process or actually feel/reflect/engage with the events as they transpire.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this book, but the way it was written and presented did no favors for it. I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next book at this point, but I hope there's more connectivity to the characters and scenario than this one provided. It had a huge amount of intrigue to its setup, but it almost completely dropped the ball for delivery.
Overall score: 1.5/5 stars
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher MacMillan/Roaring Book Press.
Full review:
"Tin Star" is only my second read from author Cecil Castellucci, and for what it's worth - I liked the first read I had from her in "Boy Proof." It was very quick to read and the author has a way of streamlining her prose so that her stories are quick and easy to go through. The protagonist was identifiable and the overarching narrative did well for the subject provided. That said...I'm not sure if such a method worked for "Tin Star." This narrative had a great premise and motive for revenge, but I honestly could not get into this book at all. Probably if I'd had an uninterrupted reading session, I could've read this in an hour with how easy it was to move through, but the overarching story left much to be desired and failed to engage me.
Tula is a young woman who was abandoned for very little reason by her leader and group on an alien planet around the age of 14-15. Her leader, Brother Blue, beats her so badly that she's gravely injured, and simply leaves her as the only human on this respective alien planet. The insinuation is that he saw her as a threat because she could communicate with a universal language, but considering how much summarization is noted in the narrative, it kind of overshoots making a more invested point on the matter.
In any case, Tula's left with little choice but to stay on the alien planet, mingle with the citizens, and find a way to live. I did like the brief immersion of the environment of the aliens and there are a few characters that I actually really liked among the alien race that Tula interacts with. But for the life of me, even during this time, I could never find a point of connection with Tula. She seemed passive and resigned and it was difficult to feel invested in her motivations. Sure, she could say that she wanted to kill Brother Blue because he nearly killed her and left her on the planet, as well as led a colony that resulted in her losing her family - but it was all tell, not really showing those details. It was very difficult to feel for her character. Notably, I felt more invested in the alien beings (Heckleck, etc.) who were acting as side characters than Tula herself. One of the more interesting characters was killed off early in the narrative and that gutted me because of the potential that character had as well as how he carried the story/conflict better than the central character did (and if you have a hard time connecting with the person that's supposed to be the MC, that's a *huge* problem.)
Fast forward quite a few years later, and another group of humans find themselves stranded in the same area. Tula can't find it within herself to trust such a group since humans were part of the measure that burned her before, but at the same time she ends up falling romantically for one of the stragglers who are on the planet (Reza). Alongside meeting Ela and Caleb, there's a bit of a convoluted story here that further confused me as to motivations. It's supposed to be a part of Brother Blue's corruption and conning. It's summarized to a fine point, but there's no connectivity to the characters or the overarching conflict at all. I saw what the author was doing in places (which include a fake murder plot and some jarring scenes of murder in cold blood), but there's no investment, depth or suspense to them at all. I couldn't feel for the characters, and the transitions were often baffling and awkward. I'm not sure what happened with the execution of this.
Even the scenes between Reza and Tula are really threadbare and awkward aside from their initial meeting. It's like watching a movie with the fast-forward button pressed down the whole time. You're watching the scenes, you know something exciting's going on, but there's no time to process or actually feel/reflect/engage with the events as they transpire.
I wish I could say I enjoyed this book, but the way it was written and presented did no favors for it. I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next book at this point, but I hope there's more connectivity to the characters and scenario than this one provided. It had a huge amount of intrigue to its setup, but it almost completely dropped the ball for delivery.
Overall score: 1.5/5 stars
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher MacMillan/Roaring Book Press.
December 31, 2017
I got this book as an ARC through netgalley.
I’m a lover of sci-fi but most of the books I’ve been reading lately have been contemporary (romance) and the occasional dystopia. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but after reading the first chapter I was hooked.
The book is about Tula Bane, young girl, that is betrayed by the man she trusted most in her life, Brother Blue—a sort of preacher leading their pilgrimage to one of Earth’s new colony planets. After questioning him about some cargo being left behind she is beaten nearly to death.
She recovers only to find her ship, the Prairie Rose, destroyed leaving her without her mother and sister, without another human being anywhere. She’s trapped, alone and scared, on the space station they docked at. Humans are seen in less than a good light. She makes friends with an insect-like alien named Heckleck who teaches her how to survive on the station.
The years pass with Tula making a living as a petty criminal, always under the watchful eye of the constable, Tournour. That is until there’s a coup among the galactic government. Things start to change including the arrival of three new humans. It’s been years since Tula has seen any of her kind and it throws her into a tailspin. Conspiracies, deaths, losses begin to add up for her. Through it all her hatred for Brother Blue keeps her going. Her mission is to kill him at all costs.
I really loved this book. I loved the writing from the very first paragraph. It just grabbed me. The station is crafted and shared with such care to detail. I can picture all the different species that inhabit the place and can feel Tula’s pain and loneliness of being the only human there. Her friendship with Heckleck starts out tenuous but before long you can see that he does care for her and does his best to teach her to survive should anything happen to him.
And always in the background is Tournour, the chief constable, that Tula considers intrusive to her business. But there’s a lot about aliens she just doesn’t understand. I knew from the beginning that Tournour was looking out for her. He was always around to make sure nothing bad happened to her. I assumed he felt a fatherly affection for her until the end when another of his species explains how young Tournour really is. And then I got the twist of these two character that danced around each other the entire book.
I just loved the whole backdrop to the story and how the aliens mixed together, the portrayal of humans being low on the totem pole. The thing I found hardest to follow was Tula’s scamming with Els (one of the humans that crashes at the station). Maybe I was getting tired but the whole thing just fogged over in my mind. I didn’t know who to trust but I had a feeling it would turn out the way it did. Nobody was who they seemed at the station.
This book reminded me of all the reasons I love sci-fi but left me feeling like something was missing. Tula doesn’t get her revenge. I have heard through other reviewers at Goodreads I did learn there is a sequel in the making due out in 2015. I can’t wait to find out what happens.
[originally posted at Just Another Blog]
I’m a lover of sci-fi but most of the books I’ve been reading lately have been contemporary (romance) and the occasional dystopia. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but after reading the first chapter I was hooked.
The book is about Tula Bane, young girl, that is betrayed by the man she trusted most in her life, Brother Blue—a sort of preacher leading their pilgrimage to one of Earth’s new colony planets. After questioning him about some cargo being left behind she is beaten nearly to death.
She recovers only to find her ship, the Prairie Rose, destroyed leaving her without her mother and sister, without another human being anywhere. She’s trapped, alone and scared, on the space station they docked at. Humans are seen in less than a good light. She makes friends with an insect-like alien named Heckleck who teaches her how to survive on the station.
The years pass with Tula making a living as a petty criminal, always under the watchful eye of the constable, Tournour. That is until there’s a coup among the galactic government. Things start to change including the arrival of three new humans. It’s been years since Tula has seen any of her kind and it throws her into a tailspin. Conspiracies, deaths, losses begin to add up for her. Through it all her hatred for Brother Blue keeps her going. Her mission is to kill him at all costs.
I really loved this book. I loved the writing from the very first paragraph. It just grabbed me. The station is crafted and shared with such care to detail. I can picture all the different species that inhabit the place and can feel Tula’s pain and loneliness of being the only human there. Her friendship with Heckleck starts out tenuous but before long you can see that he does care for her and does his best to teach her to survive should anything happen to him.
And always in the background is Tournour, the chief constable, that Tula considers intrusive to her business. But there’s a lot about aliens she just doesn’t understand. I knew from the beginning that Tournour was looking out for her. He was always around to make sure nothing bad happened to her. I assumed he felt a fatherly affection for her until the end when another of his species explains how young Tournour really is. And then I got the twist of these two character that danced around each other the entire book.
I just loved the whole backdrop to the story and how the aliens mixed together, the portrayal of humans being low on the totem pole. The thing I found hardest to follow was Tula’s scamming with Els (one of the humans that crashes at the station). Maybe I was getting tired but the whole thing just fogged over in my mind. I didn’t know who to trust but I had a feeling it would turn out the way it did. Nobody was who they seemed at the station.
This book reminded me of all the reasons I love sci-fi but left me feeling like something was missing. Tula doesn’t get her revenge. I have heard through other reviewers at Goodreads I did learn there is a sequel in the making due out in 2015. I can’t wait to find out what happens.
[originally posted at Just Another Blog]
October 11, 2013
I didn’t really know what to expect from this book, I was interested in it because to sounded different. I was right, it was different. The story idea is great and can go in so many different directs! It is easy to follow and Tula is a great leading lady.
Tula had to grow up quick when her world is turned upside down by Brother Blue. Tula decided then that she would survive and make Brother Blue pay for what he did. Live on the space station is not easy but with the help of Heckleck, Tula learns the art of bargaining. The supporting characters are great (I was near tears when one of them died, a sign of a good writer) and they help shape Tula in to who she becomes. I was not sure what Tula would do at the end and I must say I like the few surprises that we learned and how it all came together towards the end.
I recommend this book to those who are look for something that is a little out of this world (lol)!! I look forward to reading more of Tula and her adventure! Thank you Netgallery for the ARC.
Tula had to grow up quick when her world is turned upside down by Brother Blue. Tula decided then that she would survive and make Brother Blue pay for what he did. Live on the space station is not easy but with the help of Heckleck, Tula learns the art of bargaining. The supporting characters are great (I was near tears when one of them died, a sign of a good writer) and they help shape Tula in to who she becomes. I was not sure what Tula would do at the end and I must say I like the few surprises that we learned and how it all came together towards the end.
I recommend this book to those who are look for something that is a little out of this world (lol)!! I look forward to reading more of Tula and her adventure! Thank you Netgallery for the ARC.
November 14, 2013
Huge thank you to Macmillian and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
3.5, but rounded to a 4.
Tin Star was an impulse grab from Netgalley. I loved the cover and the premise sounded like something I'd dig. I wasn't expecting to love the book as much as I did though.
This is my first fore ray into Castellucci's work, and I feel like she's a lovely writer. Her descriptions are very methodical and well-detailed, and she made it very easy to visual Tula's world and her struggles. However, this book is a slow burn and it's not best read when you're aren't in the mood to be thoughtful. There's definitely some confusing instances in the book as well, and I found I had to reread passages for the sake of clarity.
That being said, I loved Castellucci's portrayal of extra-terrestrials. It was interesting to learn about their hardships and distrust, it's a familiar take on "the other," but one that is quite easy to comprehend. We have humans again being see as the potential monsters, which worked for me.
One thing I wish the novel had more of was emotion. There's such a huge focus on the world building and establishing who is truly the other, yet there isn't enough focus on creating the emotional drive that the story needs so that the reader can attach themselves to the situation and really feel like they understand Tula and the conflict within the world. I enjoyed Tula's character (especially towards the end), but I felt like she and her cast of characters could have used just a touch more development to make them memorable.
The world-building however, is fabulous. It's very deliberate and thoughtful and I found myself very much a part of the world as I was reading the book. There's such fleshed out descriptions of desolation and desertion, and the way it surrounds both human and alien life was completely fascinating to me. Castellucci made me enjoy aliens, which is something I'm not huge on (unless you count Mass Effect), and she made me appreciate how they can be written and even at times, sympathized with. I also LOVED the ending of this book, and I'm curious to see if this is a world Castellucci may revisit.
Tin Star is going to be a tough sell for a lot of science fiction fans, because while it has a lot of classic trope (right down to the very descriptive prose), it lacks a lot of the YA tropes that many readers may be looking for when selecting a YA science fiction novel. Still, this book plays homage to classical science fiction literature, it has a wonderful sense of discovery, the only item it lacks to make it work an emotional drive to make readers want to be a part of this world.
3.5, but rounded to a 4.
Tin Star was an impulse grab from Netgalley. I loved the cover and the premise sounded like something I'd dig. I wasn't expecting to love the book as much as I did though.
This is my first fore ray into Castellucci's work, and I feel like she's a lovely writer. Her descriptions are very methodical and well-detailed, and she made it very easy to visual Tula's world and her struggles. However, this book is a slow burn and it's not best read when you're aren't in the mood to be thoughtful. There's definitely some confusing instances in the book as well, and I found I had to reread passages for the sake of clarity.
That being said, I loved Castellucci's portrayal of extra-terrestrials. It was interesting to learn about their hardships and distrust, it's a familiar take on "the other," but one that is quite easy to comprehend. We have humans again being see as the potential monsters, which worked for me.
One thing I wish the novel had more of was emotion. There's such a huge focus on the world building and establishing who is truly the other, yet there isn't enough focus on creating the emotional drive that the story needs so that the reader can attach themselves to the situation and really feel like they understand Tula and the conflict within the world. I enjoyed Tula's character (especially towards the end), but I felt like she and her cast of characters could have used just a touch more development to make them memorable.
The world-building however, is fabulous. It's very deliberate and thoughtful and I found myself very much a part of the world as I was reading the book. There's such fleshed out descriptions of desolation and desertion, and the way it surrounds both human and alien life was completely fascinating to me. Castellucci made me enjoy aliens, which is something I'm not huge on (unless you count Mass Effect), and she made me appreciate how they can be written and even at times, sympathized with. I also LOVED the ending of this book, and I'm curious to see if this is a world Castellucci may revisit.
Tin Star is going to be a tough sell for a lot of science fiction fans, because while it has a lot of classic trope (right down to the very descriptive prose), it lacks a lot of the YA tropes that many readers may be looking for when selecting a YA science fiction novel. Still, this book plays homage to classical science fiction literature, it has a wonderful sense of discovery, the only item it lacks to make it work an emotional drive to make readers want to be a part of this world.
July 24, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Tin Star is a book that will stay with you a long time after you've read it. A mature young adult novel, exploring themes of isolation and loneliness, with a fascinating world, well built, but with a distinct alien feel. The old west settlements of the US are given a new science fiction setting, with aliens replacing indians and with the settlers this time at the disadvantage to the indigenous species.
The story follows the daughter of a colonist whose mother is following a nearly cult-like leader charting a ship to a new planet. She questions anomalies about the trip when they are at a lay station, is beaten and abandoned for dead in the refuse by that leader to silence her, and must find a way to survive as the lone human with no resources or money. Most would fail but she is resourceful, and with both luck and intelligence, she finds a place for herself in the bowels of the station, living on a diet of a future revenge. Then more human colonists show up, politics of the human colonies become very important to the alien politics, and she will have some tough decisions to make about her allegiance to the humans or to the aliens who raised her.
This was very much a retelling of True Grit - a girl who has to learn to survive on her own, her revenge, and the strange characters she must con or bully into helping her. The author resists temptation to spell anything out easily - the writing is subtle, gentle, and smooth despite the harsh subject matter and dire situation of the heroine. But this is also a superbly built world - a mining station next to a depleted world on the edge of traffic lines, trying to survive with little resources.
There is no sappy romance here (though there is a love story at the heart of this novel) and the protagonist is smart and doesn't make stupid errors in judgement or action. Yet she isn't thriving either - she survives as a curiosity on the fringes of the other alien species, using a talent for perception/watchfulness to quickly adapt to situations and save herself from starving.
I highly recommend this book - it's exactly what the YA genre is starving for - intelligence, subtly, and a richly layered world and thoughtful plotline. It is not a perfect book, and those who want action from their sci fi will probably not enjoy this slow burn plot.
Received as an ARC from the publisher.
August 10, 2016
* I read this book while it was made available to me through Net Galley, it was given to me for an honest review.*
Set in the sometime distant future, TIN STAR is the tale of a work relationship and friendship gone wrong. At the opening of the story, Tula Bane is near death's door. Her leader, Brother Blue, is to settle select planets with human colonies. His goal is to bring human culture to the stars making trade possible with other alien planets. At the same time the colonists would still manage to keep to themselves. This was a promise he made known to Tula Bane and the others, making everyone feel special in their own way.
They were temporarily living on the space station Yertina Feray. Then Tula witnessed something she should not have seen. And Brother Blue beat her up and left her for dead.
Unfortunately for Tula, most of the alien cultures found humans abhorrent. So when Heckleck, an insect-like species, saves her life in exchange for her to run errands for him, Tula is leery. "I barter things for things and favors for favors." But a bond is formed.
And yes, like other reviewers, I thought of Star Wars. And Soylent Green. And Star Trek. And little bits of Starman; when a human meets an alien and forms a relationship. So you get my drift. Besides Heckleck, Tula also formed an odd friendship with the local constable, Tournour, a 'Loor'. His species was probably the closest in human appearance with the exception that they had antennae and no eyebrows.
And curiously, because this is not the type of genre I normally read, I enjoyed Tula's story. Written in first person tense and something I normally don't favor, it actually increased my interest. I felt I was right along side of her when things played out. Tula became 'the errand girl'. And it kept her busy.
Over a period of several years Tula slowly grows up. All along, believing she was meant to seek revenge. Her goal? She would kill Brother Blue. She learns the ins and outs of how to barter with the other-world cultures. And if nothing else, she earns the respect of those same aliens who despised her earlier on.. She also manages to meet a few other humans close to her in age. The problem is, who can she trust?
You will find both action and adventure within the pages of this young adult sci-fi story. There are some minor grammatical mistakes but nothing that diminished my enjoyment of TIN STAR. Be aware that there is definite room for a sequel or perhaps the author will make this into a series.
Pure and simple, this story entertained me. I look forward to the next episode in Tula's life.
Set in the sometime distant future, TIN STAR is the tale of a work relationship and friendship gone wrong. At the opening of the story, Tula Bane is near death's door. Her leader, Brother Blue, is to settle select planets with human colonies. His goal is to bring human culture to the stars making trade possible with other alien planets. At the same time the colonists would still manage to keep to themselves. This was a promise he made known to Tula Bane and the others, making everyone feel special in their own way.
They were temporarily living on the space station Yertina Feray. Then Tula witnessed something she should not have seen. And Brother Blue beat her up and left her for dead.
Unfortunately for Tula, most of the alien cultures found humans abhorrent. So when Heckleck, an insect-like species, saves her life in exchange for her to run errands for him, Tula is leery. "I barter things for things and favors for favors." But a bond is formed.
And yes, like other reviewers, I thought of Star Wars. And Soylent Green. And Star Trek. And little bits of Starman; when a human meets an alien and forms a relationship. So you get my drift. Besides Heckleck, Tula also formed an odd friendship with the local constable, Tournour, a 'Loor'. His species was probably the closest in human appearance with the exception that they had antennae and no eyebrows.
And curiously, because this is not the type of genre I normally read, I enjoyed Tula's story. Written in first person tense and something I normally don't favor, it actually increased my interest. I felt I was right along side of her when things played out. Tula became 'the errand girl'. And it kept her busy.
Over a period of several years Tula slowly grows up. All along, believing she was meant to seek revenge. Her goal? She would kill Brother Blue. She learns the ins and outs of how to barter with the other-world cultures. And if nothing else, she earns the respect of those same aliens who despised her earlier on.. She also manages to meet a few other humans close to her in age. The problem is, who can she trust?
You will find both action and adventure within the pages of this young adult sci-fi story. There are some minor grammatical mistakes but nothing that diminished my enjoyment of TIN STAR. Be aware that there is definite room for a sequel or perhaps the author will make this into a series.
Pure and simple, this story entertained me. I look forward to the next episode in Tula's life.
November 3, 2013
This book takes place in outer space in the future. The narrator is Tula. Tula and her family are on a colony ship headed to a distant planet. The ship makes a stop at a space station called Yertina Feray.
The book starts with Tula being beaten by the ship's leader Brother Blue.
It was sort of an odd beginning. We had little back story (but we were quickly filled in). The book started right in the middle. Then jumped months and then a year ahead.
The book was a short 240 pages.
The setting (a space station) does not leave that much room for extensive action. But the author made the most out of the space station setting.
Our main character Tula is trapped in this space station (she desperately wants to leave). She starts out as the only human. Stuck with aliens. I loved the idea that there were major and minor species. I enjoyed seeing all the different aliens at the space station and how Tula interacted with them.
There were some very interesting characters in this book.
Heckleck. An alien who becomes her friend.
Tournour. Another alien who is the head of the space station. He and Tula have an interesting relationship.
Brother Blue. A very prominent figure in this book. He was the leader of her ship and the man who beat her.
At one point in the book other humans arrive at the space station.
Also there is romance. But it doesn't really figure into the story until quite late.
I think for a book about aliens, the author dealt with the topic in a pretty neat way. The story really picked up in the last pages. And I could not put it down. When it was over I wanted more. I hope that there is a sequel so that we can know the rest of the story.
Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book.
October 10, 2013
Thanks to Netgalley I got an advance copy of this book to read. And enjoyed the world of misfits, of all species, forced by chance to live in the underbelly of a far flung space station. The feisty wounded teenage Tula is abandoned and slowly learns how to adapt as the only human on board. Evil mega church leaders leading believers into doom, corrupt political super powers, and dreadfully bad communications links help add pressure to this isolated community. I loved how the characters of human and other are slowly revealed. It's as if the aliens at a bar pit scene in a sf movie became the world a young woman must learn to manipulate and discover herself...looking forward to the next book in the series. Crisp good writing. More!
January 5, 2014
Hm. I liked parts of this a lot, but was left wanting a lot more. Mini review to come.
August 13, 2016
http://www.mybookishways.com/2014/02/...
14 year old Tula is headed to a distant planet, Beta Granada with her family to start a colony. When their ship, the Prairie Rose, stops at a space station with engine trouble, the colony’s leader, Brother Blue, beats her badly for questioning his handling of supplies. He subsequently abandons at the station and she’s left in the hands of its non-human inhabitants. The aliens patch her up, but they’re not too sure what to do with Tula. Tula is understandably scared and confused. After all, Brother Blue had repeatedly told her that she was to be instrumental in his dreams of colonization, that she would eventually be a leader in the Children of the Earth. When she meets Tournour, who heads up security at the station, he informs her that the Children of the Earth claim to not know who Tula is, and that everyone has been accounted for on the Prairie Rose. Tula must now fend for herself on the Yertina Feray, and hope that she can eventually get in contact with someone that can help. A scavenger, Heckleck, eventually befriends Tula and she soon becomes known as the girl that can get just about anything. It’s not a bad life, and her reputation is good, which goes a long way on Yertina Feray. But, in spite of this, being the only Human on the space station is lonely, and when three Humans arrive; the beautiful Els, gentle Caleb, and the electrifying Reza, Tula’s world is turned upside down, and she learns something about Brother Blue that will change her course permanently.
Tin Star covers about 3 years from the time Tula arrives on Yertina Feray and she goes from a scared 14 year old, to a very confident and self-sufficient 17 year old during that time. The arrival of Els, Caleb, and Reza is a game changer for Tula, and she’s undeniably attracted to Reza. Nothing has quite been what it seems, especially where Brother Blue is concerned, and by the time the book concludes, Tula has quite a mission ahead of her. The author writes in staccato, rather spare prose, but I thought that mirrored the desolation of the space station nicely. The first half or so focuses mainly on daily life on the station, and her friendship with Heckleck is endearing, but in the second half, the author threw in a few twists that really change the course of Tula’s life. Tula is a strong, smart, resilient girl, and adapts remarkably to a place filled with life forms that aren’t all that fond of Humans to begin with. I enjoyed Tin Star, and although I felt as if it was, for the most part, a set up for the next novel, that’s ok, because the author made me fall in love with Tula (she especially comes into her own in the 2nd half), and as a result, I’ll follow her anywhere.
14 year old Tula is headed to a distant planet, Beta Granada with her family to start a colony. When their ship, the Prairie Rose, stops at a space station with engine trouble, the colony’s leader, Brother Blue, beats her badly for questioning his handling of supplies. He subsequently abandons at the station and she’s left in the hands of its non-human inhabitants. The aliens patch her up, but they’re not too sure what to do with Tula. Tula is understandably scared and confused. After all, Brother Blue had repeatedly told her that she was to be instrumental in his dreams of colonization, that she would eventually be a leader in the Children of the Earth. When she meets Tournour, who heads up security at the station, he informs her that the Children of the Earth claim to not know who Tula is, and that everyone has been accounted for on the Prairie Rose. Tula must now fend for herself on the Yertina Feray, and hope that she can eventually get in contact with someone that can help. A scavenger, Heckleck, eventually befriends Tula and she soon becomes known as the girl that can get just about anything. It’s not a bad life, and her reputation is good, which goes a long way on Yertina Feray. But, in spite of this, being the only Human on the space station is lonely, and when three Humans arrive; the beautiful Els, gentle Caleb, and the electrifying Reza, Tula’s world is turned upside down, and she learns something about Brother Blue that will change her course permanently.
Tin Star covers about 3 years from the time Tula arrives on Yertina Feray and she goes from a scared 14 year old, to a very confident and self-sufficient 17 year old during that time. The arrival of Els, Caleb, and Reza is a game changer for Tula, and she’s undeniably attracted to Reza. Nothing has quite been what it seems, especially where Brother Blue is concerned, and by the time the book concludes, Tula has quite a mission ahead of her. The author writes in staccato, rather spare prose, but I thought that mirrored the desolation of the space station nicely. The first half or so focuses mainly on daily life on the station, and her friendship with Heckleck is endearing, but in the second half, the author threw in a few twists that really change the course of Tula’s life. Tula is a strong, smart, resilient girl, and adapts remarkably to a place filled with life forms that aren’t all that fond of Humans to begin with. I enjoyed Tin Star, and although I felt as if it was, for the most part, a set up for the next novel, that’s ok, because the author made me fall in love with Tula (she especially comes into her own in the 2nd half), and as a result, I’ll follow her anywhere.
July 15, 2017
Pros: fun, engaging protagonist, interesting alien races
Cons: takes Tula a long time to figure out something fairly obvious
For parents: kissing, some violence
Sixteen year old Tula Bane arrives on the Yertina Feray as a member of the Children of Earth on their way to colonize a new world. But when her questioning puts her at odds with their leader, Brother Blue, she’s left for dead on the station as they move on.
Surrounded by numerous alien species who think little of isolationist humans, and with only limited knowledge of Universal Galactic, she wonders how she’ll survive, let alone get her revenge on Brother Blue.
Tin Star is a fun, quick read. The protagonist is intelligent and quickly makes a place for herself on the station, with the help of another alien. It’s interesting watching her interact with the various alien races and, when some humans arrive on the station, realize how little she now knows about her own kind.
The different alien races are only loosely described, allowing you some freedom in creating your mental image of them. Similarly, while it’s clear that Tula learns how to understand them for trade purposes, a lot of their habits, customs, etc, are also left to your imagination. I personally enjoyed this, though I imagine some readers will wish for more descriptive and explanatory passages. The same goes for the political intrigues of the universe at large. Changes in the outside world affect the station, but - due to problems with their communications array - the station’s information about the outside world is minimal.
There are minor romantic elements towards the middle of the book but the focus remains on Tula and her mission to get off the station.
My only complaint is that it takes Tula rather a long time to figure out something that seemed pretty obvious early on in the book. And that’s a mild complaint as it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book nor did it seem the author was purposely making her blind. It’s something a person in her circumstances wouldn’t consider.
For parents wondering about content issues, there’s no language or sex (though some scenes suggest sex may be happening off page, those passages can be interpreted either way). There’s a little kissing and some minor violence (the protagonist is beaten in the first chapter).
The book is self-contained, but set up for a sequel. I really enjoyed this book and hope there’s more to come.
Cons: takes Tula a long time to figure out something fairly obvious
For parents: kissing, some violence
Sixteen year old Tula Bane arrives on the Yertina Feray as a member of the Children of Earth on their way to colonize a new world. But when her questioning puts her at odds with their leader, Brother Blue, she’s left for dead on the station as they move on.
Surrounded by numerous alien species who think little of isolationist humans, and with only limited knowledge of Universal Galactic, she wonders how she’ll survive, let alone get her revenge on Brother Blue.
Tin Star is a fun, quick read. The protagonist is intelligent and quickly makes a place for herself on the station, with the help of another alien. It’s interesting watching her interact with the various alien races and, when some humans arrive on the station, realize how little she now knows about her own kind.
The different alien races are only loosely described, allowing you some freedom in creating your mental image of them. Similarly, while it’s clear that Tula learns how to understand them for trade purposes, a lot of their habits, customs, etc, are also left to your imagination. I personally enjoyed this, though I imagine some readers will wish for more descriptive and explanatory passages. The same goes for the political intrigues of the universe at large. Changes in the outside world affect the station, but - due to problems with their communications array - the station’s information about the outside world is minimal.
There are minor romantic elements towards the middle of the book but the focus remains on Tula and her mission to get off the station.
My only complaint is that it takes Tula rather a long time to figure out something that seemed pretty obvious early on in the book. And that’s a mild complaint as it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book nor did it seem the author was purposely making her blind. It’s something a person in her circumstances wouldn’t consider.
For parents wondering about content issues, there’s no language or sex (though some scenes suggest sex may be happening off page, those passages can be interpreted either way). There’s a little kissing and some minor violence (the protagonist is beaten in the first chapter).
The book is self-contained, but set up for a sequel. I really enjoyed this book and hope there’s more to come.
July 15, 2016
3.75 stars. Quick read and surprisingly enjoyable.
Tula Bane is abandoned for dead on an intergalactic space station where she is the only human being. What follows is a story that is part survivalist (but with species of aliens, all with their own customs!), a large part sci-fi, and a dash of mystery and political intrigue thrown in. First, the disclaimers: if you're looking for a novel with highly detailed world-building and logical scientific explanation of how everything works and came to be, this is not the book for you. There's some description, but not a lot of exposition or explanation - you get everything from Tula's POV, and so the only things that really get explained are things that she is surprised by within the context of the world that she knows. Personally, I found this lack of detailed explanation actually gave me a sense of Tula's experience and built up the setting of life on the space station. Even weird things, like the fact that humans, when they prove themselves and/or reach a certain age (don't exactly remember which), get to take on a color-name? Like Brother Blue? Sister Cerulean? It's so random, and anecdotal, and barely explained, and there are tons of tiny details like that that lend credence to the idea that this is a complete and intricate world, even if we don't get to see or understand most of it, in this first book at least.
Similarly, other readers have complained that the characters are not particularly developed, and that we didn't ever get a clear idea of who they really are. I would agree with that. However, considering that Tula was young, spent years in a space ship, and then was abandoned in an unfamiliar place where there was no one else of a familiar species, it makes sense that the world through her eyes comes across as... a bit washed-out. I did care for Heckleck, though, and I did have an idea of who Tula is as a character. While I didn't fall in love with her like I have with some other MCs, I was really impressed by her toughness, adaptability and ingenuity!
Overall, it's a fun story that drew me in quickly, and I'd recommend it to any fans of dystopia, sci-fi, or just anyone who wants to read some unusual YA.
Tula Bane is abandoned for dead on an intergalactic space station where she is the only human being. What follows is a story that is part survivalist (but with species of aliens, all with their own customs!), a large part sci-fi, and a dash of mystery and political intrigue thrown in. First, the disclaimers: if you're looking for a novel with highly detailed world-building and logical scientific explanation of how everything works and came to be, this is not the book for you. There's some description, but not a lot of exposition or explanation - you get everything from Tula's POV, and so the only things that really get explained are things that she is surprised by within the context of the world that she knows. Personally, I found this lack of detailed explanation actually gave me a sense of Tula's experience and built up the setting of life on the space station. Even weird things, like the fact that humans, when they prove themselves and/or reach a certain age (don't exactly remember which), get to take on a color-name? Like Brother Blue? Sister Cerulean? It's so random, and anecdotal, and barely explained, and there are tons of tiny details like that that lend credence to the idea that this is a complete and intricate world, even if we don't get to see or understand most of it, in this first book at least.
Similarly, other readers have complained that the characters are not particularly developed, and that we didn't ever get a clear idea of who they really are. I would agree with that. However, considering that Tula was young, spent years in a space ship, and then was abandoned in an unfamiliar place where there was no one else of a familiar species, it makes sense that the world through her eyes comes across as... a bit washed-out. I did care for Heckleck, though, and I did have an idea of who Tula is as a character. While I didn't fall in love with her like I have with some other MCs, I was really impressed by her toughness, adaptability and ingenuity!
Overall, it's a fun story that drew me in quickly, and I'd recommend it to any fans of dystopia, sci-fi, or just anyone who wants to read some unusual YA.
November 23, 2014
I am loving the plethora of space novels out there right now. This one does a great job of keeping you engaged and leaves you wanting the next book in the series. Tula is a strong, likable character who will worm her way into your heart so you root for her every page you read. The ending felt a little rushed, and the book was fairly short. Yet, for its shortness, there were complex relationships that were layered and unique.
May 3, 2013
I was lucky enough to read this and can't rave enough about it. It's a sci fi book that doesn't bog down on scientific terms. I loved the protagonist, how she's the lone human stuck in this desolate space station with all these aliens. I liked her interactions with the aliens and her longing of wanting revenge but also wanting a home. You are in for a treat.
December 21, 2013
See more reviews on my blog
This book had a ton of potential, but the simplistic writing failed to keep my attention.
I really was excited about this book, and on many fronts, it did deliver. The world of the space station is pretty inventive and interesting, and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place and reading about all the different aliens and customs and such. Tula being told she wouldn’t get any official help because she was just one more random alien in the galaxy shocked me at first, but then again, I shared in Tula’s “but I’m a human!” centered worldview, and so that was kind of fun to have that shift. I even enjoyed what little we heard about the universe beyond the space station, and the fact that humans were actually at the bottom of the pecking order in this ‘verse.
But the writing was so full of summarizing and tells and simple statements that I couldn’t fully get into it. The beginning was fine, but after Tula gets well and abandoned on the space station, entire chapters are told by way of summarization. She tells us that she got used to this, or learned how to do that, or became known for such-and-such, but we never really get to experience that story. Even when an actual narrative picked up again halfway through, with the addition of three more humans, I simply couldn’t connect with anything. I think because this “new” Tula felt too…sudden. She’d changed a lot in her time on the station, but I didn’t get to experience that change thanks to all the skimming, so it just felt like this new, bland character that I didn’t care about.
And the book never recovered from that thanks to lines like this:
“I loved how self-assured Reza was. He looked comfortable floating in space while he worked, and it made me happy to watch him.”
You could use than in a textbook to illustrate ‘tell’ writing, it’s so bad. I abandoned the book even though I was really close to the end, simply because I realized I was making excuses to avoid reading it anymore.
A galley copy was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book had a ton of potential, but the simplistic writing failed to keep my attention.
I really was excited about this book, and on many fronts, it did deliver. The world of the space station is pretty inventive and interesting, and I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place and reading about all the different aliens and customs and such. Tula being told she wouldn’t get any official help because she was just one more random alien in the galaxy shocked me at first, but then again, I shared in Tula’s “but I’m a human!” centered worldview, and so that was kind of fun to have that shift. I even enjoyed what little we heard about the universe beyond the space station, and the fact that humans were actually at the bottom of the pecking order in this ‘verse.
But the writing was so full of summarizing and tells and simple statements that I couldn’t fully get into it. The beginning was fine, but after Tula gets well and abandoned on the space station, entire chapters are told by way of summarization. She tells us that she got used to this, or learned how to do that, or became known for such-and-such, but we never really get to experience that story. Even when an actual narrative picked up again halfway through, with the addition of three more humans, I simply couldn’t connect with anything. I think because this “new” Tula felt too…sudden. She’d changed a lot in her time on the station, but I didn’t get to experience that change thanks to all the skimming, so it just felt like this new, bland character that I didn’t care about.
And the book never recovered from that thanks to lines like this:
“I loved how self-assured Reza was. He looked comfortable floating in space while he worked, and it made me happy to watch him.”
You could use than in a textbook to illustrate ‘tell’ writing, it’s so bad. I abandoned the book even though I was really close to the end, simply because I realized I was making excuses to avoid reading it anymore.
A galley copy was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
November 16, 2013
"There are few things colder than the blackness of space. But lying here, I couldn't imagine anything colder than the Human heart that left me half-conscious at the entrance to Docking Bay 12." [opening line]
Tin Star is a somewhat unusual, at least to me, story. I haven't read much in the way of interplanetary travels. Tula and her family are headed to form a new space colony on Beta Granade when their space ship, The Children of Earth, lands on the space station Yertina Feray. There Tula discovers that the seeds for growing grain have been offloaded the space ship that she and her mother and sister are on to take them to Beta Granade. When she brings this to Brother Blue's, the leader's, attention, she is dragged off the space ship, beaten unconscious by him and left there. The space ship takes off, but it later explodes, leaving her mother and sister dead.
Tula is for a while the only Human on Yertina Feray, but she learns to live among aliens on the underside of the space station from her alien friend Heckleck. She learns humility and bartering. When three humans arrive after their ship has exploded, she is not sure what to make of them, at first avoiding them completely, later falling in love with one, Reza, but drawn to the woman whom she doesn't trust, Els, in hope that she will get her to the colony where her enemy, Brother Blue, can be found, because she is filled with one overriding passion, the desire to kill him.
Castalluci successfully creates an alien world with human dynamics of fear, mistrust, deceit, love and opportunism. The details of the politics that Brother Blue and the colonists were involved in we're much less clear.
Tin Star is a somewhat unusual, at least to me, story. I haven't read much in the way of interplanetary travels. Tula and her family are headed to form a new space colony on Beta Granade when their space ship, The Children of Earth, lands on the space station Yertina Feray. There Tula discovers that the seeds for growing grain have been offloaded the space ship that she and her mother and sister are on to take them to Beta Granade. When she brings this to Brother Blue's, the leader's, attention, she is dragged off the space ship, beaten unconscious by him and left there. The space ship takes off, but it later explodes, leaving her mother and sister dead.
Tula is for a while the only Human on Yertina Feray, but she learns to live among aliens on the underside of the space station from her alien friend Heckleck. She learns humility and bartering. When three humans arrive after their ship has exploded, she is not sure what to make of them, at first avoiding them completely, later falling in love with one, Reza, but drawn to the woman whom she doesn't trust, Els, in hope that she will get her to the colony where her enemy, Brother Blue, can be found, because she is filled with one overriding passion, the desire to kill him.
Castalluci successfully creates an alien world with human dynamics of fear, mistrust, deceit, love and opportunism. The details of the politics that Brother Blue and the colonists were involved in we're much less clear.
August 9, 2023
This ARC was available through NetGalley.
Tin Star is about a girl named Tula Bane, who has been sent on a colony ship with her parents to colonize a new planet. On the way to the Plant, the ship docks at a space-port, Yertina Feray, and the colonist's leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station. Three Humans come to the station after there ship is destroyed and Tula finds companionship. While Tula tries to find a way off the ship, much planning and crazyness ensues.
Tula Bane is a very interesting character. Uncertain at first, but she is a strong character and learns to survive on the Yertina Feray with Heckleck. This partnership is a big part in Tula's life and helps to make her a strong person to be trusted by the other aliens.
Humans are a low-class, Minor species and the Aliens do not trust Humans. Tula is able to get into this world of Aliens and thrive.
The 3 humans that come aboard, Reze, Els and Caleb seem pushy and ignorant. They have never been among Aliens before and do not know how to cope and survive. Tula begins to learn about each character and even finds companionship with one of them.
I was never bored with this book and I found it to be a pleasant read. I wish the time-line was stated in the book, since the book covers several years and I'm not entirely sure how old the character is anymore?
Overall, the story is enjoyable and I hope there is another book to come.
Tin Star is about a girl named Tula Bane, who has been sent on a colony ship with her parents to colonize a new planet. On the way to the Plant, the ship docks at a space-port, Yertina Feray, and the colonist's leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station. Three Humans come to the station after there ship is destroyed and Tula finds companionship. While Tula tries to find a way off the ship, much planning and crazyness ensues.
Tula Bane is a very interesting character. Uncertain at first, but she is a strong character and learns to survive on the Yertina Feray with Heckleck. This partnership is a big part in Tula's life and helps to make her a strong person to be trusted by the other aliens.
Humans are a low-class, Minor species and the Aliens do not trust Humans. Tula is able to get into this world of Aliens and thrive.
The 3 humans that come aboard, Reze, Els and Caleb seem pushy and ignorant. They have never been among Aliens before and do not know how to cope and survive. Tula begins to learn about each character and even finds companionship with one of them.
I was never bored with this book and I found it to be a pleasant read. I wish the time-line was stated in the book, since the book covers several years and I'm not entirely sure how old the character is anymore?
Overall, the story is enjoyable and I hope there is another book to come.
March 23, 2016
So me being disorganized, I didn't realize the e-ARC would expire so soon, and I only got to read the first two chapters. I can't just abandon a hook that I requested, so I knew I had to grab a copy at the library. Luckily my library had one and I got to finish it. I'm so glad I did.
Tula doesn't think anything is wrong with a stop at a space station Yertina Feray, but then again she wouldn't think anything is wrong since she's the favourite of their leader, Brother Blue. But things change, and Brother Blue beats her up and thinking she's dead, leaves her there and takes off in the ship that has her mother and sister. With her knowledge of the alien language, she befriends an alien who takes pity on her and shows her how to survive. Only when three humans crash land on her ship does she uncover a plan that will change the fate of all humans. Can she stop them in time?
I liked this one a lot and I'm glad I didn't abandon it and dismissed it. Tula's struggles with being homeless and completely clueless at the beginning is so different when you see her becoming her own person at the end. Now that's good character development. I was sad when a certain character _______. But I believe there's a reason why that happened. The fact that she started to have romantic feelings for human counterpart was cute and wholly different. I mean there's not a lot of inter-species relations in books so it was interesting to read about.
Tula doesn't think anything is wrong with a stop at a space station Yertina Feray, but then again she wouldn't think anything is wrong since she's the favourite of their leader, Brother Blue. But things change, and Brother Blue beats her up and thinking she's dead, leaves her there and takes off in the ship that has her mother and sister. With her knowledge of the alien language, she befriends an alien who takes pity on her and shows her how to survive. Only when three humans crash land on her ship does she uncover a plan that will change the fate of all humans. Can she stop them in time?
I liked this one a lot and I'm glad I didn't abandon it and dismissed it. Tula's struggles with being homeless and completely clueless at the beginning is so different when you see her becoming her own person at the end. Now that's good character development. I was sad when a certain character _______. But I believe there's a reason why that happened. The fact that she started to have romantic feelings for human counterpart was cute and wholly different. I mean there's not a lot of inter-species relations in books so it was interesting to read about.
October 5, 2013
The elevator pitch for this must have been something like "Podkayne of Mars meets the Mos Eisley Cantina on Babylon 5."
Tula's family is part of a religious movement to colonize other planets, even though Earth is mostly isolationist after finding out there really are aliens out there. Then, things go horribly wrong, and Tula is left behind on a space station on the far side of nowhere. For a teenaged girl, separated not only from her family but her entire species, life is difficult, and involves some truly unusual career options.
The story quickly becomes complicated, and for the most part is really engaging. I had a little trouble figuring out the real story of The Imperium, from what was in the book. It seemed very bureaucratic for a power grab, and kind of strange for anything else, but I hope more will be explained in the sequel. There must be a sequel. One simply cannot end a story at a point like this
Tula's family is part of a religious movement to colonize other planets, even though Earth is mostly isolationist after finding out there really are aliens out there. Then, things go horribly wrong, and Tula is left behind on a space station on the far side of nowhere. For a teenaged girl, separated not only from her family but her entire species, life is difficult, and involves some truly unusual career options.
The story quickly becomes complicated, and for the most part is really engaging. I had a little trouble figuring out the real story of The Imperium, from what was in the book. It seemed very bureaucratic for a power grab, and kind of strange for anything else, but I hope more will be explained in the sequel. There must be a sequel. One simply cannot end a story at a point like this
November 25, 2013
Tin Star is an amazing new series that pushes what we have seen so far in space novels. Tula is beaten and left for dead by the leader that has been chosen to lead a human space ship to a new colony and a better future. Brother Blue has other plans for the humans and Tula is abandoned at the space station fearing that her family and the others have perished at the hand of the one person they trusted to save them. Tula must find her way in this foreign environment and begin to form relationships with the other alien species that are at the space station. The plot moves very quickly as we begin to see Tula make friends and love some of her new friends. When a group of humans stop at the space station, Tula must decide if she can trust them or continue to find her family on her own. This has all the makings of a series that will rival Hunger Games in it's originality and scope. I was fortunate to read an advance of this book that will be out in February.
October 12, 2013
I enjoyed this book.
I found it to be a quick and entertaining read. There were parts where I was unable to put the book down because I needed to know what was going to happen next. I really loved the fact that the aliens in this novel didn’t like humans because we were… well… human. I enjoyed that they didn’t know much about us either (for example not being able to tell genders apart) and that they didn’t know what to make of us because we were nomads to them.
I only wish there was a little more dialog between the characters when they interacted but its understandable that there wasn’t because the book takes place largely in Tula’s head and she is a very introverted character.
All in all I would recommend this novel to a friend.
I found it to be a quick and entertaining read. There were parts where I was unable to put the book down because I needed to know what was going to happen next. I really loved the fact that the aliens in this novel didn’t like humans because we were… well… human. I enjoyed that they didn’t know much about us either (for example not being able to tell genders apart) and that they didn’t know what to make of us because we were nomads to them.
I only wish there was a little more dialog between the characters when they interacted but its understandable that there wasn’t because the book takes place largely in Tula’s head and she is a very introverted character.
All in all I would recommend this novel to a friend.
October 10, 2013
I hadn't heard of Cecil Castellucci prior to reading Tin Star, but- oh my word!- do I know of her now. Tin Star is one of those rare novels that not only encourages you to take the characters into your heart and create a place for them there, but to feel their pain, their triumphs, and, especially, in the case of Tula, their longing for the familiar comforts of friends, family and an Earth that, though virtually destroyed, is still home.
I was blown away by the complexity of Tula's various relationships and her honest observations about humanity and aliens.
Here's hoping for a full length novel or a sequel!
I was blown away by the complexity of Tula's various relationships and her honest observations about humanity and aliens.
Here's hoping for a full length novel or a sequel!
October 25, 2016
Whooo... loved it! If you like the Star Wars books, or the Across the Universe trilogy, I'm sure you will like this book also.
I won an ARC from a Goodreads giveaway, but this has in no way influenced my review rating.
FULL BLOG REVIEW: http://lalatoadstone.blogspot.com/201...
I won an ARC from a Goodreads giveaway, but this has in no way influenced my review rating.
FULL BLOG REVIEW: http://lalatoadstone.blogspot.com/201...
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November 15, 2014So many very cool aliens!
September 10, 2016
4.5
I've been meaning to share this review with you for ages;I've talked about the book a ton in various other posts and vlogs, and have had the review nearly completed for months — it just kept slipping my mind, and for that, I'm sorry, because I think this book could use the push, and I am more than happy to push it on you. While I don't think everyone will like this, with its cold-fish narrator, Tula, and her detached, inhuman way of relating her story, I think that those who connect to it will find a very unique, compelling story with surprising depth and power and memorable characters.
I've said before that I'm a sucker for those cold-fish characters. [My chronic Resting Bitch Face may give some insight into why this is. Whatever.] I don't think it's just because they're understated that these books appeal to me, but that by their very nature, these characters speak to something in me — despite being a fairly gregarious and outspoken person in most situations, personally, I can be very reticent; I gravitate towards prickly people and hopeless situations; I like a challenge. But beyond the reasons I relate, or at least find myself drawn to, these characters, I find them necessary and psychologically true. I'm going to try really hard not to go off on some absurd philosophical tangent (once again), but the fact is, some people deal by shutting down, or shutting people out. To have those personality types represented is not only right in the sense of creating characters that those types of readers can relate to, but also makes some scenarios more believable for me, varies things up, and adds a layer to the story that I may not otherwise get (enhanced by the challenge these characters present, which is simply just pleasing to my puzzle-loving brain).
Nowhere is this better used than in Tin Star, where the main character, Tula, is literally the only human in her corner of deep space for years, with no hope of seeing another human for the rest of her life. It makes perfect sense that Tula would shut down as not only a coping mechanism, but as a means of survival. Surrounded by alien lifeforms, in a potentially hostile environment that doesn't look kindly on what it means to be human, it's fitting that she'd begin to lose some of the signifiers of 'humanity.' Ironically, it's the very human trait of mimicry, of conscious and unconscious mirroring as means of forming & cementing a place in a community (something humans do with such frequency and ease, we don't always realize we're doing it), that allows Tula to lose some of her humanity alongside the loss of human connection, and become more alien while she seeks connection elsewhere.
Think about that for a minute.
Her very humanity helps her become alien and lose her human-ness. I can't begin to tell you how much that aspect of the book pleases me, both as a reader and a ponderer.
Of course, while that may please and make the story infinitely more fascinating to me, that same trait is what may put some readers off the book. Tula becomes progressively more alien-like, and more detached and wooden (and that may be the only instance of me ever using wooden in a good way when describing a book), which intrigues me and makes me curious to see what — if anything — will ever break her out of it. BUT, there are many readers out there that want immediate connection and root-for-ableness, and may give up on Tula and Tin Star when they don't get it. People read to escape, and often they want a character to empathize with and — most of all — want something immediate and engaging and always, always, likable. Many readers may not want to work at finding what Tula has to offer, or may not find what she has to offer worth the effort. And while there's nothing wrong with wanting something that simply entertains and takes your mind off things, or makes your heart race and your stomach somersault, the lack of those bells and whistles is what makes this a love it or hate it book.
So it might make me a bit of an odd duck* that I liked this so much, but as has been shown in the past, I like distant, cold-fish characters. I like it even more so when it's so perfectly suited to the world and the disconnect from our own reality that it goes beyond being a gimmick or a trait, and actually adds a whole new dimension to the story. Tula's personality and situation adds a sense of loneliness and isolation, which is made even more poignant by the fact that to survive, to keep sane, Tula steadfastly denies to herself that there's even anything wrong. She pretends to be fine, she makes connections only as deeply as she must to get by, but not so much as to get hurt, if she can at all avoid it, and then she gets back to the day to day business of surviving. And in this, she has a remarkable amount in common with the aliens around her. There is a great sense of Otherness that is explored in Tin Star, both for the aliens and Tula, and the ways in which each is demonstrated to be notably Other, while still maintaining some relatable commonality, is just brilliantly and subtly done. The character dynamics worked both in a human, relatable way, and in a way that was wholly foreign and fascinating. For the love of all things bookish, not only did Castellucci make me care about these aliens, but she may have even made me bookcrush on one. Hard.
...so if I haven't scared you off by this long, rambling review, let me just end by saying this gets a very high (a surprisingly high) recommendation from me. I found myself thinking about these characters long after I'd finished the book, and feeling a little bereft that it was over and I couldn't keep exploring their isolated little world and all the differences and sameness that make their dynamics work. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if it sounds like it may be yours, please pick it up and let me know what you think.
*See what I did there? 'Cause Odd Duck is a graphic novel by Cecil Castellucci? Yeah... ;)
I've been meaning to share this review with you for ages;I've talked about the book a ton in various other posts and vlogs, and have had the review nearly completed for months — it just kept slipping my mind, and for that, I'm sorry, because I think this book could use the push, and I am more than happy to push it on you. While I don't think everyone will like this, with its cold-fish narrator, Tula, and her detached, inhuman way of relating her story, I think that those who connect to it will find a very unique, compelling story with surprising depth and power and memorable characters.
I've said before that I'm a sucker for those cold-fish characters. [My chronic Resting Bitch Face may give some insight into why this is. Whatever.] I don't think it's just because they're understated that these books appeal to me, but that by their very nature, these characters speak to something in me — despite being a fairly gregarious and outspoken person in most situations, personally, I can be very reticent; I gravitate towards prickly people and hopeless situations; I like a challenge. But beyond the reasons I relate, or at least find myself drawn to, these characters, I find them necessary and psychologically true. I'm going to try really hard not to go off on some absurd philosophical tangent (once again), but the fact is, some people deal by shutting down, or shutting people out. To have those personality types represented is not only right in the sense of creating characters that those types of readers can relate to, but also makes some scenarios more believable for me, varies things up, and adds a layer to the story that I may not otherwise get (enhanced by the challenge these characters present, which is simply just pleasing to my puzzle-loving brain).
Nowhere is this better used than in Tin Star, where the main character, Tula, is literally the only human in her corner of deep space for years, with no hope of seeing another human for the rest of her life. It makes perfect sense that Tula would shut down as not only a coping mechanism, but as a means of survival. Surrounded by alien lifeforms, in a potentially hostile environment that doesn't look kindly on what it means to be human, it's fitting that she'd begin to lose some of the signifiers of 'humanity.' Ironically, it's the very human trait of mimicry, of conscious and unconscious mirroring as means of forming & cementing a place in a community (something humans do with such frequency and ease, we don't always realize we're doing it), that allows Tula to lose some of her humanity alongside the loss of human connection, and become more alien while she seeks connection elsewhere.
Think about that for a minute.
Her very humanity helps her become alien and lose her human-ness. I can't begin to tell you how much that aspect of the book pleases me, both as a reader and a ponderer.
Of course, while that may please and make the story infinitely more fascinating to me, that same trait is what may put some readers off the book. Tula becomes progressively more alien-like, and more detached and wooden (and that may be the only instance of me ever using wooden in a good way when describing a book), which intrigues me and makes me curious to see what — if anything — will ever break her out of it. BUT, there are many readers out there that want immediate connection and root-for-ableness, and may give up on Tula and Tin Star when they don't get it. People read to escape, and often they want a character to empathize with and — most of all — want something immediate and engaging and always, always, likable. Many readers may not want to work at finding what Tula has to offer, or may not find what she has to offer worth the effort. And while there's nothing wrong with wanting something that simply entertains and takes your mind off things, or makes your heart race and your stomach somersault, the lack of those bells and whistles is what makes this a love it or hate it book.
So it might make me a bit of an odd duck* that I liked this so much, but as has been shown in the past, I like distant, cold-fish characters. I like it even more so when it's so perfectly suited to the world and the disconnect from our own reality that it goes beyond being a gimmick or a trait, and actually adds a whole new dimension to the story. Tula's personality and situation adds a sense of loneliness and isolation, which is made even more poignant by the fact that to survive, to keep sane, Tula steadfastly denies to herself that there's even anything wrong. She pretends to be fine, she makes connections only as deeply as she must to get by, but not so much as to get hurt, if she can at all avoid it, and then she gets back to the day to day business of surviving. And in this, she has a remarkable amount in common with the aliens around her. There is a great sense of Otherness that is explored in Tin Star, both for the aliens and Tula, and the ways in which each is demonstrated to be notably Other, while still maintaining some relatable commonality, is just brilliantly and subtly done. The character dynamics worked both in a human, relatable way, and in a way that was wholly foreign and fascinating. For the love of all things bookish, not only did Castellucci make me care about these aliens, but she may have even made me bookcrush on one. Hard.
...so if I haven't scared you off by this long, rambling review, let me just end by saying this gets a very high (a surprisingly high) recommendation from me. I found myself thinking about these characters long after I'd finished the book, and feeling a little bereft that it was over and I couldn't keep exploring their isolated little world and all the differences and sameness that make their dynamics work. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if it sounds like it may be yours, please pick it up and let me know what you think.
*See what I did there? 'Cause Odd Duck is a graphic novel by Cecil Castellucci? Yeah... ;)
February 9, 2020
SPACE CULT!
Need I say more? No, but I will.
The sadness is real. The abandonment. Relying on the kindness of strangers at first. Then forging a life on your own, in a place of transit.
Whilst reading, I may have been in a depressive episode. Even if I wasn't, the novel tears at the heart.
There's plenty of space, but not nearly enough cult. The good news is that the sequel, Stone in the Sky, sounds like it may feature more of the cult. But start here.
Need I say more? No, but I will.
The sadness is real. The abandonment. Relying on the kindness of strangers at first. Then forging a life on your own, in a place of transit.
Whilst reading, I may have been in a depressive episode. Even if I wasn't, the novel tears at the heart.
There's plenty of space, but not nearly enough cult. The good news is that the sequel, Stone in the Sky, sounds like it may feature more of the cult. But start here.
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