Book: When the Universe Sings by Gillian Eliza West
Reviewed by Nova Brock
Rating: 3/5
When the Universe Sings was such a unexpected read for me. A space heist with a ragtag crew, revenge, mysterious planets, different species, and a whole lot of secrets? I was absolutely here for it. I especially loved the concept of the crew and the idea of these two sad, broken people traveling through space together while trying to navigate feelings neither of them really wants to deal with.
The writing itself flowed really well and made the story easy to get into, and despite introducing different planets and species, I never felt overwhelmed trying to keep track of everything. I also really enjoyed the overall concept of the plot. Even when some of the twists were fairly easy to predict, I honestly didn't mind because I was having fun with the journey.
Juniper was an interesting FMC, especially because she doesn't speak for much of the book. I understood why that choice was made for her character and story, but I did find that it made some of her relationships difficult to believe. The crew suddenly feeling like a close-knit found family didn't completely work for me when Juniper spends so much of the story quietly observing from the sidelines. I wanted to see more genuine interactions between them and more of their individual personalities outside of their trauma and the mission. Or at least see a bit more of the other characters trying to reach out to her and growing more fond to her by companionship and being close to each other personally for so long if nothing else.
I had a similar issue with the romance. As someone who doesn't care much for romance in stories but doesn't mind it should it fit the book, the idea of the relationship, especially the take on fated mates and the way it allowed for more personal autonomy drew me in. But the relationship with the MMC felt like it developed very suddenly, and I think the story would have benefited from giving them more time to actually build that connection. Honestly, I could have easily read another 100–200 pages of character development and worldbuilding if it helped the connections feel stronger and have more depth.
And that's probably where I felt the biggest missed opportunity was: the world. There are so many fascinating ideas introduced here, but I would've appreciated more. We get glimpses of planets, species, political conflicts, the universe itself, and the mysterious "singing," but many of those things are mentioned without being fully explored. I wanted to understand the world rather than simply being told that something important had happened.
Despite that, I enjoyed the writing and the overall experience. There is a really cool story underneath everything, and I found myself wishing the book was longer because I wanted more time with the characters and this universe. The ending also felt a little rushed, and I think this story definitely needs to be at least a duology rather than trying to wrap everything up so quickly for a solo story. The ending felt like it was hanging onto another story waiting to be finished but not in the way normal cliffhangers feel. Hopefully when the next book comes out it will help seal the storyline and build up this first book more.
This was a fun space adventure with a great concept, smooth writing, and a crew I wanted to know much more about. I just wish the book had given itself more room to breathe. I'm definitely curious to see what Gillian Eliza West does with this universe next.