Floating Hotel

As the Grand Abeona Hotel moves on its annual circuitous route from planet to planet, system to system, it pampers a constant stream of guests, both new and returning.

The concept intrigued me, but I found the execution disappointing. This is not a cosy, found family story set in space à la Becky Chambers at all. While the writing was fine, this was not the book for me, I just didn’t like it very much.

So many characters, and I didn’t care for a single one. The story dragged pointlessly, never seeming to properly start, and the reveal at the end was.… not one? If it was meant as a twist, it was painfully obvious, and if not, the flourish with which it was uncovered felt a bit silly. In retrospect, I think I was supposed to find it full of small mysteries, but it definitely didn’t come across that way, and not a single one of them was particularly interesting.

A little bit like if The Restaurant At the End of the Universe were a hotel instead (but less fantastical/absurd), and with just a touch of The Communist Manifesto thrown in.

I really enjoyed the style of writing, where each chapter is from a different character's point of view. It meant it read a little bit like a collection of short stories, which I felt made it easier to read.

I liked a lot about this book, even though I felt like it lacked some polish, particularly in wrapping the plot up. It is told through slice-of-life-ish vignettes about various characters and how they ended up working at the hotel, with the story revealed incidentally in the background the character's stories. I found this book endearing but ultimately... it's not really a hotel is it? isn't it a cruise ship? this bothered me a lot.