A few days ago, I finished rereading Skyhunter by Marie Lu in preparation to read the sequel, Steelstriker.
I enjoyed reading it a second time and noticing things that I hadn’t before. Since the first time I read it, I’ve read a few of the author’s other work and she has become my favorite author.
Summary:
In Skyhunter, Talin, a mute Striker, fights against the Karensa Federation which is trying to take over Mara, the last free nation. Everyone else believes that it’s a losing war but after Talin rescues a Federation deserter, she discovers that he may be their last chance.
Content Warning:
Some possible triggers to be aware of are that there is a lot of violence and gore and that one of the characters has suicidal thoughts.
What I Loved:
One of the first things I noticed about this book that really made me love it was that the main character is mute. This is the first book that I’ve read with that kind of representation and I found it super interesting. Marie Lu did a great job of incorporating that aspect of the story.
I also enjoyed the commentary on immigration policy and racism. It was interesting to read, especially from the perspective of an AAPI author.
The world building was incredible. I loved that every country in the book had its own history and culture.
Even the characters that weren’t romantically involved had great chemistry between each other. My favorite relationship was actually not the main relationship between Talin and Red, but the friendship between Jeran and Adena. It was really beautiful to read how they would do anything to protect each other.
What I Didn’t Love:
The pacing was a little bit off. I found that the pacing was perfect at the beginning, sluggish in the middle, and at the end, everything happened so fast that it was hard to keep track of all the plot twists.
Another thing I will add is that if you are looking for escapism, this book is probably not for you, at least not right now with everything happening in the world.
Overall, Skyhunter was an intriguing novel that explored real-world issues in a fresh way. I can’t wait to read more of the characters and find out what happens next in Steelstriker.
Have you read Skyhunter or any other books like it? Would love to chat in the comments. <3
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