I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This was incredible. End of review, that’s all. Just incredible.

But to go into more detail: this book is a flawlessly woven a sci fi story that focussed on the bonds between people, and how they can change and grow, or die and rot.
I love the magic system surrounding the tethers; the concept that the connections you have with people can be seen and held. The way this book handles grief and healing is visceral, and I couldn’t tear myself away from it.

Yeah, the sci fi elements were great, and the plot was paced well, but really the characters are the stand out here. Remy, Idrian, Tirani and Yves will stay with me a long time after this book. Each of them feels very real to me, complex in their grief and hatred but most importantly the family they find in each other.

A sci-fi journey with a focus on platonic love and grief with some fantastic a-spec representation!

4.5 ⭐️

For me, a sci-fi book is a hit or miss and this was an absolutely hit. I had a hard time putting it down and I really just wanted to know more about the characters and find out where the plot was going.

I won't lie, I did have a bit of trouble understanding the magical bonds and how they worked and were linked to everyone (my bad). That aside, I did love the concept of the tethers. Everyone is connected in some way, romanctic or platonic, you name it and each one of these bonds can be linked to a different part of the body (and will resemble a different relationship).

The main character, Remy, is a complex character. He has his flaws, but I loved his character growth throughout the story. Now, don't even get me started about the rest of the characters because I loved every single one of them. Idrian and his crew were just *chef's kiss*. Even if they were a little messy and chaotic, they were still incredibly loyal to each other. ++ Who doesn't love a found family.

I also found this book extremely well written and I had no trouble figuring out where the story took place. I was able to picture everything so vividly and it almost felt like I was there with the characters.

I highly recommend this book to anyone (even the people that rarely read sci-fi). I had a lot of fun reading this and I just wish there was more. I can't wait to read more books from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful story with a variety of key themes - from found family, queer relationships, the impact of politics and poverty, deception and betrayal but most of all - love. While it took me a few chapters to wrap my head around tethers and how they work, once I understood I was fully in and this story took me on a ride. This is a story about how nobody is perfect. That flawed people exist and change doesn't stop them being flawed. Remy is a complex character who is learning about how the world he thought he knew doesn't actually exist. Probably my favourite book of the year so far!

This is definitely a story I will be thinking about for a long time after.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape for the Arc.

Wow! Jules Arbeaux has crafted a masterpiece with this book. The tether system is intriguing, and created with such depth and variety. The weavers and witherers add another dimension to every relati9nship in this book.

The plot keeps you on your toes, right up until the very end. Every time you think you've got it all figured out, another puzzle piece drops into place, and the image becomes clearer.

At its heart, this is a book about family, both blood and found, and what it really means to be a good person, no matter the individual cost.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and couldn't put it down.

casually made me sob and I said thank you:) the way this book explores grief and queer platonic friendships was so beautiful! we do not get enough cosy sci-fi novels, but this one just hit the spot!

*Thank you to Hodderscape and Netgalley for the eARC! This is my honest review*

I'm going to be honest, the first think that caught my mind was the cover. I loved to colours, the quietness of it but this that vibrant tone. Then the title intrigued me, and the blurb. I am not a science-fiction fan. At all. The technologies and themes tend to push me back. But here, it wasn't a something that bothered me at all. It felt a bit like fantasy, but with high tech and spaceship and artificial moons. I love it ! Really I wasn't expecting to fall this hard for the book. But oh gods did I love it. The tethers, in their various kinds, was such a well managed and interesting take. Genarelly, these kinds of bonds are limited to romantic relatioships, which was laways somehwat of a bother to me. Here, there is all kind of bonds, linked to different part of the body, for different relationships. How refreshing and well thought !
The exploration of grief, revenge, privilege and love was amazing. Queer platonic love! I need more of that. Found family too. Amazing.
The main character and narrator, Remy, is so relatable in his flaws, hurts, loves, and how he reacts as he learns about his world, other people and himself. I want to hug him. I want to hug Idrian too, so bad.
The pacing worked really well and is a important part of why I read nearly the whole book in a day. I generally dislike fast pacing because I feel like I am being rushed everywhere without time to breathe, but in this case, it was well manage enough to have these quieter moment to process what was happening, without really grounding to a stop. Really well done!
Jules Arbeaux offers us a heartwarming, eye tearing story of a found family set on protecting their ideals and each other, with growing bonds and learning how to let go, when the time comes.