Born Andromeda

A coming-of-age sci-fi adventure without a whole lot of substance. Princess Andromeda is captured by space pirates and must find a way to escape, pretty standard high-concept plot that has a lot of potential, however, the story is without any forward momentum. While the prose itself was fine, the story never truly felt weighted or have any importance. There was no ticking clock, no sense that there was a pressing danger that could help move the story in any direction.

It seems as if the story wanted its cake and to eat it too. Andromeda never truly committed to the life of piracy, nor any attempts to escape back to her home, so she was floating in stasis of inaction. I was waiting for Andromeda to start using her knowledge about machines to start building an escape pod or a radio or something while leading a secret life aboard the ship, but it's as if the events that come later in the book require her to stay on board.

I appreciated the LGBTQ rep, especially the bi/poly rep, but the relationship with Allen felt far more fleshed out and established than the one with Mars. Terribly disappointing.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions my own.