If you are a mostly adult SFF + YA reader like me, it doesn't matter which books you've read - this will be one of the weirdest you've ever found. It'If you are a mostly adult SFF + YA reader like me, it doesn't matter which books you've read - this will be one of the weirdest you've ever found. It's Eurovision in space, against aliens, and if the humans lose, they will be exterminated.
This is the kind of book that doesn't make sense, but it also does. It's so over-the-top it's almost exhausting, it's comedy, it's so alien - but it's also a very human, very serious book. Its main themes are what it means to be human, whether human life is redeemable, the importance of art, and the nature of life itself.
But Space Opera didn't stop here, and that's why I loved it. It's funny while calling out sexism, racism and transphobia, it deals with colonialism, and it's openly political without becoming preachy. Also, chapter 13 is one of the best things I've ever read.
I've never liked comedy, so I was hesitant when I started this book - I like weird and I liked the premise, but all "funny" books I had ever read always felt like they were trying too hard. This felt different, mostly because nonsense is my sense of humor, and because the writing was always beautiful here, even when it made no sense.
And maybe the characters are never the strongest point in Valente's books, but I loved them too. We have: ⇝ Danesh Jalo / Decibel Jones, a multiracial (Pakistani, Nigerian, Welsh and Swedish descent) person who describes himself as "omnisexual gendersplat", singer of the glamrock band Absolute Zeros in his youth. The mess that must save humanity, according to the aliens. ⇝ Mira Wonderful Star, "girlfraud, drummer, serial keyboard assaulter". Her death in a car accident put an end to the Absolute Zeros' career. Deserved better, everyone knows that (including the aliens), and so it goes. ⇝Omar Calişkan / Oort St. Ultraviolet, Turkish descent, "man-of-all-instruments, boyfrack". Has tried to rebuild a functional life after all this mess, but the aliens don't agree. Also, the cat. ⇝ a very emotionally manipulative but not-so-bad after all flamingo/anglerfish hybrid-looking alien ⇝ a time-traveling hyperactive alien red panda I loved all of them, and I loved all the weird alien species described. There's so much here that could have been explored, a whole universe of weird creatures I'd read a series about.
There was only one thing I didn't love: when the aliens come to Earth with the list of musicians that could represent humanity, the ones that are mentioned in the book are overwhelmingly English-speaking/singing. English is not the only language, and I think the aliens know that....more
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