What do you think?
Rate this book
Starswept #1
Starswept
Some melodies reach across the stars.
In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.
A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.
When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.
But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.
In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.
A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.
When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.
But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2017
128 people are currently reading
1464 people want to read
About the author
Mary Fan
59 books370 followersMary Fan is a YA and SFF author hailing from Jersey City. Her books include STRONGER THAN A BRONZE DRAGON (YA steampunk fantasy, Page Street Publishing), the STARSWEPT series (YA sci-fi, Snowy Wings Publishing), the FATED STARS series (YA fantasy, Snowy Wings Publishing), the FLYNN NIGHTSIDER series (YA dark fantasy, Crazy 8 Press), and the JANE COLT trilogy (space adventure, Red Adept Publishing).
She is also the co-editor of the BRAVE NEW GIRLS sci-fi anthologies about tech-savvy teen heroines (proceeds from sales are donated to the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund). Her short works have been featured in numerous anthologies, including THRILLING ADVENTURE YARNS (Crazy 8 Press), LOVE, MURDER & MAYHEM (Crazy 8 Press), MAGIC AT MIDNIGHT (Snowy Wings Publishing), and MINE! (ComicMix). In addition, she is the editor of Crazy 8 Press's upcoming anthology, BAD ASS MOMS (due out July 2020).
When she's not writing, she can usually be found splitting bags at the kickboxing gym, tangled up in aerial silks, or singing too loudly at choir rehearsal. Find her online at www.MaryFan.com.
She is also the co-editor of the BRAVE NEW GIRLS sci-fi anthologies about tech-savvy teen heroines (proceeds from sales are donated to the Society of Women Engineers scholarship fund). Her short works have been featured in numerous anthologies, including THRILLING ADVENTURE YARNS (Crazy 8 Press), LOVE, MURDER & MAYHEM (Crazy 8 Press), MAGIC AT MIDNIGHT (Snowy Wings Publishing), and MINE! (ComicMix). In addition, she is the editor of Crazy 8 Press's upcoming anthology, BAD ASS MOMS (due out July 2020).
When she's not writing, she can usually be found splitting bags at the kickboxing gym, tangled up in aerial silks, or singing too loudly at choir rehearsal. Find her online at www.MaryFan.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
August 20, 2018
Beautifully written dystopia with a twist! Mary Fan’s Starswept begins with our heroine, Iris, at the prestigious performing arts school, Papilio. This school is on an Earth which had made contact with an advanced alien civilization, the telepathic Adryils. This is also a future Earth which has a huge divide between the Elites and everyone else. At Papilio, there is intense pressure for Iris to succeed. Iris’s only chance for a better life, even a decent life, is to get noticed by patrons from Adryl. Adryl seems in nearly every way more advanced except in one area, the Arts. This disparity becomes the basis for the two planet’s relationship.
Fan’s descriptions of music and dance felt immersive even as they contributed to the world building going on in this novel. Because of this, it was easy to become engaged in Iris’s struggles and her attempts to make sense of her worlds. However, Starswept becomes really interesting when Iris fully realizes the dystopia she is living in. Wasn’t sure how I felt about the nearly insta-love with the story’s romantic interest, but it did serve a purpose (allowing us a deeper understanding of the Adryil culture). That aside, Starswept is an enjoyable and engaging story which explores some unique power inequities of contact with an alien civilization. I’d read some excerpts of Fan’s work before, but was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the consistent quality of the writing. 4.25 stars.
Great meeting Mary Fan at GenCon at the beginning of August!
Fan’s descriptions of music and dance felt immersive even as they contributed to the world building going on in this novel. Because of this, it was easy to become engaged in Iris’s struggles and her attempts to make sense of her worlds. However, Starswept becomes really interesting when Iris fully realizes the dystopia she is living in. Wasn’t sure how I felt about the nearly insta-love with the story’s romantic interest, but it did serve a purpose (allowing us a deeper understanding of the Adryil culture). That aside, Starswept is an enjoyable and engaging story which explores some unique power inequities of contact with an alien civilization. I’d read some excerpts of Fan’s work before, but was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the consistent quality of the writing. 4.25 stars.
Great meeting Mary Fan at GenCon at the beginning of August!
March 5, 2017
When I started the manuscript which would become STARSWEPT, I wondered why it was written in first person present, a fairly unusual perspective. When I found out why, about halfway through the book, I realized it was an elegant solution to a thorny problem. And that's the best way to describe Fan's writing style throughout this novel: elegant.
But for those readers less interested in the craft of writing, let's talk about the story. Without giving too much away, STARSWEPT is about art. It's about whether an artist creates for himself or the world, whether his drive comes from within or without, whether the audience can command the artist or whether he answers to no one.
STARSWEPT is a unique vision, presented in a unique way, which captures all the contradictions of the creative process in one rollercoaster ride of a story. And in case the rest of this review has been too artsy fartsy for you, let me assure you: STARSWEPT is a hell of a novel.
Fan's latest outing is a sci-fi epic with emotions rooted deeply in terra firma. It's targeted at teens, but if you don't enjoy it even as an adult, you're probably a little bit dead inside. Five stars.
But for those readers less interested in the craft of writing, let's talk about the story. Without giving too much away, STARSWEPT is about art. It's about whether an artist creates for himself or the world, whether his drive comes from within or without, whether the audience can command the artist or whether he answers to no one.
STARSWEPT is a unique vision, presented in a unique way, which captures all the contradictions of the creative process in one rollercoaster ride of a story. And in case the rest of this review has been too artsy fartsy for you, let me assure you: STARSWEPT is a hell of a novel.
Fan's latest outing is a sci-fi epic with emotions rooted deeply in terra firma. It's targeted at teens, but if you don't enjoy it even as an adult, you're probably a little bit dead inside. Five stars.
October 2, 2017
**Thank you to Snowy Wings Publishing and Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
5 beautiful stars!!!
I have no coherent words to describe this book. However, I will say that it surpassed all of my expectations. From the blurb, I really didn't know what to expect besides that it was going to be a sci-fi story with music. But, what I read just left me speechless. I found myself reading chapters into the wee hours of the morning just to know what's going to happen next. That, in itself, says a lot about this novel.
Firstly, I just loved the worldbuilding. Mary Fan has such an exquisite writing style. I honestly felt swept away into this alien world resplendent with lush imagery and gorgeous details. The world was so immersive what with the details on how the species look, the language, the history and everything in between. The juxtaposition of this beauty with the desolation of Earth although jarring gave the book much-needed dimension and richness.
Secondly, the way the Arts was described was just breathtaking. I could feel the author's passion for music and dance just leap off the pages. As a creative person myself this was just a joy to read. I loved how the book delves into creativity in such a unique way and explores the creative process. The struggles of finding your identity, honing your skills and finding that part of you that needs to be enmeshed into what you love. I could so relate to every aspect of it that I found it very refreshing.
Thirdly, the characters were really well done. All of them were fleshed out and were not one-dimensional cut-outs. The MC Iris was engaging and thoughtful. Even though she is an Artist, she's independent, level-headed and very passionate about music. Plus, she's a hopeless romantic. I really liked reading the story from her POV as we get a deep look at her emotions, relationships, and struggles. I found her to be an easily likeable character. Although she's a shy girl, she has such depth of character. She loves fiercely and this can be seen in all her interactions with the other characters.
Fourthly, the romance was all feels. It's one of those epic ones which I love. Daimul as a MC was like the perfect book-boyfriend. No, he wasn't broody but he was strong, loving and protective. I just loved Iris and his blooming romance. It was just beautiful and their interactions with one another were swoon-worthy. There does seem a bit of a love triangle going on in some aspects of the book but that's nipped in the book pretty early on. I definitely appreciated that as I dislike when YA books go down that route.
Last but not least, the pacing and structure of the book made reading a breeze. The author throws in a lot of plot twists and devices to keep it engaging. The novel is a mix between dystopia and sci-fi as you can see that Earth seems to favour the Elite more and the only talent appreciated is the Arts. by integrating an alien race into the otherwise formulaic plot, the author takes the novel to a newer level. The story also contains a lot of political upheaval, anarchy, betrayal and so on. The later chapters have plenty of action while character development takes on leaps and bounds. For the start of a series, this book is the perfect opener and springboard. Overall, as you can see the book was highly enjoyable and is going to my list of favourites. If you love YA, music, aliens and romance, I would definitely recommend reading this one. You won't be disappointed at all :)
5 beautiful stars!!!
I have no coherent words to describe this book. However, I will say that it surpassed all of my expectations. From the blurb, I really didn't know what to expect besides that it was going to be a sci-fi story with music. But, what I read just left me speechless. I found myself reading chapters into the wee hours of the morning just to know what's going to happen next. That, in itself, says a lot about this novel.
Firstly, I just loved the worldbuilding. Mary Fan has such an exquisite writing style. I honestly felt swept away into this alien world resplendent with lush imagery and gorgeous details. The world was so immersive what with the details on how the species look, the language, the history and everything in between. The juxtaposition of this beauty with the desolation of Earth although jarring gave the book much-needed dimension and richness.
Secondly, the way the Arts was described was just breathtaking. I could feel the author's passion for music and dance just leap off the pages. As a creative person myself this was just a joy to read. I loved how the book delves into creativity in such a unique way and explores the creative process. The struggles of finding your identity, honing your skills and finding that part of you that needs to be enmeshed into what you love. I could so relate to every aspect of it that I found it very refreshing.
Thirdly, the characters were really well done. All of them were fleshed out and were not one-dimensional cut-outs. The MC Iris was engaging and thoughtful. Even though she is an Artist, she's independent, level-headed and very passionate about music. Plus, she's a hopeless romantic. I really liked reading the story from her POV as we get a deep look at her emotions, relationships, and struggles. I found her to be an easily likeable character. Although she's a shy girl, she has such depth of character. She loves fiercely and this can be seen in all her interactions with the other characters.
Fourthly, the romance was all feels. It's one of those epic ones which I love. Daimul as a MC was like the perfect book-boyfriend. No, he wasn't broody but he was strong, loving and protective. I just loved Iris and his blooming romance. It was just beautiful and their interactions with one another were swoon-worthy. There does seem a bit of a love triangle going on in some aspects of the book but that's nipped in the book pretty early on. I definitely appreciated that as I dislike when YA books go down that route.
Last but not least, the pacing and structure of the book made reading a breeze. The author throws in a lot of plot twists and devices to keep it engaging. The novel is a mix between dystopia and sci-fi as you can see that Earth seems to favour the Elite more and the only talent appreciated is the Arts. by integrating an alien race into the otherwise formulaic plot, the author takes the novel to a newer level. The story also contains a lot of political upheaval, anarchy, betrayal and so on. The later chapters have plenty of action while character development takes on leaps and bounds. For the start of a series, this book is the perfect opener and springboard. Overall, as you can see the book was highly enjoyable and is going to my list of favourites. If you love YA, music, aliens and romance, I would definitely recommend reading this one. You won't be disappointed at all :)
August 1, 2020
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this delightful new book by Mary Fan. What a lovely musical journey to take alongside with Iris! This is the perfect book for those musicians out there who are looking for a book that combines romance, sci-fi, and writing that really integrates the arts.
Iris is a student at a prestigious music academy, focused solely on pursuing her viola studies (and THANK YOU, Mary Fan, for picking a less-loved instrument like the viola) when she suddenly finds herself involved in a bit of intergalactic intrigue and romance. I really enjoyed the way the plot unfolded and revealed more about the other planet and government actions occurring and the way that was interwoven with artistic competitions at the music academy.
Another thing that was really great to see was the diversity in this book. A wide variety of characters of different backgrounds and races, and a good mix of male and female characters. Recommended for music and sci-fi lovers.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.
Please excuse typos. Entered on screen reader.
Iris is a student at a prestigious music academy, focused solely on pursuing her viola studies (and THANK YOU, Mary Fan, for picking a less-loved instrument like the viola) when she suddenly finds herself involved in a bit of intergalactic intrigue and romance. I really enjoyed the way the plot unfolded and revealed more about the other planet and government actions occurring and the way that was interwoven with artistic competitions at the music academy.
Another thing that was really great to see was the diversity in this book. A wide variety of characters of different backgrounds and races, and a good mix of male and female characters. Recommended for music and sci-fi lovers.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.
Please excuse typos. Entered on screen reader.
August 2, 2017
I am very conflicted about this book. I’m not able to say if I liked it or not. Well, I definitely enjoyed it, but it has many flaws.
Let’s start with what I didn’t like about this book :
First, it was very, very, very long. The story began to be interesting when I was 50% into the book. I feel like so much could have been cut off the story. The first part of the book is supposed to set the world, the context, the characters etc, for the story to truly begin, with moments of actions etc. But with this book, I had the impression to read two different stories. In the first part, we are introduced to many characters (some are really useless to the story), and learn how the school Papilio works, how the competition is rough, and how the students are ranked. This part was quite boring and very long. It could have been way more interesting if it was shorter. Then , at the second part of the book, it begins to be interesting. Iris, the main character, meets some new (way more interesting and developed) characters. All the previous characters that we met in the first part of the book are completely forgotten (except one). Do you see why the first part was way too long for how it is useful for the story ? So that really bothered me and it impacted heavily on my rating. I could have rated it 4 stars if it wasn’t because of that.
Secondly, I had a hard time connecting with the main character. It wasn’t that it was bad written or a one dimensional character, there are just some that you cannot connect with. I just know that if I knew Iris, I wouldn’t be friend with her. She’s naive, and even though that doesn’t make her a bad character, it’s just boring to read her thoughts. But that’s my personal opinion and it could totally work for other people. Also, what I didn’t like was the romance. It seems quite like insta-love to me, and there was no real chemistry between the two. So reading about Iris and the Adryl boy she met was quite boring too.
Another point that didn’t really took part in the story but I really didn’t appreciate, was a comment made by Iris about the ballet dancers’ bodies. The comment was : « They’re beautiful on stage, but up close, their birdlike limbs, dainty heads, and lack of body fat make them seem not quite human. I’ve seen an actual alien, and he seemed less strange. »
Comparing someone’s body to something not human ? Ugh, no thanks. But this is an ARC and hopefully this will be removed, also because it was a useless comment with no correlation with the story.
So let’s get into the things that I actually loved about this book (it will mostly be about the second part of the book) :
What I absolutely loved about the story was the rebellion. People trying to bring down corrupted governments ? Yeeeees. The story in this point was very original, everything started to make sense, and we start to recognize that we’ve been fools just like Iris. It really surprised me and I loved it. Iris became a way more interesting character, just became more aware of her surroundings and became more fearless. She truly cares about others and is selfless, which make her a really strong character despite what we can read about her in the first part of the book.
But Iris wasn’t my favorite character. It was Cara, a girl just like Iris but with a way more fierce personnality, and a lot of sass (everything I love). It’s such a shame that we don’t read a lot about her, she could have been so much more. I really loved all the other side characters of this story. They all have traumas and they’re trying to help others, even though they’re different from them.
But that leads me to a question : Is this book the first of a series ? Because the end is not quite the end of the story, if you know what I mean, and it leaves us wanting for more. Goddreads doesn’t seem to think that it’s indeed a series and I’m very confused. I really hope that there will be more to this story because it has so much potential, for the story and the characters. So I keep my fingers crossed !
Let’s start with what I didn’t like about this book :
First, it was very, very, very long. The story began to be interesting when I was 50% into the book. I feel like so much could have been cut off the story. The first part of the book is supposed to set the world, the context, the characters etc, for the story to truly begin, with moments of actions etc. But with this book, I had the impression to read two different stories. In the first part, we are introduced to many characters (some are really useless to the story), and learn how the school Papilio works, how the competition is rough, and how the students are ranked. This part was quite boring and very long. It could have been way more interesting if it was shorter. Then , at the second part of the book, it begins to be interesting. Iris, the main character, meets some new (way more interesting and developed) characters. All the previous characters that we met in the first part of the book are completely forgotten (except one). Do you see why the first part was way too long for how it is useful for the story ? So that really bothered me and it impacted heavily on my rating. I could have rated it 4 stars if it wasn’t because of that.
Secondly, I had a hard time connecting with the main character. It wasn’t that it was bad written or a one dimensional character, there are just some that you cannot connect with. I just know that if I knew Iris, I wouldn’t be friend with her. She’s naive, and even though that doesn’t make her a bad character, it’s just boring to read her thoughts. But that’s my personal opinion and it could totally work for other people. Also, what I didn’t like was the romance. It seems quite like insta-love to me, and there was no real chemistry between the two. So reading about Iris and the Adryl boy she met was quite boring too.
Another point that didn’t really took part in the story but I really didn’t appreciate, was a comment made by Iris about the ballet dancers’ bodies. The comment was : « They’re beautiful on stage, but up close, their birdlike limbs, dainty heads, and lack of body fat make them seem not quite human. I’ve seen an actual alien, and he seemed less strange. »
Comparing someone’s body to something not human ? Ugh, no thanks. But this is an ARC and hopefully this will be removed, also because it was a useless comment with no correlation with the story.
So let’s get into the things that I actually loved about this book (it will mostly be about the second part of the book) :
What I absolutely loved about the story was the rebellion. People trying to bring down corrupted governments ? Yeeeees. The story in this point was very original, everything started to make sense, and we start to recognize that we’ve been fools just like Iris. It really surprised me and I loved it. Iris became a way more interesting character, just became more aware of her surroundings and became more fearless. She truly cares about others and is selfless, which make her a really strong character despite what we can read about her in the first part of the book.
But Iris wasn’t my favorite character. It was Cara, a girl just like Iris but with a way more fierce personnality, and a lot of sass (everything I love). It’s such a shame that we don’t read a lot about her, she could have been so much more. I really loved all the other side characters of this story. They all have traumas and they’re trying to help others, even though they’re different from them.
But that leads me to a question : Is this book the first of a series ? Because the end is not quite the end of the story, if you know what I mean, and it leaves us wanting for more. Goddreads doesn’t seem to think that it’s indeed a series and I’m very confused. I really hope that there will be more to this story because it has so much potential, for the story and the characters. So I keep my fingers crossed !
May 15, 2017
Starswept is an intergalactic fairy tale that everyone needs in their lives. Even though there are no wizards in this book, that doesn't make it any less magical. Mary Fan weaves a incredible tale in this books rife with art, space travel, and intrigue.
Iris Lei is a student at performance art school who considers herself to be an average student among artistic prodigies. All the students, including Iris, aspire to be one of the few to be one of the few chosen to go the Adryile's mysterious planet to be a full-time artist. The Adryile are an alien race who act as patrons to the most gifted artists on Earth. The students will stop at nothing to gain ratings which will garner the attention of their alien benefactors. For if they don't gain a patron before they age out of art school, the consequences will be dire. Iris' life is turned upside down when she makes a chance meeting with an Adryile boy. He leaves her a contraband piece of tech, which brings revelations that leave her reeling.
I'll leave the plot synopsis there, because I don't want to give away too much. I really enjoyed this book. It was wonderful, magical, and beautiful. I loved that she made artists at the forefront of this book. It's a very refreshing change from gritty, butt kicking, sword wielding heroines. Don't get me wrong, I like those too, but it really was an imaginative refreshing change. My thirteen year old daughter also read this book and enjoyed it greatly.
I recommend this book for all ages. You won't be disappointed.
Full Disclosure: I've edited two books with Mary Fan, but that doesn't make this review any less genuine.
Iris Lei is a student at performance art school who considers herself to be an average student among artistic prodigies. All the students, including Iris, aspire to be one of the few to be one of the few chosen to go the Adryile's mysterious planet to be a full-time artist. The Adryile are an alien race who act as patrons to the most gifted artists on Earth. The students will stop at nothing to gain ratings which will garner the attention of their alien benefactors. For if they don't gain a patron before they age out of art school, the consequences will be dire. Iris' life is turned upside down when she makes a chance meeting with an Adryile boy. He leaves her a contraband piece of tech, which brings revelations that leave her reeling.
I'll leave the plot synopsis there, because I don't want to give away too much. I really enjoyed this book. It was wonderful, magical, and beautiful. I loved that she made artists at the forefront of this book. It's a very refreshing change from gritty, butt kicking, sword wielding heroines. Don't get me wrong, I like those too, but it really was an imaginative refreshing change. My thirteen year old daughter also read this book and enjoyed it greatly.
I recommend this book for all ages. You won't be disappointed.
Full Disclosure: I've edited two books with Mary Fan, but that doesn't make this review any less genuine.
August 1, 2017
Original review
First of all, I want to thank Mary Fan for sending me a signed ARC copy of her beautiful book! Thank you so much!
Second of all, I want to mention how beautiful this book is! The cover is so beautiful and on the inside there are some beautiful pictures and decorations!
And third of all, here's my review:
Starswept tells the story of Iris and Dámiul. Iris is a 15-year-old violist at Papilio, a school to become a great artist and to attract an Adryil patron. All the kids at Papilio try to attract an Adryil patron so they can earn money and pay off their debts at Papilio and live their life playing music.
One night Iris meets an Adryil named Dámiul, and that moment changed everything for Iris...
Imagine all the stars in the galaxy in one pair of eyes, all the sureness of home in one pair of arms, all the heroics of a thousand epic tales in one noble heart.
This is my love.
Starswept is such a beautiful book. I love reading about aliens and this is yet another great book about aliens. Most of the time I hope that to like an ARC, but I don't like Starswept, I LOVE Starswept. It's such a good book and I couldn't stop reading! I highly recommend Starswept!
First of all, I want to thank Mary Fan for sending me a signed ARC copy of her beautiful book! Thank you so much!
Second of all, I want to mention how beautiful this book is! The cover is so beautiful and on the inside there are some beautiful pictures and decorations!
And third of all, here's my review:
Starswept tells the story of Iris and Dámiul. Iris is a 15-year-old violist at Papilio, a school to become a great artist and to attract an Adryil patron. All the kids at Papilio try to attract an Adryil patron so they can earn money and pay off their debts at Papilio and live their life playing music.
One night Iris meets an Adryil named Dámiul, and that moment changed everything for Iris...
Imagine all the stars in the galaxy in one pair of eyes, all the sureness of home in one pair of arms, all the heroics of a thousand epic tales in one noble heart.
This is my love.
Starswept is such a beautiful book. I love reading about aliens and this is yet another great book about aliens. Most of the time I hope that to like an ARC, but I don't like Starswept, I LOVE Starswept. It's such a good book and I couldn't stop reading! I highly recommend Starswept!
August 4, 2017
The concept of an interstellar connection is a fascinating one. What would happen if Earth made contact with some alien race? To be honest, I don't think it would go all that well and, behind the facade of Papilio, it looks like I would be right in this futuristic world.
I wanted to like this story and for a little while I did, but the inconsistent pacing made it difficult to truly connect with any of the characters. The first quarter of the book was alright, if a bit bland. Between it and the second quarter of the book, there were things happening that I could tell were meant to be suspenseful, but actually reading it never gave me that feeling.
The second half of the book, when things finally did start happening, felt convoluted and dull. I thought that being introduced to the alien world that everyone on Iris's Earth aspires to go to, Andrye, would be interesting, but it wasn't really delved into. There was enough description to place the reader alongside Iris, but aside from a view descriptions of ornate clothes and buildings, I didn't find anything special about this world. To me it lacked development.
There were some story points that weren't resolved that frustrated me. I could've seen if the resolution was put off until the end, but once I finished the book and found myself without answers, I was annoyed. For instance, when the story beings Estelle is a violist who is much higher ranked than Iris, yet seems to view her as a threat. This wasn't really explained, except for some other characters saying Iris was able to turn her personal feelings into musical arrangements. Her low ranking and this potential never meshed for me, nor did Estelle's suspicion of her.
Then there is the incident that catapults Iris into the sight of the Andrye citizens that become her patrons. The only reason she was able to perform a solo on that crucial night was because the person intended for it, Estelle, was poisoned and couldn't perform. However, the identity of the person that did this is never confirmed. Iris suspects that Estelle choked, but given what was revealed about her previously, I find that hard to believe. This whole occurrence felt like a deus ex-machina.
Once Iris is on the ship to Andrye, I noticed some inconsistencies with the telepathy that they're able to use. They should have been able to read a person's mind without question and yet before Iris puts up the mental block, the Andrye pilot can't figure out how she knows about the mechanics of their telepathy. It didn't make sense to me and made me question what were the real "rules" of this ability.
The love story components were dissatisfying. Iris reveals herself to be in love with Damiuel. This borderlines insta-love because they only communicated a dozen or so times before meeting in person and I never understood where her strong emotion or connection came it. It rang false; her friendship with Milo, someone she's know her whole life, would've made more sense despite her telling Damiuel she regarded him as a brother. Her actions said otherwise, hence my apprehension about her declaration to Damiuel.
The book ends on a cliffhanger of sorts. I don't think this book was billed as the first in a series of any length, so if it is indeed a standalone, I dislike the ending because there's a lot left open. The underground movement, for example, is still around. What happens to them? To their plans?
This book might satisfy those that enjoy a slower paced novel with a rather quickly developed love story. I personally didn't care for the mish-mosh of pacing, cardboard characters, and unanswered questions without indication of resolution.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this story and for a little while I did, but the inconsistent pacing made it difficult to truly connect with any of the characters. The first quarter of the book was alright, if a bit bland. Between it and the second quarter of the book, there were things happening that I could tell were meant to be suspenseful, but actually reading it never gave me that feeling.
The second half of the book, when things finally did start happening, felt convoluted and dull. I thought that being introduced to the alien world that everyone on Iris's Earth aspires to go to, Andrye, would be interesting, but it wasn't really delved into. There was enough description to place the reader alongside Iris, but aside from a view descriptions of ornate clothes and buildings, I didn't find anything special about this world. To me it lacked development.
There were some story points that weren't resolved that frustrated me. I could've seen if the resolution was put off until the end, but once I finished the book and found myself without answers, I was annoyed. For instance, when the story beings Estelle is a violist who is much higher ranked than Iris, yet seems to view her as a threat. This wasn't really explained, except for some other characters saying Iris was able to turn her personal feelings into musical arrangements. Her low ranking and this potential never meshed for me, nor did Estelle's suspicion of her.
Then there is the incident that catapults Iris into the sight of the Andrye citizens that become her patrons. The only reason she was able to perform a solo on that crucial night was because the person intended for it, Estelle, was poisoned and couldn't perform. However, the identity of the person that did this is never confirmed. Iris suspects that Estelle choked, but given what was revealed about her previously, I find that hard to believe. This whole occurrence felt like a deus ex-machina.
Once Iris is on the ship to Andrye, I noticed some inconsistencies with the telepathy that they're able to use. They should have been able to read a person's mind without question and yet before Iris puts up the mental block, the Andrye pilot can't figure out how she knows about the mechanics of their telepathy. It didn't make sense to me and made me question what were the real "rules" of this ability.
The love story components were dissatisfying. Iris reveals herself to be in love with Damiuel. This borderlines insta-love because they only communicated a dozen or so times before meeting in person and I never understood where her strong emotion or connection came it. It rang false; her friendship with Milo, someone she's know her whole life, would've made more sense despite her telling Damiuel she regarded him as a brother. Her actions said otherwise, hence my apprehension about her declaration to Damiuel.
The book ends on a cliffhanger of sorts. I don't think this book was billed as the first in a series of any length, so if it is indeed a standalone, I dislike the ending because there's a lot left open. The underground movement, for example, is still around. What happens to them? To their plans?
This book might satisfy those that enjoy a slower paced novel with a rather quickly developed love story. I personally didn't care for the mish-mosh of pacing, cardboard characters, and unanswered questions without indication of resolution.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2017
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/feat...
Going in to this book I had no idea what to expect. I have read a few books set in the way future, some on earth, some set in space others somewhere in between. But this book is somewhat unique.
I really enjoyed the world setting, is was fantastic and really great explained. But so were the characters, I really loved Iris and her dark, yet beautiful journey in this book.
Iris, is coming from a poor household and struggles to keep afloat with her school for the arts. As if that is not enough she soon has to face so much more. She must make very hard decisions that could cost her everything. An Adryil boy, doesn’t help for the matter. And as they grow closer things are just getting more and more complicated and more dangerous for Iris.
Some things seemed odd but in the end everything just come together really great and make sense.
I really loved this book, it was dark, sweet and had some great twists. It also was really great written a much welcomed new book in the YA sci-fi book world.
This was my first book by Mary Fan but will definitely not be the last.
If you like YA dystopian, Sci-Fi books, I highly recommend this book.
I rate it 5 ★
May 15, 2017
This book earned a lot of kudos from me (besides being solidly written) for the ingenuity of the concept. I'm totally guilty of finding one book I like and then wanting to read a bunch more like it, but in the case of Starswept, there's not much I can compare it to and that's very refreshing (at best I might say it's Center Stage with a long distance, outer space love affair). Mary obviously has extensive knowledge in the intricacies of the musical aspects of this book, and as a long time writer of science-fiction, she has an adept hand at this genre.
This is solidly a YA book, and not one to cross the border into New Adult territory. The action and intrigue will thrill older readers while still being appropriate for later middle-grade to early high-school readers, too.
Starswept is dark and dangerous tale of secrets and intrigue brightened by one young woman’s passion for music. Romance, music, and intergalactic conspiracies make this a fascinating coming-of-age story quite unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Full disclosure, Mary and I have known each other for a while. We are both authors at Red Adept Publishing, but this is not a Red Adept Publishing book, and my opinions are honest and truthful. I received an early copy from the author for review.
This is solidly a YA book, and not one to cross the border into New Adult territory. The action and intrigue will thrill older readers while still being appropriate for later middle-grade to early high-school readers, too.
Starswept is dark and dangerous tale of secrets and intrigue brightened by one young woman’s passion for music. Romance, music, and intergalactic conspiracies make this a fascinating coming-of-age story quite unlike anything I’ve ever read.
Full disclosure, Mary and I have known each other for a while. We are both authors at Red Adept Publishing, but this is not a Red Adept Publishing book, and my opinions are honest and truthful. I received an early copy from the author for review.
December 31, 2019
I got some Tiny Pretty Things vibes reading this, but of course the dystopian/sci-fi aspect took it down a very different path. The dystopian elements are grounded in real world systems of class inequality, so it wasn't hard for me to imagine such a world, even subtracting aliens out of the equation. The storyline of being an artist in a cutthroat environment where numbers make or break you resonated with me as an aspiring author, and Iris's passion, determination, and idealism in the face of hardship made her a sympathetic protagonist to me.
August 24, 2017
Check out my book blog for more book reviews and other bookish posts!
I received an ARC of Starswept from Netgalley. I decided to request this book because I was intrigued by the space setting and the cover is just amazing. If you’re interested in reading how the cover was created, check out this link.
It’s #ownvoices for East Asian American representation.
__
I loved the concept of the book. The world that Mary Fan has created is fascinating and it’s especially interesting to think of how the world could develop within the next centuries. However, I felt like the worldbuilding was not complete, as the text doesn’t quite mention what all of the six Arts are. I think they are Orchester, Circus, Ballet, Opera, Theater and maybe Troupe? but I’m not sure. I would really have liked to have known this and it bothered me while reading. I also wanted to know how the different Aydrils (aliens from a different planet) felt about the different Arts. Which one did they love? Which one didn’t interest them? Since the Aydrils are in contact with the entire Earth, it would also have been interesting to know how the Arts developed in the different countries. Just because an Art is taught in an American school, doesn’t mean it would be taught in a school elsewhere in the world. This was lacking in the worldbuilding, especially since we do meet humans from other parts of the globe. I was also surprised that all of the Arts at the American School were arts that are from Europe. I know that a lot of people of colour assimilate into whiteness because of the societal structure in Western countries, but I highly doubt that all Americans of colour will have assimilated into whiteness in the future, and this is the impression that the worldbuilding gave me.
Iris’ life revolves around the Arts, hers specifically is Orchester, she plays the viola. She hasn’t had any contact with her parents in years, and was raised in the Arts school. Throughout the first half of the book, she keeps mentioning her parents, and thus I was kind of surprised that the romance became more important than her parents in the second half. I do understand that certain circumstances led to her forgetting about them at the beginning of the second half of the book, but I thought there would be a larger focus on her parents once she realised what had happened. I really don’t like it when romantic love is considered better/more superior to platonic love or family love. It just makes me feel left out, and that’s kind of how I felt during most of the story. It’s totally possible to write a romance, without putting romantic love on a pedestal.
The minor characters were all interesting, however I feel like they weren’t fully-developed. For some of the more prominent minor characters, we only find out who they’re in love with and which Art they pursue. However, Cara and Atikéa, two of the minor characters that we meet in the second half of the book, were amazing. It was wonderful to get different perspectives of the entire political and Art system.
I have a feeling the book is setting up a love triangle or love square in the next sequel and I really hope it doesn’t. It has amazing potential, and I hope that the sequel doesn’t include a love triangle because it’s such a common plot device, and I would rather see the story developing the friendship and family plotlines.
The premise of the human trafficking plotline was original. It’s a very detailed concept, and the impact it has on the different people affected was unexpected. However, I feel that this storyline was pushed to the side by the romance storyline.
Some ableist words and phrases were used in this text. The main character also looks down on the ballet dancers’ bodies, which wasn’t called out.
__
Starswept was an interesting book and it has a lot of potential. However, the worldbuilding was missing a lot of details and the story was too focussed on romantic love for my taste. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the premise.
Trigger warnings: body shaming (not called out), ableism (not called out).
I received an ARC of Starswept from Netgalley. I decided to request this book because I was intrigued by the space setting and the cover is just amazing. If you’re interested in reading how the cover was created, check out this link.
It’s #ownvoices for East Asian American representation.
__
I loved the concept of the book. The world that Mary Fan has created is fascinating and it’s especially interesting to think of how the world could develop within the next centuries. However, I felt like the worldbuilding was not complete, as the text doesn’t quite mention what all of the six Arts are. I think they are Orchester, Circus, Ballet, Opera, Theater and maybe Troupe? but I’m not sure. I would really have liked to have known this and it bothered me while reading. I also wanted to know how the different Aydrils (aliens from a different planet) felt about the different Arts. Which one did they love? Which one didn’t interest them? Since the Aydrils are in contact with the entire Earth, it would also have been interesting to know how the Arts developed in the different countries. Just because an Art is taught in an American school, doesn’t mean it would be taught in a school elsewhere in the world. This was lacking in the worldbuilding, especially since we do meet humans from other parts of the globe. I was also surprised that all of the Arts at the American School were arts that are from Europe. I know that a lot of people of colour assimilate into whiteness because of the societal structure in Western countries, but I highly doubt that all Americans of colour will have assimilated into whiteness in the future, and this is the impression that the worldbuilding gave me.
Iris’ life revolves around the Arts, hers specifically is Orchester, she plays the viola. She hasn’t had any contact with her parents in years, and was raised in the Arts school. Throughout the first half of the book, she keeps mentioning her parents, and thus I was kind of surprised that the romance became more important than her parents in the second half. I do understand that certain circumstances led to her forgetting about them at the beginning of the second half of the book, but I thought there would be a larger focus on her parents once she realised what had happened. I really don’t like it when romantic love is considered better/more superior to platonic love or family love. It just makes me feel left out, and that’s kind of how I felt during most of the story. It’s totally possible to write a romance, without putting romantic love on a pedestal.
The minor characters were all interesting, however I feel like they weren’t fully-developed. For some of the more prominent minor characters, we only find out who they’re in love with and which Art they pursue. However, Cara and Atikéa, two of the minor characters that we meet in the second half of the book, were amazing. It was wonderful to get different perspectives of the entire political and Art system.
I have a feeling the book is setting up a love triangle or love square in the next sequel and I really hope it doesn’t. It has amazing potential, and I hope that the sequel doesn’t include a love triangle because it’s such a common plot device, and I would rather see the story developing the friendship and family plotlines.
The premise of the human trafficking plotline was original. It’s a very detailed concept, and the impact it has on the different people affected was unexpected. However, I feel that this storyline was pushed to the side by the romance storyline.
Some ableist words and phrases were used in this text. The main character also looks down on the ballet dancers’ bodies, which wasn’t called out.
__
Starswept was an interesting book and it has a lot of potential. However, the worldbuilding was missing a lot of details and the story was too focussed on romantic love for my taste. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the premise.
Trigger warnings: body shaming (not called out), ableism (not called out).
February 3, 2020
I met Ms. Fan at Farpoint 2019 at her booth after seeing some of the panels she was on. We started talking about her books and I was intrigued and put this book and Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon on my To Read list. I also started following Ms. Fan on Twitter, and from getting to know her via tweet, she has put a lot of herself into this book: She went to college for music and has original compositions on her site: https://www.maryfan.com/songs.html. There are silks performances in the book and Ms. Fan is currently attending classes to get better at performing silk (Cirque de Soliel type stuff) routines.
As for the book itself, let me start off with non-spoilery stuff. First off, as you can see, I gave it 4 stars. So if you like YA science fiction and are willing to stretch your definition of what can be in SF, you will probably enjoy this book. This book is very focused on the performing arts aspect of our protagonist, Iris Lei, with mostly backgrounded science fiction elements until the latter parts of the book. And it never becomes hard SF. Again, if you're OK with that, I think you're in for a real treat.
The book has a slow start, which can be tough for some, but I think it's important for many reasons: it really drives home how dedicated to the craft Iris Lei and her fellow students at Papilio are; it serves to really highlight Iris' relationships, which is a KEY plot point in the second 60% of the book; and it really makes us crave the inevitable scene change, allowing Ms. Fan to really make that an emotional hit.
The only thing that was a bit of a miss for me was Iris' love story plot points. I don't have any problems reading YA, but the further I get away from it, the less I can truly relate to the relationship woes of the main characters. Intellectually, I know it feels like it's the most important thing when you're that age. But knowing how much it's not just takes me out of it.
I think the novel comes together well. It was clearly written as a trilogy (almost nothing is resolved at the end of this book), so we'll have to see how it all works as a narrative, but I liked the story.
OK, Spoiler time now. The rest of this'll be spoiler-filled so I can better talk about the plot. You should have everything you need to know above about whether to read the book if you can't stand any spoilers.
The plot has a lot of similarities to A Planet for Rent by Yoss, but with a different set of metaphors. A Planet for Rent was, obviously, a metaphor for a post-Cold War Cuba with the Aliens serving as the First World and the way they treat the Cubans. Starswept felt to me like it contained two separate metaphors. Part 1 of the book clearly seemed like a metaphor for college debt when doing a degree in the arts. The Papilians LIVE for their performances. Some may have more or less intense feelings than Iris Lei, but they seem to all be doing it for a love of performance. Yet, just like in real life, most people who are awesome musicians are not going to be in the London Philharmonic (assuming there's good pay that comes with that prestige). Some will end up in orchestras where they need a spouse to support them. Many will end up teaching the next generation. And nearly all will end up with crushing debt they don't have the ability to pay back. But, as long as they're not starving, the joy of performance may outweigh the financial issues.
Starting in Part 2 of Starswept, the narrative changes to a slavery metaphor. I was a little torn about what the best real-world analogue was. On the one hand, we eventually discover an Abolitionist movement and the characters are treated as little more than objects by the Adryil. So that would seem to point to African slavery of the 1600-1800s. But then there's the aspect that the Earthling performers are being told they're getting a better life and their government is complicit in understanding that they're being sold into slavery. This points to a couple potential sources. The simplest, of course, is modern slavery. There are people right now who were told they should go to the USA, Japan, or the UAE to get better jobs. Once they get there their passports are confiscated and they become slaves and/or sex workers. There may also be a tie to how the Chinese workers who came to the Americas were lied to. They were shipped over to work here and then told they needed to pay their way back, but were paid such a low wage that they were stuck here. This leads to many Chinese populations in the Americas, including the Chinese population in Cuba. Either way, while we have lots of foreshadowing that things are not what they seem (especially once Damiul starts teaching Iris how to not be mind-controlled), I think Ms. Fan does a good job of portraying how bad things can go for those who are unknowingly sold into slavery.
As for the book itself, let me start off with non-spoilery stuff. First off, as you can see, I gave it 4 stars. So if you like YA science fiction and are willing to stretch your definition of what can be in SF, you will probably enjoy this book. This book is very focused on the performing arts aspect of our protagonist, Iris Lei, with mostly backgrounded science fiction elements until the latter parts of the book. And it never becomes hard SF. Again, if you're OK with that, I think you're in for a real treat.
The book has a slow start, which can be tough for some, but I think it's important for many reasons: it really drives home how dedicated to the craft Iris Lei and her fellow students at Papilio are; it serves to really highlight Iris' relationships, which is a KEY plot point in the second 60% of the book; and it really makes us crave the inevitable scene change, allowing Ms. Fan to really make that an emotional hit.
The only thing that was a bit of a miss for me was Iris' love story plot points. I don't have any problems reading YA, but the further I get away from it, the less I can truly relate to the relationship woes of the main characters. Intellectually, I know it feels like it's the most important thing when you're that age. But knowing how much it's not just takes me out of it.
I think the novel comes together well. It was clearly written as a trilogy (almost nothing is resolved at the end of this book), so we'll have to see how it all works as a narrative, but I liked the story.
OK, Spoiler time now. The rest of this'll be spoiler-filled so I can better talk about the plot. You should have everything you need to know above about whether to read the book if you can't stand any spoilers.
The plot has a lot of similarities to A Planet for Rent by Yoss, but with a different set of metaphors. A Planet for Rent was, obviously, a metaphor for a post-Cold War Cuba with the Aliens serving as the First World and the way they treat the Cubans. Starswept felt to me like it contained two separate metaphors. Part 1 of the book clearly seemed like a metaphor for college debt when doing a degree in the arts. The Papilians LIVE for their performances. Some may have more or less intense feelings than Iris Lei, but they seem to all be doing it for a love of performance. Yet, just like in real life, most people who are awesome musicians are not going to be in the London Philharmonic (assuming there's good pay that comes with that prestige). Some will end up in orchestras where they need a spouse to support them. Many will end up teaching the next generation. And nearly all will end up with crushing debt they don't have the ability to pay back. But, as long as they're not starving, the joy of performance may outweigh the financial issues.
Starting in Part 2 of Starswept, the narrative changes to a slavery metaphor. I was a little torn about what the best real-world analogue was. On the one hand, we eventually discover an Abolitionist movement and the characters are treated as little more than objects by the Adryil. So that would seem to point to African slavery of the 1600-1800s. But then there's the aspect that the Earthling performers are being told they're getting a better life and their government is complicit in understanding that they're being sold into slavery. This points to a couple potential sources. The simplest, of course, is modern slavery. There are people right now who were told they should go to the USA, Japan, or the UAE to get better jobs. Once they get there their passports are confiscated and they become slaves and/or sex workers. There may also be a tie to how the Chinese workers who came to the Americas were lied to. They were shipped over to work here and then told they needed to pay their way back, but were paid such a low wage that they were stuck here. This leads to many Chinese populations in the Americas, including the Chinese population in Cuba. Either way, while we have lots of foreshadowing that things are not what they seem (especially once Damiul starts teaching Iris how to not be mind-controlled), I think Ms. Fan does a good job of portraying how bad things can go for those who are unknowingly sold into slavery.
June 6, 2017
Ah! I loved it! It was my first sci-fi romance(I usually more of a fantasy fan and all it's sub-genres) and it brings me back to the days I really started taking reading more seriously(around 2013). Back then, it was like the best books with women of color were coming my way, so when I realized how rare it was to feature such, I had to enter the real world =(
There was something otherworldly about the book, even through it's storytelling. I wish I had something to compare it to, because there's honestly nothing like it that I've read before. Maybe I need to go outside my reading circle, because there may or not be a book similar, I just haven't encountered it.
It was awesome to see a speculative fiction book give a lot of shine to the arts. I can't help that as a PoC, I don't really feel we're always encouraged to flourish in artistic fields. Unfortunately it's not always the practical field your parents want you to go into, so unless you come from a "dreamer" family, it's not common to nourish artistic kids and teens.
I love young adult, but it also crosses into new adult territory sometimes(it's my absolute favorite category btw). The MC's name is Iris(which is so pretty btw!) and the way they weave being a musician into the worldbuilding of the story was awesome. It's a very science fiction world(READ THE GLOSSARY FIRST, YOU'LL THANK ME) so I liked that it was softened a little by the romantic plot. The plot really starts when Iris encounters an Adryil boy(which is an alien race opposite of regular humans).
I'm trying to make the review as spoiler free as possible, so it's hard bringing up everything without telling all the goods! But there's plenty of drama and conflict to move a 400 page book along.
I loved that Iris was your everyday type heroine. Not that there's anything wrong with a quote-unquote "perfect" heroine, but I could relate to not growing up with money, but always being creative =) It's bizarre how good artistic people were in this book, but they never thought they were good enough, and always wanted to be better. Its good to know living in the future really doesn't change that feeling of inadequacy in artists(mainly musicians and dancers in this books case) and everyone's still relatable despite that aspect.
I also love how Iris is front and center on the cover in a beautiful cascade of space colors(the cover reveal's tomorrow, so y'all gonna have to find out what it looks like then) and stars. It really fits the feel of the book, and that's an insta-buy for me when an girl of color is on a book =)
Overall, if you like YA, romance and science fiction and want to see all three blended REALLY well, take a chance on this book. I should mention I read it in an 8 hr span, and I rarely do that unless it's an audiobook. So that says a lot about the way I enjoyed it(and I'd enjoy it even more if it eventually goes into audiobook, wink-wink ;p)
~Guin
There was something otherworldly about the book, even through it's storytelling. I wish I had something to compare it to, because there's honestly nothing like it that I've read before. Maybe I need to go outside my reading circle, because there may or not be a book similar, I just haven't encountered it.
It was awesome to see a speculative fiction book give a lot of shine to the arts. I can't help that as a PoC, I don't really feel we're always encouraged to flourish in artistic fields. Unfortunately it's not always the practical field your parents want you to go into, so unless you come from a "dreamer" family, it's not common to nourish artistic kids and teens.
I love young adult, but it also crosses into new adult territory sometimes(it's my absolute favorite category btw). The MC's name is Iris(which is so pretty btw!) and the way they weave being a musician into the worldbuilding of the story was awesome. It's a very science fiction world(READ THE GLOSSARY FIRST, YOU'LL THANK ME) so I liked that it was softened a little by the romantic plot. The plot really starts when Iris encounters an Adryil boy(which is an alien race opposite of regular humans).
I'm trying to make the review as spoiler free as possible, so it's hard bringing up everything without telling all the goods! But there's plenty of drama and conflict to move a 400 page book along.
I loved that Iris was your everyday type heroine. Not that there's anything wrong with a quote-unquote "perfect" heroine, but I could relate to not growing up with money, but always being creative =) It's bizarre how good artistic people were in this book, but they never thought they were good enough, and always wanted to be better. Its good to know living in the future really doesn't change that feeling of inadequacy in artists(mainly musicians and dancers in this books case) and everyone's still relatable despite that aspect.
I also love how Iris is front and center on the cover in a beautiful cascade of space colors(the cover reveal's tomorrow, so y'all gonna have to find out what it looks like then) and stars. It really fits the feel of the book, and that's an insta-buy for me when an girl of color is on a book =)
Overall, if you like YA, romance and science fiction and want to see all three blended REALLY well, take a chance on this book. I should mention I read it in an 8 hr span, and I rarely do that unless it's an audiobook. So that says a lot about the way I enjoyed it(and I'd enjoy it even more if it eventually goes into audiobook, wink-wink ;p)
~Guin
April 4, 2018
In Mary Fan’s Starswept we follow the story of 15-year-old Iris Lei, a young viola player in a prestigious arts school, who is trying to make it in order to finally meet her mom. However, this is no ordinary art school. In Papilio, artist compete to become the best in their art in order to get sponsored by an Adryil, an alien race from Adryil. Late one night, while wandering the hallways of Papilio, she meets an Adryil boy named Dámiul and soon learns that not everything is what it seems.
It only took two pages for me to be completely immersed in the world of Starswept, mostly because I was excited that Iris was a viola player. As a former viola player, it caught me off guard that an instrument that is usually cast aside or ignored, is in the key entrustment of the protagonists. It brought me warmth and glee. Even though that tiny detail was what made me want to read more, Fan’s world building and fast paced story telling resulted in me reading all 400 pages in one day. I could not put it down.
As a description heavy lover, I was throughly pleased. Fan immediately immersed me in her world with all the small details of the new alien species, language, history and what it means to be an artist (especially a musician).
She is a solid writer.
“Imagine all the stars in the galaxy in one pair of eyes, all the sureness of home in one pair of arms, all the heroics of a thousand epic tales in one noble heart.
This is my love.”
However, Starswept does follow the traditional tropes of YA: girl meets mysterious guy - her life changes - another boy also secretly loves her - and she gets with mysterious guy who hides secrets. Despite this, Fan was able to keep me so immersed, invested, and intrigued with what was going to happen next that I was not bothered with these tropes (it was once I started this review, that I realized how tropey it was).
While the relationship between Iris and Dámiul is considered the main focus of the story, it sometimes takes a back seat as the story dives into a darker and more serious tone as Iris learns more about what the Adryil are really doing with the artists of Earth. Their relationship was kinda insta-love which usually bothers me to the end of the earth but Fan wrote their developing relationship so beautifully, that I forgave it…for now. More than the love, its a story about how we perceive ourselves and our worth, while fighting for our beliefs.
I do not want to go too much into this book and any spoilers because I really think people should read it and experience it. It is diverse, has decent character development, beautiful prose, and a handsome male protagonist who is not cocky or broody (he is a sweetheart who wants to make the world a better place).
Space, aliens, music, interesting twists, love and fantastic story telling - what else can you ask for?
It only took two pages for me to be completely immersed in the world of Starswept, mostly because I was excited that Iris was a viola player. As a former viola player, it caught me off guard that an instrument that is usually cast aside or ignored, is in the key entrustment of the protagonists. It brought me warmth and glee. Even though that tiny detail was what made me want to read more, Fan’s world building and fast paced story telling resulted in me reading all 400 pages in one day. I could not put it down.
As a description heavy lover, I was throughly pleased. Fan immediately immersed me in her world with all the small details of the new alien species, language, history and what it means to be an artist (especially a musician).
She is a solid writer.
“Imagine all the stars in the galaxy in one pair of eyes, all the sureness of home in one pair of arms, all the heroics of a thousand epic tales in one noble heart.
This is my love.”
However, Starswept does follow the traditional tropes of YA: girl meets mysterious guy - her life changes - another boy also secretly loves her - and she gets with mysterious guy who hides secrets. Despite this, Fan was able to keep me so immersed, invested, and intrigued with what was going to happen next that I was not bothered with these tropes (it was once I started this review, that I realized how tropey it was).
While the relationship between Iris and Dámiul is considered the main focus of the story, it sometimes takes a back seat as the story dives into a darker and more serious tone as Iris learns more about what the Adryil are really doing with the artists of Earth. Their relationship was kinda insta-love which usually bothers me to the end of the earth but Fan wrote their developing relationship so beautifully, that I forgave it…for now. More than the love, its a story about how we perceive ourselves and our worth, while fighting for our beliefs.
I do not want to go too much into this book and any spoilers because I really think people should read it and experience it. It is diverse, has decent character development, beautiful prose, and a handsome male protagonist who is not cocky or broody (he is a sweetheart who wants to make the world a better place).
Space, aliens, music, interesting twists, love and fantastic story telling - what else can you ask for?
September 3, 2018
Review also posted on Samodivas
I received a free copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars
Iris Fei attends the prestigious performing arts academy Papilio, where she’s perfecting her viola playing in order to attract a rich patron to take her into their employ. One day, Iris crosses paths with an infiltrator in the school – an Adryil boy, member of the telepathic humanoid race that made contact with Earth a century prior. He slips her a foreign device with which, Iris later learns, he is able to communicate with her telepathically. But this boy holds many secrets and no matter how close he and Iris become, he will not share them. Iris is determined to learn the truth, but it might be more dangerous than she ever thought.
This book intrigued me with it’s sparkling cover, beautiful title and promising synopsis. I went in fully expecting to love it. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I did enjoy Starswept to a certain extent, but I also had some major problems with it.
My main issue is with the writing. It felt very stiff and did a lot more telling than actual showing. Because of that I often felt too detached from the situation and could not feel for the characters. Another thing is the pacing, which was both too slow and too fast at the same time. It was inconsistent at best. The first half drags on forever, offering little action and not much relevance to the overall plot. The second half picks up the pace and does engage you more, but after 150+ pages of nothing it’s hard to start feeling something.
Additionally, I personally felt like this could have been split into two books. As grating as the pace was, it also moved way too fast when it came to character relationships and conflict. Splitting the story would have allowed for more development and depth. There’s quite a lot happening in Starswept’s world that half a book just wasn’t enough time to convey the main plot points.
Speaking of main plot points, the romance was too insta-lovey for me to really get behind. I just found it hard to believe the depth of their emotions when they’ve only just met. Feelings developed way too fast for my taste – I prefer my pairings sprinkled with a lot of slow burn.
I did like the most of the characters, however. Iris is incredibly naïve, especially at first, but it was nice to read about somebody who didn’t always have the answers. Given her circumstances and her upbringing, Iris handles herself and her changing stressful environment as well as anyone would. Out of the supporting characters I liked Cara the most, I wish we’d gotten more of her.
Overall, Starswept is by no means a bad book, just not the one for me. I liked the premise and the world and the lore, as well as some of the characters, but that’s about it. I’d still recommend it to anyone who likes space romance and doesn’t mind slower paces stories.
December 27, 2017
Starswept was a really fascinating novel filled with adventure, music and romance.
I loved the plot of the novel and how part of the story was on Earth and the other part on Adryil. The story was well written and absolutely mesmerizing.
Iris is determined to find herself a patron to support herself and reunite her family but is certain her skills aren't good enough. She then meets Damiul, an Adryil that broke into her school.
The characters were really captivating and unique. I really liked Iris. She was determined, played by the rules and curious. Damiul was literally out of this world and most definitely a mystery that I wanted to more about. Milo was a really great and supportive best friend and Cara was really brave and stubborn.
I loved the details of all the various arts at the school and how Iris and her friends are trying to fight for freedom and their rights.
Starswept is a brilliant sci-fi novel with romance that will sweep you of your feet!
I loved the plot of the novel and how part of the story was on Earth and the other part on Adryil. The story was well written and absolutely mesmerizing.
Iris is determined to find herself a patron to support herself and reunite her family but is certain her skills aren't good enough. She then meets Damiul, an Adryil that broke into her school.
The characters were really captivating and unique. I really liked Iris. She was determined, played by the rules and curious. Damiul was literally out of this world and most definitely a mystery that I wanted to more about. Milo was a really great and supportive best friend and Cara was really brave and stubborn.
I loved the details of all the various arts at the school and how Iris and her friends are trying to fight for freedom and their rights.
Starswept is a brilliant sci-fi novel with romance that will sweep you of your feet!
August 15, 2017
This YA novel was impressive! It delved into such complex themes as conformity and success, with romance along the way. This book provides much needed commentary about our world.
August 5, 2017
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy from Netgalley and Snowy Wings Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Starwswept by Mary Fan is a romance science-fiction that blew me away and stole my heart. It is not without its weaknesses; however, there are numerous strengths found in the author's characters as well as her world-building that more than make up for them.
Iris Lei, in particular, is the heart of this story. She is a young violist who holds a deep love for the arts. Music is her passion and despite the restrictive laws of Papilio (the performing arts school in which she resides), Iris finds great joy in creating music with her prized instrument. Iris is a fantastic character in the way she allows music to be an integral part of her identity. She is also a hopeless romantic and her fancies are both innocent and naïve, though she frequently acknowledges this.
In my opinion, Iris is very relatable as a young protagonist and is also very self-aware. She knows when she is being foolish and she also knows when she is in the right. Despite being fairly perceptive, she still makes mistakes and can be quite reckless in her actions. A few of her decisions were frustrating and impractical, but I suppose that can be a testament to her personality type. By the end, she proves to be extremely courageous and I very much appreciate how much her character evolves and changes for the better throughout the story.
Despite Iris and her amazing character, I wasn't fully accepting of the romance, mostly because the love interest, Dámiul, is absent (in body) for the majority of the story. And when he was present (holographically present) he displayed traits that were quintessentially nice and well-meaning. Even though we see more of Dámiul in the end, I'm not sure he completely stands out as a character. Because of this, I can't really understand Iris's infatuation with him. Also, their love story is along the lines of insta-love, which usually bothers me; but because their developing relationship is so sweet and beautifully written, I could almost forgive an instant connection this time around.
While the romantic relationship between an Earthling and an Adryil is the main focus of the story, Fan also touches on various political topics concerning governmental control and international (or intergalactic) relations, as well as human trafficking and slavery. The story delves into something much more dark and serious as the story goes on, and the author does well to build up this tension and suspense, which eventually leads to a heavy moment of realization for Iris.
As for the writing itself, Mary Fan skillfully demonstrates her knowledge of music through her lyrical descriptions and fluid prose. Instrumental music and dance are forms of non-verbal expression and the author manages to capture the essence of music through enchanting passages and vivid details. Her world-building is fairly strong, especially in her descriptions of Adrye; however, the setting felt somewhat limited. I really wanted to see more of future Earth. The first part of the story takes place in Papilio and the surrounding neighborhood, but not much else helps me to believe there is anything else outside of that little area.
Besides those few issues, I greatly enjoyed this book. The romance was sweet if not a bit immediate, Iris Lei was a fantastic female protagonist, the writing and world-building were strong, and the political aspect of the story was well-developed. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger in that it didn't really resolve any problems other than Iris and Dámiul's relationship, but at least the ending implies that something much more dangerous is about to take place. I can't wait to see how this story ends.
Starwswept by Mary Fan is a romance science-fiction that blew me away and stole my heart. It is not without its weaknesses; however, there are numerous strengths found in the author's characters as well as her world-building that more than make up for them.
Iris Lei, in particular, is the heart of this story. She is a young violist who holds a deep love for the arts. Music is her passion and despite the restrictive laws of Papilio (the performing arts school in which she resides), Iris finds great joy in creating music with her prized instrument. Iris is a fantastic character in the way she allows music to be an integral part of her identity. She is also a hopeless romantic and her fancies are both innocent and naïve, though she frequently acknowledges this.
In my opinion, Iris is very relatable as a young protagonist and is also very self-aware. She knows when she is being foolish and she also knows when she is in the right. Despite being fairly perceptive, she still makes mistakes and can be quite reckless in her actions. A few of her decisions were frustrating and impractical, but I suppose that can be a testament to her personality type. By the end, she proves to be extremely courageous and I very much appreciate how much her character evolves and changes for the better throughout the story.
Despite Iris and her amazing character, I wasn't fully accepting of the romance, mostly because the love interest, Dámiul, is absent (in body) for the majority of the story. And when he was present (holographically present) he displayed traits that were quintessentially nice and well-meaning. Even though we see more of Dámiul in the end, I'm not sure he completely stands out as a character. Because of this, I can't really understand Iris's infatuation with him. Also, their love story is along the lines of insta-love, which usually bothers me; but because their developing relationship is so sweet and beautifully written, I could almost forgive an instant connection this time around.
While the romantic relationship between an Earthling and an Adryil is the main focus of the story, Fan also touches on various political topics concerning governmental control and international (or intergalactic) relations, as well as human trafficking and slavery. The story delves into something much more dark and serious as the story goes on, and the author does well to build up this tension and suspense, which eventually leads to a heavy moment of realization for Iris.
As for the writing itself, Mary Fan skillfully demonstrates her knowledge of music through her lyrical descriptions and fluid prose. Instrumental music and dance are forms of non-verbal expression and the author manages to capture the essence of music through enchanting passages and vivid details. Her world-building is fairly strong, especially in her descriptions of Adrye; however, the setting felt somewhat limited. I really wanted to see more of future Earth. The first part of the story takes place in Papilio and the surrounding neighborhood, but not much else helps me to believe there is anything else outside of that little area.
Besides those few issues, I greatly enjoyed this book. The romance was sweet if not a bit immediate, Iris Lei was a fantastic female protagonist, the writing and world-building were strong, and the political aspect of the story was well-developed. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger in that it didn't really resolve any problems other than Iris and Dámiul's relationship, but at least the ending implies that something much more dangerous is about to take place. I can't wait to see how this story ends.
August 1, 2017
Some melodies reach across the stars.
In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.
A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.
When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.
But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.
I was blown away by this book. It started very slowly and I did wonder whether I was going to like it or not. But that soon changed. I loved Iris. She was able to look innocent and get away with things others couldn’t. I also loved Damiul. In fact I thought all the characters were very good – even the bad and not so good ones. Very well written and I was taken to new places (planets). I will recommend this book to everyone. 5*
In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.
A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.
When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.
But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.
I was blown away by this book. It started very slowly and I did wonder whether I was going to like it or not. But that soon changed. I loved Iris. She was able to look innocent and get away with things others couldn’t. I also loved Damiul. In fact I thought all the characters were very good – even the bad and not so good ones. Very well written and I was taken to new places (planets). I will recommend this book to everyone. 5*
August 25, 2017
5 Stars - Beautiful and Unforgettable
Starswept is absolutely beautiful through and through. I mean the book itself is ridiculously gorgeous! The cover, the design, and the interior chapter spreads… I seriously don’t think I’ve ever seen such a pretty book. And you know the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover," well you can just throw that out the window right now because Starswept is stunning and undeniably mesmerizing.
I’m a bit of a sci-fi nerd and have always been fascinated with the concept of aliens. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I read the synopsis for this book, but I was very much intrigued. The first few chapters were a little slow for me, but definitely not boring. To be honest, I actually didn't mind it all that much because Mary Fan’s writing is astounding and once the story picked up pace, I was a goner.
The world building is just fabulous – a bit complex, terrifying at times, colorful in every way, and definitely creative. I enjoyed the plot and loved how dark it got towards the end. There’s plenty of drama, conflict, action, mystery, and some really awesome twists that gave me the chills. There was something unearthly and somewhat disturbing about the story, but I was so enthralled with everything that I didn’t want to stop reading.
I love Iris so much. She’s curious, sincere, genuine, and passionate. She truly loves playing her viola and I admired her determination. No matter how fierce and competitive it was at Papilio, she never took the easy way out. Dámiul is so mysterious and I was as fascinated with him as Iris was. I enjoyed figuring him out and by the end, he more than won me over. Not only is he dreamy and charming, but he has such a big heart.
I absolutely adored Iris and Dámiul together. Their romance was slow and steady, but incredibly swoony. I definitely got that star-crossed lovers vibe so that made their love story more interesting. It was so endearing to watch their relationship progress to something more.
While I may have fallen in love with this book before I even started reading it, Mary Fan’s elegant, captivating and fantastic writing completely swept me off my feet and stole such a big piece of my heart. Starswept is ethereal, enigmatic, thrilling and such a wonderful story. If you love YA, and romance, and sci-fi, and beautiful writing, then I highly recommend you grab yourself a copy.
Huge thanks to the author for sending me signed hardcover copy. I'm so grateful to have my own copy to hold and keep forever.
To read more of my reviews, visit Sincerely Karen Jo
Starswept is absolutely beautiful through and through. I mean the book itself is ridiculously gorgeous! The cover, the design, and the interior chapter spreads… I seriously don’t think I’ve ever seen such a pretty book. And you know the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover," well you can just throw that out the window right now because Starswept is stunning and undeniably mesmerizing.
I’m a bit of a sci-fi nerd and have always been fascinated with the concept of aliens. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I read the synopsis for this book, but I was very much intrigued. The first few chapters were a little slow for me, but definitely not boring. To be honest, I actually didn't mind it all that much because Mary Fan’s writing is astounding and once the story picked up pace, I was a goner.
The world building is just fabulous – a bit complex, terrifying at times, colorful in every way, and definitely creative. I enjoyed the plot and loved how dark it got towards the end. There’s plenty of drama, conflict, action, mystery, and some really awesome twists that gave me the chills. There was something unearthly and somewhat disturbing about the story, but I was so enthralled with everything that I didn’t want to stop reading.
I love Iris so much. She’s curious, sincere, genuine, and passionate. She truly loves playing her viola and I admired her determination. No matter how fierce and competitive it was at Papilio, she never took the easy way out. Dámiul is so mysterious and I was as fascinated with him as Iris was. I enjoyed figuring him out and by the end, he more than won me over. Not only is he dreamy and charming, but he has such a big heart.
I absolutely adored Iris and Dámiul together. Their romance was slow and steady, but incredibly swoony. I definitely got that star-crossed lovers vibe so that made their love story more interesting. It was so endearing to watch their relationship progress to something more.
While I may have fallen in love with this book before I even started reading it, Mary Fan’s elegant, captivating and fantastic writing completely swept me off my feet and stole such a big piece of my heart. Starswept is ethereal, enigmatic, thrilling and such a wonderful story. If you love YA, and romance, and sci-fi, and beautiful writing, then I highly recommend you grab yourself a copy.
Huge thanks to the author for sending me signed hardcover copy. I'm so grateful to have my own copy to hold and keep forever.
To read more of my reviews, visit Sincerely Karen Jo
November 17, 2017
For someone who isn't a fan of sci-fi fantasies with aliens, this is a book to consider, why? I went into this book knowing it was not something that normally grasped my attention and found myself blown away.
Mary Fan did a wonderful job depicting this complex world as well as its laws. I favor well-built worlds that allow me to understand and become submerged. She did this in an eloquent and gripping fashion. The how and the why come into the light without dropping it before us abruptly.
If that is not enough to grab your attention, the story revolves around art and this particular art school where the students hope to gain a patron. A patron who will pay them and help rid them of their debt so that they may help their family financially.
The characters were complex, driven by their desires and fears, which made me as a reader feel for them and make them believable, too.
The book to me honestly had a YA Fifth Element feel to it, mix in The Host by Stephenie Meyer and *insert Artsy book here,* I think that sums it up really well.
A unique, fast-paced read, one that I think fans young and old would enjoy.
- Website - Facebook - Instagram -BookTube -
Mary Fan did a wonderful job depicting this complex world as well as its laws. I favor well-built worlds that allow me to understand and become submerged. She did this in an eloquent and gripping fashion. The how and the why come into the light without dropping it before us abruptly.
If that is not enough to grab your attention, the story revolves around art and this particular art school where the students hope to gain a patron. A patron who will pay them and help rid them of their debt so that they may help their family financially.
The characters were complex, driven by their desires and fears, which made me as a reader feel for them and make them believable, too.
The book to me honestly had a YA Fifth Element feel to it, mix in The Host by Stephenie Meyer and *insert Artsy book here,* I think that sums it up really well.
A unique, fast-paced read, one that I think fans young and old would enjoy.
- Website - Facebook - Instagram -BookTube -
July 29, 2017
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book when I began, but I am so, so happy that I did. The characters all meshed so well together and there was such a great chemistry between Milo and Iris, even as just friends, that I cherished with each page I turned. Granted, I may be biased because I had a huge crush on him, but still. I also SUPER enjoyed the way that music and art was basically everything their lives were based around. This book accomplished so much in a standalone that I'm honestly so impressed. It could have easily been two or three books and spread the journey out, but I don't feel like I was slighted in the least. Do I want more? Yes, but I'm an American and Americans always want more. Mary Fan did a superb job of showing you this world and the alien world that was built up so highly in the first act of the book. And the artistry for the chapter headers is my favorite of any book I've read thus far. Simply wonderful. The only thing I could have stood for was a little more description of the surrounding world to give us an exact idea of what we're looking at, but honestly I'm pretty sure that's just a personal preference. But whatever you do, PICK UP THIS BOOK. Alien love, music, dancing, and telepathy. What more could you want in this entire world? I'll answer for you: NOTHING.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Want to read
March 26, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/26/2019)! 🎁
Blurb:
Some melodies reach across the stars.
In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.
A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.
When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.
But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.
Blurb:
Some melodies reach across the stars.
In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.
A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.
When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.
But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.
July 21, 2017
Sometimes when you read a book you wish it came with a soundtrack to accompany it. This book brings music to life with words to tell the story of Iris Lei a viola player who wants nothing more than to play her instrument, and find a patron to allow her share her passion with everybody. Until one night she meets Dámiul who sweeps her away to a world she has only ever dreamed of. The twist is what if that world you always wanted to be part of was a lie! Jump into a world of lies, deception, music, dancing, love, and trafficking of the stellar level. Mary Fan gives us a story that's hard to put down and leaves you wanting more.
***I received this book free in exchange for my honest opinion all thoughts are given of my own free will***
***I received this book free in exchange for my honest opinion all thoughts are given of my own free will***
June 27, 2017
In this book, Mary Fan introduce us to an incredible and dystopian world where exists a prestigious perfoming arts school. In this school, called Papilio, kids and teenagers compete to be the best and to attract an Adryil patron in order to have a good future. Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids— establishes a relation of partnership with Earth: They power the school and then they can choose the best artists and hire them to play in their parties and etc.
Iris Lei, born penniless, is a violist that practice every day to attract a Adryil patron. Her life changes when she meets an Adryil boy who, illegally, entered her school.
Honestly, I did not have high expectations for this book. However, when I started reading it and saw the wonderful photos it had in each chapter, I fell in love.
With her elegant and captivating writing, Mary Fan, leads us to a well-built and unique world.
To add, this book has well-built characters. It is possible for us to identify with them, even if they live in a world so different from ours. Having the ability to do something like this is incredible and that is why I am a fan of Mary Fan, now!
Another thing that amazed me was the aesthetic originality of each chapter. I think it gave a very nice touch to the chapters.
I never thought I'd like this book that much, but after I read it, I came to the conclusion that it's really good and you should read it! Do not miss the opportunity to purchase it in August!
You can follow the author in her website , instagram and facebook !
With love,
Banal Girl
Iris Lei, born penniless, is a violist that practice every day to attract a Adryil patron. Her life changes when she meets an Adryil boy who, illegally, entered her school.
Honestly, I did not have high expectations for this book. However, when I started reading it and saw the wonderful photos it had in each chapter, I fell in love.
With her elegant and captivating writing, Mary Fan, leads us to a well-built and unique world.
To add, this book has well-built characters. It is possible for us to identify with them, even if they live in a world so different from ours. Having the ability to do something like this is incredible and that is why I am a fan of Mary Fan, now!
Another thing that amazed me was the aesthetic originality of each chapter. I think it gave a very nice touch to the chapters.
I never thought I'd like this book that much, but after I read it, I came to the conclusion that it's really good and you should read it! Do not miss the opportunity to purchase it in August!
You can follow the author in her website , instagram and facebook !
With love,
Banal Girl
March 27, 2017
Starswept Review
In her latest novel, “Starswept”, Mary Fan takes us to a dystopic Earth future in which young people are forced to compete with one and other. But in this story, the weapons are not bows and arrows and poisonous bees, but violins and ballet shoes.
In the future, Earth has a trade relationship with an alien spices called the Adryl. The Adryl are a telepathic race with no cultural history of things like music and dance. Ballet dancers and classical musicians quickly become the Earth’s number one export to the Adryl home-world.
Iris Lei, a fifteen-year old violinist who lives and trains at the Papilo school for the performing arts. Students learn and practice daily in order to become a house musician or dancer for wealthy Adryl families. Many of the students also practice sabotaging or undercutting their peers in often vicious competition, in order that they might gain a Adryl patron.
Gaining such a patron means getting to live on the Adryl home-world and having the means to save one’s family from poverty on Earth. In this way, the Adryl are like a race of futuristic Florentine merchant families.
Iris herself wants to become a soloist so she can gain one of these other-worldly patrons and reunite her family. Then one night, Iris encounters a young Adryl male named Damiul, who gives her a device that will allow them to communicate telepathically across the great distances of space.
Damiul tries to tell her that life for the human musicians and dancers isn’t everything Iris hopes it is. Damiul also teaches her how to resist his people’s telepathic powers so that she can protect herself.
Iris eventually realizes she is in love with this strange alien and channels these emotions into her music. This infusion of raw emotional energy is enough to greatly improve Iris’ music and move her up in the school’s standings. Now she isn’t just playing to improve her and her family’s’ lives, her music is how she expresses her love for Damiul.
Iris even manages to gain an Adryl sponsor family named Ydaya, a very important family on Adryl. But arriving on the Adryl home-world, she must fight keep her own mind intact.
Drawing on her own background as a musician, Mary creates a cast of believable characters who struggle against each other and themselves as they try to save themselves from soul-crushing mediocrity while living with the powerful fear of not being good enough. One character, a Papilio dropout named McPherson, but who everyone calls ‘Phers’ because he seems to prey on and cultivate the fears that many of the students have. Phers enjoys taunting Iris by explaining she’s on a fool’s quest and that it’s better to give into the mediocrity that life on Earth has become.
Iris herself is a very different kind of hero. Unlike Mary’s previous hero, Jane Colt, Iris doesn’t come from money or an extended family. She also is not the type of person to pick up a gun and shoot her way out. Iris must instead rely on the skills Damiui and her skill with the violin to protect her from the strange beings she must live among who quickly prove that they are not the benevolent creatures that she thought they were.
I was struck by how similar “Starswept” is to Stone’s “The Agony and the Ecstasy” which detailed the struggles of Michelangelo as he struggled to break from his family’s textile roots and become an artist for the Di Medici family and later the Vatican.
“Starswept” is more than just a sci-fi version of “American Idol” meets “The Hunger Games”. Mary’s skill as a writer and her careful planning have made it something more. There is heart in this story. A heart and an enthusiasm for Iris that won’t let the reader just book down. Mary weaves a tale that holds the reader enthralled with each page and rooting for Iris at each turn. While it can be compared to Heinlein’s “Stranger and in a Strange Land” and of course Rowling’s “Harry Potter” novels, there is something fresh and different about “Starswept”, instead of magic, we have music. Instead of Voldermort, our hero fights just play her violin one more time each time she lifts it up. Even if you don’t know much about classical music, Mary makes the subject approachable to the reader without slowing the story down.
Fans of “The Hunger Games” will certainly enjoy it, but people who have had or still have dreams will also enjoy it, because Iris Lei calls to them. Her struggle is every creative person’s struggle, the desire to be noticed and to make their living in this world doing what it is they love the most. Iris is also a hero to people who have achieved those dreams, but have found they were not what they had hoped that they would be.
In her latest novel, “Starswept”, Mary Fan takes us to a dystopic Earth future in which young people are forced to compete with one and other. But in this story, the weapons are not bows and arrows and poisonous bees, but violins and ballet shoes.
In the future, Earth has a trade relationship with an alien spices called the Adryl. The Adryl are a telepathic race with no cultural history of things like music and dance. Ballet dancers and classical musicians quickly become the Earth’s number one export to the Adryl home-world.
Iris Lei, a fifteen-year old violinist who lives and trains at the Papilo school for the performing arts. Students learn and practice daily in order to become a house musician or dancer for wealthy Adryl families. Many of the students also practice sabotaging or undercutting their peers in often vicious competition, in order that they might gain a Adryl patron.
Gaining such a patron means getting to live on the Adryl home-world and having the means to save one’s family from poverty on Earth. In this way, the Adryl are like a race of futuristic Florentine merchant families.
Iris herself wants to become a soloist so she can gain one of these other-worldly patrons and reunite her family. Then one night, Iris encounters a young Adryl male named Damiul, who gives her a device that will allow them to communicate telepathically across the great distances of space.
Damiul tries to tell her that life for the human musicians and dancers isn’t everything Iris hopes it is. Damiul also teaches her how to resist his people’s telepathic powers so that she can protect herself.
Iris eventually realizes she is in love with this strange alien and channels these emotions into her music. This infusion of raw emotional energy is enough to greatly improve Iris’ music and move her up in the school’s standings. Now she isn’t just playing to improve her and her family’s’ lives, her music is how she expresses her love for Damiul.
Iris even manages to gain an Adryl sponsor family named Ydaya, a very important family on Adryl. But arriving on the Adryl home-world, she must fight keep her own mind intact.
Drawing on her own background as a musician, Mary creates a cast of believable characters who struggle against each other and themselves as they try to save themselves from soul-crushing mediocrity while living with the powerful fear of not being good enough. One character, a Papilio dropout named McPherson, but who everyone calls ‘Phers’ because he seems to prey on and cultivate the fears that many of the students have. Phers enjoys taunting Iris by explaining she’s on a fool’s quest and that it’s better to give into the mediocrity that life on Earth has become.
Iris herself is a very different kind of hero. Unlike Mary’s previous hero, Jane Colt, Iris doesn’t come from money or an extended family. She also is not the type of person to pick up a gun and shoot her way out. Iris must instead rely on the skills Damiui and her skill with the violin to protect her from the strange beings she must live among who quickly prove that they are not the benevolent creatures that she thought they were.
I was struck by how similar “Starswept” is to Stone’s “The Agony and the Ecstasy” which detailed the struggles of Michelangelo as he struggled to break from his family’s textile roots and become an artist for the Di Medici family and later the Vatican.
“Starswept” is more than just a sci-fi version of “American Idol” meets “The Hunger Games”. Mary’s skill as a writer and her careful planning have made it something more. There is heart in this story. A heart and an enthusiasm for Iris that won’t let the reader just book down. Mary weaves a tale that holds the reader enthralled with each page and rooting for Iris at each turn. While it can be compared to Heinlein’s “Stranger and in a Strange Land” and of course Rowling’s “Harry Potter” novels, there is something fresh and different about “Starswept”, instead of magic, we have music. Instead of Voldermort, our hero fights just play her violin one more time each time she lifts it up. Even if you don’t know much about classical music, Mary makes the subject approachable to the reader without slowing the story down.
Fans of “The Hunger Games” will certainly enjoy it, but people who have had or still have dreams will also enjoy it, because Iris Lei calls to them. Her struggle is every creative person’s struggle, the desire to be noticed and to make their living in this world doing what it is they love the most. Iris is also a hero to people who have achieved those dreams, but have found they were not what they had hoped that they would be.
May 1, 2017
Iris Lei has struggled with her gift as a musician. What makes it worse is that she must raise her standing at her art school or she'll be kicked out; living a life of a common laborer and barely making enough wages to live once her stipend for her school fees have been deducted. The musical compound should be helping her to flourish, but she feels as if she's treading water, desperate for a breakthrough.
Adryils are an alien species that have contacted earth, their weakness is the arts, something they themselves had never developed due to their ability to understand thoughts and feelings telepathically. Earth has done everything in its power to protect itself, but the lure of money and sponsorships of earthling artists was too alluring. Adryil tech, and visits, are strictly limited and for the most part illegal.
But everything changes for Iris when she literally runs into an Adryil boy on the lam, leaving her with a special device. Although owning Adryil tech is highly illegal, she has a strong urge to hold onto it, and since breaking the rules is something that she's never been willing to do before, the mystery of it seems to counterbalance the safety of the familiar grounds she grew up on.
Mystery and intrigue follow Iris's story as she unravels the true purpose of the establishments around her, along with a blossoming bond with an alien boy she should never have met.
Elegant and mysterious as a sonata, this science fiction adventure will keep you entranced until the end. I highly recommend to ya science fiction readers of any age.
Adryils are an alien species that have contacted earth, their weakness is the arts, something they themselves had never developed due to their ability to understand thoughts and feelings telepathically. Earth has done everything in its power to protect itself, but the lure of money and sponsorships of earthling artists was too alluring. Adryil tech, and visits, are strictly limited and for the most part illegal.
But everything changes for Iris when she literally runs into an Adryil boy on the lam, leaving her with a special device. Although owning Adryil tech is highly illegal, she has a strong urge to hold onto it, and since breaking the rules is something that she's never been willing to do before, the mystery of it seems to counterbalance the safety of the familiar grounds she grew up on.
Mystery and intrigue follow Iris's story as she unravels the true purpose of the establishments around her, along with a blossoming bond with an alien boy she should never have met.
Elegant and mysterious as a sonata, this science fiction adventure will keep you entranced until the end. I highly recommend to ya science fiction readers of any age.
July 26, 2017
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this gorgeous book in exchange for an honest review. *This is no way influenced my opinion*
Sooooo good! This one definitely makes it into my top reads for this year. This book is not only a beautiful story with a gorgeous cover, this book is incredibly good! Definitely one of (if not the best) sci-fi books I've ever read.
Did I fall in love with an alien? Yes, most definitely! You might also fall in love with the music like I did, all the descriptions of the performances were so beautifully written. Everything in this story felt kinda magical and beautiful (I know I said beautiful already, but you just have to read it to see what I mean). There are some secrets and some twists and I loved it all. There is also a part that made me super sad and I have to say that even though we do get a HEA and the story seemed finished I really wanted more. I wanted to go beyond and I wanted the story to never end because it was too good.
Deserves more than 5 stars. Definitely safe for teens to read and I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. This one I'll read again and again and I'm sure once my daughter reads it she will love it as much as I did.
Add it to your TBR, this one is a must read!
Sooooo good! This one definitely makes it into my top reads for this year. This book is not only a beautiful story with a gorgeous cover, this book is incredibly good! Definitely one of (if not the best) sci-fi books I've ever read.
Did I fall in love with an alien? Yes, most definitely! You might also fall in love with the music like I did, all the descriptions of the performances were so beautifully written. Everything in this story felt kinda magical and beautiful (I know I said beautiful already, but you just have to read it to see what I mean). There are some secrets and some twists and I loved it all. There is also a part that made me super sad and I have to say that even though we do get a HEA and the story seemed finished I really wanted more. I wanted to go beyond and I wanted the story to never end because it was too good.
Deserves more than 5 stars. Definitely safe for teens to read and I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. This one I'll read again and again and I'm sure once my daughter reads it she will love it as much as I did.
Add it to your TBR, this one is a must read!
Read
October 3, 2017Mary Fan’s latest sci-fi novel, Starswept, follows the journey of a young violinist as she navigates cut-throat professional competition, inter-planetary scandals and – of course – a breath-taking first love. Split into two distinctive parts (and planets), the novel explores Iris’ internal journey to self-acceptance as she pursues a career as a violinist and learns a disturbing truth about her university and career path. Riddled with questions of identity and thoughtful critiques of both capitalism and America’s broken educational system, Starswept will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
At its heart, Starswept is an exploration of identity, primarily interested with how introspection aligns with or contracts the labels and perceptions created by others. At Iris’ school, students receive live rankings based on their performance and the number of accolades left on their profile. Iris feels inferior to her classmates, frequently citing her low ranking as evidence. Her confidence grows as her rating rises even though her level of skill doesn’t change. How listeners perceive her music shapes her identity as a musician, although readers are aware of her talent even when her score is at its lowest. In this way, Fan reflects on how talent and reception may not be codependent, but can still shape the artist’s perception of their identity.
Similarly, the thought-control used by the Adryil blurs the lines of self. Iris is frequently unsure how to differentiate between her own thoughts and those implanted in her mind, most prominently after her first encounter with Dámiul. It’s unclear whether Dámiul’s instinct that Iris was trustworthy, or his thoughts urging her not to betray him, caused her to protect his identity and mission. Iris’ “faces grows cold” when she realizes her thoughts belonged to Dámiul, despite being “sure they came from [her] own mind.” Iris identifies herself as someone worth trusting once Dámiul identifies her as so, and there is no way to know for sure whether this is true because it is inherent to her character or because he perceived her as such and, therefore, made it true. Fan delivers these broad questions with subtle expertise, never stepping out of scene to explore the greater themes. However, they exist throughout the novel like a soft heartbeat beneath the skin, drawing readers to reflect on perceived identity and how it relates to the vulnerable and exposed life of being an artist.
Perhaps one of the novel’s most elegant and complex features is the parallel love stories between Iris the handsome Dámiul and Iris and her viola. The “endless reaching” she feels working in the Arts mirrors her yearning for Dámiul; she feels the music “possessing everything” she is, just as her growing love for him does as the novel progresses. When Iris gains a sponsor, she sacrifices it all for Dámiul, all the while wondering “what kind of person rejects a safe, worry-free life” doing the thing they love. She risks her career and passion for Dámiul, but “doesn’t regret trading the world [she] knew for someone” she loves. This decision could easily have come across as a woman choosing a man over her career, but is written with such grave and sincerity and Iris’ choice seems like the only possible one.
Beyond its timeless explorations of identity and love, Starswept is also a very current novel in its analysis of higher education and the job market. Despite taking place in a fictional universe, Fan’s novel is a timely and scathing critique of America’s student debt crisis. Readers are sure to identify with Iris’ looming student debt, and her apprehension given her close-to-none career aspects. Whether you’ve come for the sci-fi, the romance, or something else entirely, each reader is sure to find some part of Mary Fan’s latest YA novel that resonates with them and challenging choices they face today.
At its heart, Starswept is an exploration of identity, primarily interested with how introspection aligns with or contracts the labels and perceptions created by others. At Iris’ school, students receive live rankings based on their performance and the number of accolades left on their profile. Iris feels inferior to her classmates, frequently citing her low ranking as evidence. Her confidence grows as her rating rises even though her level of skill doesn’t change. How listeners perceive her music shapes her identity as a musician, although readers are aware of her talent even when her score is at its lowest. In this way, Fan reflects on how talent and reception may not be codependent, but can still shape the artist’s perception of their identity.
Similarly, the thought-control used by the Adryil blurs the lines of self. Iris is frequently unsure how to differentiate between her own thoughts and those implanted in her mind, most prominently after her first encounter with Dámiul. It’s unclear whether Dámiul’s instinct that Iris was trustworthy, or his thoughts urging her not to betray him, caused her to protect his identity and mission. Iris’ “faces grows cold” when she realizes her thoughts belonged to Dámiul, despite being “sure they came from [her] own mind.” Iris identifies herself as someone worth trusting once Dámiul identifies her as so, and there is no way to know for sure whether this is true because it is inherent to her character or because he perceived her as such and, therefore, made it true. Fan delivers these broad questions with subtle expertise, never stepping out of scene to explore the greater themes. However, they exist throughout the novel like a soft heartbeat beneath the skin, drawing readers to reflect on perceived identity and how it relates to the vulnerable and exposed life of being an artist.
Perhaps one of the novel’s most elegant and complex features is the parallel love stories between Iris the handsome Dámiul and Iris and her viola. The “endless reaching” she feels working in the Arts mirrors her yearning for Dámiul; she feels the music “possessing everything” she is, just as her growing love for him does as the novel progresses. When Iris gains a sponsor, she sacrifices it all for Dámiul, all the while wondering “what kind of person rejects a safe, worry-free life” doing the thing they love. She risks her career and passion for Dámiul, but “doesn’t regret trading the world [she] knew for someone” she loves. This decision could easily have come across as a woman choosing a man over her career, but is written with such grave and sincerity and Iris’ choice seems like the only possible one.
Beyond its timeless explorations of identity and love, Starswept is also a very current novel in its analysis of higher education and the job market. Despite taking place in a fictional universe, Fan’s novel is a timely and scathing critique of America’s student debt crisis. Readers are sure to identify with Iris’ looming student debt, and her apprehension given her close-to-none career aspects. Whether you’ve come for the sci-fi, the romance, or something else entirely, each reader is sure to find some part of Mary Fan’s latest YA novel that resonates with them and challenging choices they face today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews