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madlovenovelist's review against another edition
4.0
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
This is a cute sci-fi gay romance that was full of adventure and strange reveals.
I love Shaun David Hutchinson’s writing and sense of humour, and that shone through in ‘A Complicated Love Story Set in Space.’ However, I was expecting a lavishly angsty relationship with compelling characters and it felt like ‘A Complicated Love Story Set in Space’ just missed the mark. I didn’t get emotionally invested in the story of our two protagonists. It was interesting, sure, but I never got that heart-squeeze when I thought of them.
The pacing felt really slow, especially in the first half which was frustrating given the mystery that we need to untangle about how they got there and what happened to their memories... it took a long time to get to the pay-off and the characters seemed to accept their predicament too easily, instead of being consumed with finding answers like anyone else would be.
There was a level of organic development that was missing from Noa and DJs relationship for me.
It felt a little all over the place. I wasn’t sold on the world either. It was a fun concept, but didn’t feel like it was fully developed or explored... like a pilot episode. A long pilot episode.
There is a lot of darkness in ‘A Complicated Love Story Set in Space’ that brought the tone down. And the author wallows in it. It was uncomfortable to read at times, where I skimmed forward to get to the good stuff. Like c’mon already I know you’re depressed but do we need chapter upon chapter of it. The ending kind of negates all that as well, so I felt it was kind of pointless. The more interesting questions come in the climactic twist ending, but we don’t get to explore them, they are simply presented and then the story ends.
Noa felt whiny and obstinate, mostly selfish, so I didn’t like him much... and I couldn’t see motivation for him and DJ to get together to be honest... it all felt a bit contrived. I don’t know if it was on purpose, or not…
I love the space adventure stuff, could take or leave the romance, the mental illness was great rep, but handled badly.
This read more like a second draft - it needed tightening for the pace and more development on the romance element... so it was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed it, but not something I’d enthusiastically recommend. An enjoyable read but did not blast me off into outer space.
This is a cute sci-fi gay romance that was full of adventure and strange reveals.
I love Shaun David Hutchinson’s writing and sense of humour, and that shone through in ‘A Complicated Love Story Set in Space.’ However, I was expecting a lavishly angsty relationship with compelling characters and it felt like ‘A Complicated Love Story Set in Space’ just missed the mark. I didn’t get emotionally invested in the story of our two protagonists. It was interesting, sure, but I never got that heart-squeeze when I thought of them.
The pacing felt really slow, especially in the first half which was frustrating given the mystery that we need to untangle about how they got there and what happened to their memories... it took a long time to get to the pay-off and the characters seemed to accept their predicament too easily, instead of being consumed with finding answers like anyone else would be.
There was a level of organic development that was missing from Noa and DJs relationship for me.
It felt a little all over the place. I wasn’t sold on the world either. It was a fun concept, but didn’t feel like it was fully developed or explored... like a pilot episode. A long pilot episode.
There is a lot of darkness in ‘A Complicated Love Story Set in Space’ that brought the tone down. And the author wallows in it. It was uncomfortable to read at times, where I skimmed forward to get to the good stuff. Like c’mon already I know you’re depressed but do we need chapter upon chapter of it. The ending kind of negates all that as well, so I felt it was kind of pointless. The more interesting questions come in the climactic twist ending, but we don’t get to explore them, they are simply presented and then the story ends.
Noa felt whiny and obstinate, mostly selfish, so I didn’t like him much... and I couldn’t see motivation for him and DJ to get together to be honest... it all felt a bit contrived. I don’t know if it was on purpose, or not…
I love the space adventure stuff, could take or leave the romance, the mental illness was great rep, but handled badly.
This read more like a second draft - it needed tightening for the pace and more development on the romance element... so it was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed it, but not something I’d enthusiastically recommend. An enjoyable read but did not blast me off into outer space.
brandiraefong's review against another edition
So, our main character Noa wakes up in a space suit, floating outside a spaceship, with no idea how or why he got there, sucking the reader in right away (or at least this reader). To the point I read this whole thing in pretty much one sitting.
Overall, this was kind of bizarre. The writing, the world building, and the circumstances the characters find themselves in...it starts to feel a bit choppy and underdeveloped, with threads left hanging or too easily resolved. And then all of a sudden, you reach the point in the book where the writing style and underdeveloped feeling just makes sense.
Interesting, different, kind of funny, kind of weird...maybe for fans of earlier A.S. King, David Arnold, or some of Andrew Smith's books? I will say, there is a TW in the very beginning for a sexual assault that may upset some readers.
Pretty solid book though. Plus, nice there was a sly little reference to a bunch of other YA authors just sort of worked in. Clever.
Overall, this was kind of bizarre. The writing, the world building, and the circumstances the characters find themselves in...it starts to feel a bit choppy and underdeveloped, with threads left hanging or too easily resolved. And then all of a sudden, you reach the point in the book where the writing style and underdeveloped feeling just makes sense.
Interesting, different, kind of funny, kind of weird...maybe for fans of earlier A.S. King, David Arnold, or some of Andrew Smith's books? I will say, there is a TW in the very beginning for a sexual assault that may upset some readers.
Pretty solid book though. Plus, nice there was a sly little reference to a bunch of other YA authors just sort of worked in. Clever.
queer_bookwyrm's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 ⭐ CW: death, sexual assault
A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David Hutchinson is a YA scifi romance that was recommended to me by an irl friend. This was a wild read, but I felt there were some things left unresolved. This may be because I tend to be more invested in the plot and world-building than on romance.
We follow Noa North, who wakes up in space outside of a ship. He doesn't remember how he got there, but suddenly he has to figure out how to repair a spaceship with the help of a voice that belongs to a boy named DJ. Noa and DJ have no idea what is happening or how they got aboard the ship Qriosity, and they find a girl Jenny who is also inexplicably trapped there. The three of them must keep the ship from blowing up all while figuring out what is going on and how to get back home.
The relationship between Noa and DJ is definitely the focal point of the story. I love a good gays in space story, but I felt I needed a little bit more from it. I found Noa incredibly annoying, and I wanted way more development from Jenny who was actually a bisexual badass. I truly didn't expect the twist that came, but it mostly felt incomplete when we don't get an explanation or follow up on the universe that was created. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say much more about it, but I thought the ending was unsatisfactory.
We do get some interesting themes on exploitation of child actors, bury your gays and fridging tropes. It almost feels like this book needs a sequel to flesh out what has been teased to give the story more depth. If you enjoy a good gays in space romp that isn't too heavy hitting, this is good for that. Minus the discussions of sexual assault, I would be wary of that if that's something you are sensitive about.
A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David Hutchinson is a YA scifi romance that was recommended to me by an irl friend. This was a wild read, but I felt there were some things left unresolved. This may be because I tend to be more invested in the plot and world-building than on romance.
We follow Noa North, who wakes up in space outside of a ship. He doesn't remember how he got there, but suddenly he has to figure out how to repair a spaceship with the help of a voice that belongs to a boy named DJ. Noa and DJ have no idea what is happening or how they got aboard the ship Qriosity, and they find a girl Jenny who is also inexplicably trapped there. The three of them must keep the ship from blowing up all while figuring out what is going on and how to get back home.
The relationship between Noa and DJ is definitely the focal point of the story. I love a good gays in space story, but I felt I needed a little bit more from it. I found Noa incredibly annoying, and I wanted way more development from Jenny who was actually a bisexual badass. I truly didn't expect the twist that came, but it mostly felt incomplete when we don't get an explanation or follow up on the universe that was created. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't say much more about it, but I thought the ending was unsatisfactory.
We do get some interesting themes on exploitation of child actors, bury your gays and fridging tropes. It almost feels like this book needs a sequel to flesh out what has been teased to give the story more depth. If you enjoy a good gays in space romp that isn't too heavy hitting, this is good for that. Minus the discussions of sexual assault, I would be wary of that if that's something you are sensitive about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Death
merry_quistmas's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
julialago's review against another edition
5.0
Positivamente impressionada com esse livro do Shaun, sendo talvez o meu favorito dele. A temática sobrenatural e apocalíptica é algo recorrente nas suas obras mas eu geralmente termino os livros achando que ele não conseguiu fechar bem toda a maluquice que ele criou.
Não é o caso desse aqui. Com a premissa extremamente absurda e reviravoltas de acontecimentos mais absurdos ainda, esse livro consegue se sustentar no caos e na narrativa quase televisiva em que cada capitulo acontece uma coisa diferente (não estando sempre relacionada à trama principal).
Minha única crítica é recorrente do gênero YA como um todo: os personagens precisam ter 16 anos? Custava nada colocar as crianças com 20, faria um pouco mais de sentido (mesmo que nada nesse livro faça sentido).
Em resumo: super caótico, super divertido, final mais caótico ainda mas justamente por isso acho que foi um desfecho satisfatório pela primeira vez, em todos os livros do Shaun que já li.
Não é o caso desse aqui. Com a premissa extremamente absurda e reviravoltas de acontecimentos mais absurdos ainda, esse livro consegue se sustentar no caos e na narrativa quase televisiva em que cada capitulo acontece uma coisa diferente (não estando sempre relacionada à trama principal).
Minha única crítica é recorrente do gênero YA como um todo: os personagens precisam ter 16 anos? Custava nada colocar as crianças com 20, faria um pouco mais de sentido (mesmo que nada nesse livro faça sentido).
Em resumo: super caótico, super divertido, final mais caótico ainda mas justamente por isso acho que foi um desfecho satisfatório pela primeira vez, em todos os livros do Shaun que já li.
lotiel's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cmhamper's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
avalith's review against another edition
5.0
For the first big chunk of this I was like 'Hmmm' but then when I figured out what this book was really about I was like 'oh hell yeah'
Anyways, I liked it a lot.
Anyways, I liked it a lot.
jennyzurita's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, but I honestly preferred the story before the whole Black Mirror-esque twist. I just loved the story of some teens stuck in space! I still enjoyed where it ended up and would read a sequel if it has one. Was a quick fun read!
thats_tarable's review against another edition
DNF @ 17%
I’m trying to not force myself to read books that I don’t like even though I’ve already started them.
But I didn’t like this because the main character was annoying to me and I don’t like the quirky kid trope of being a dick.
I’m trying to not force myself to read books that I don’t like even though I’ve already started them.
But I didn’t like this because the main character was annoying to me and I don’t like the quirky kid trope of being a dick.