BiteIntoBooks: Review: The Loneliness of Distant Beings (Ventura Saga #1)

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Review: The Loneliness of Distant Beings (Ventura Saga #1)

Author: Kate Ling
Started reading: October 5th 2017
Finished the book: October 25th 2017
Pages: 269
Genres: Science Fiction, YA, Romance
Published: May 19th 2016
Source: Celebrate Books Box
Goodreads score: 3.46
My score:

Synopsis
Even though she knows it's impossible, Seren longs to have the sunshine on her skin. It's something she feels she needs to stay sane. But when you're floating through space at thousands of kilometres an hour, sometimes you have to accept there are things you cannot change.

Except that the arrival of Dom in her life changes everything in ways she can barely comprehend. For a while he becomes the Sun for her; and she can't help but stay in his orbit. Being with him flaunts every rule designed to keep their home in order, but to lose him would be like losing herself.

My thoughts

I was so excited when I found this book in my Celebrate Books Box. I read this book together with Marieke, who is also a member of Books Ever After (a Goodreads book-club). So much fun to read books together and share thoughts about this story. There were definitely parts in this book where it was hard to wait and discus the book first, before reading another part. The book is fast paced and easy to read.

Pros

Oppressive feeling: My gawd. I had such an awful feeling at some parts in this book. Being in a space ship where your whole life is decided for you, where your family doesn't understand you and where you are so unhappy with yourself and your life... I would feel like I couldn't breathe. When you find this one person that makes you happy, with whom you can be yourself, and no one is happy for you, they just want you to follow the rules... Great world building!
Unique setting: A huge spaceship that took off from earth to find new beings and new life in space. Men and women get selected to have kids together to make sure humans don't die out on this spaceship. I've read a great deal of Sci-Fi, but this was so unique. The way everyone's life is decided for them, even their jobs and their spouse and when to have kids and when to marry... Added so much to the oppressive feeling I had throughout this book.
Main character: Seren.. Yes! She is something different. She is stubborn and she doesn't like the position she is in. I see it all the time, a main character that is unhappy but doesn't take action and doesn't speak up about this.. Seren does! It's not always the smart thing to do, but so much fun for the story-line. She takes action and she is not afraid to give her opinion. I loved her personality and I loved to read about a main character who is not afraid to follow her heart.

Cons

Cliche love story: This is YA, and I could totally see that in the love story that is going on. This is a romance book, and romance there is. The love story felt a bit cliche, with the family disapproving and trying to keep Seren and Dom apart. It felt a bit Titanic with Rose and Jack, it felt a bit Romeo and Juliet... It's done before.
More details: What is this space ship?! It's huge! You get a lot of information about the daily life on board, but I'd love to have me some more details. I had a hard time imagining things and I'd love to be given more details so I'd be able to create this picture in my mind.

Overall

The best part about this book is the world-building together with the setting. I loved the dreadful feeling I was having while reading the book. The fact that Seren is true to herself makes this a very interesting read. I kept wondering what not-so-smart thing she would do to keep the story-line going.