Review - "Skyward"

Skyward
by Brandon Sanderson
rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
published: 6th November 2018
spoilers? no

Goodreads

But remember, Spensa. You get to choose who you are.

Galley provided by publisher

I have always found it incredibly hard to review books I loved, and Skyward by Brandon Sanderson is hardly going to break that streak. Because it's been about six hours since I finished it and I'm no closer to working out what I want to say about the book.

Let me start with the plot. The human race has been driven almost to extinction, and the survivors are trapped on a planet, surrounded by space debris and periodically attacked by an alien race called the Krell. Spensa, the main character, is desperate to become a pilot and a hero, after her father is branded a coward and her family shunned. While investigating the caves and tunnels around the city, Spensa stumbles across a ancient ship, which seems to be the key to her dream.

One of the things I loved about this book was how, despite being a book centered around the idea of a flight school essentially, there is a lot of action still going on. Because the human forces are continually being depleted by the alien incursions, the cadets are also employed in the defense of their base and the city underneath it. Sometimes I'll get bored reading about books set in schools because they spend a lot of time on lessons and rivalries, and the action won't come until the last third of the book, but that's definitely not the case here. The plot is action-packed, but still takes the time to make you fall in love with every single character, even when you only have a few chapters with them.

As well as making you fall in love with the characters, Brandon Sanderson has this way of developing relationships so realistically, and heartbreakingly at times, and I love it so much. I mentioned briefly that, unlike a lot of books based in schools, there aren't any rivalries in this. Spensa doesn't come into class to find a rich kid who detests her on site and wants to make her life hell. There's none of that, and I really really loved it. Not only is there none of it, this book gives you such a nice found family trope, and I'm really weak for those. I loved each and every one of Skyward Flight, really really loved them, and I know I've used the words "really" and "love" way too much but I genuinely don't know how to put into words my feelings about these characters. (Also, there is an excellent slowburning enemies to friends to maybe (hopefully) lovers going on between Jorgen and Spensa, so I'm desperate to hear whether there'll be a sequel.)

In true Brandon Sanderson fashion, though, this book also broke my heart. It's a war, we're told it's a war, and that there are high casualty rates among pilots, but still I wasn't prepared for any of what happened. That's an unfortunate byproduct of loving every single character Brandon Sanderson writes when I just know that's he's five minutes away from tragedy at any given time.

If this rambling review hasn't convinced you to read this (and I wouldn't blame you), then just know this: Brandon Sanderson's sci-fi is just as good as his fantasy. A.K.A. you should read both.

(Also, found family.)