After eight years in prison for a botched heist, Edie is forced to team up with Angel—the ex-friend who betrayed them—for one last job targeting a corrupt tech billionaire on a cyberpunk space station, all while navigating fraught family ties, queer identity, and a messy, unresolved romance. Blending Hawaiian culture and found family themes, the story prioritizes character relationships and community over high-stakes tension, offering a fresh, inclusive twist on the classic heist narrative.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a cyberpunk future on the Kepler space station, the novel follows Edie, a butch, agender Hawaiian ex-con who is released from prison after eight years, only to be approached by Angel—the childhood friend and former partner who betrayed them—for one last heist targeting a powerful tech billionaire. The story weaves together elements of a classic heist plot, found family, and a messy, long-standing romance, all against a backdrop of pronounced Hawaiian cultural identity, including the use of Pidgin and references to Old Earth customs. The narrative explores Edie’s struggle to support their family, particularly a pregnant sister and a sick niece, while grappling with the temptation and risks of returning to crime. The ensemble cast features a range of queer, trans, and nonbinary characters, and the plot is driven by themes of forgiveness, community, and resistance to corporate greed, with the heist serving as a catalyst for both personal and collective transformation.

Readers praised the book’s representation and normalization of queer and trans identities, especially within a Pacific Islander context. The inclusion of Hawaiian Pidgin and cultural details was frequently highlighted as a strength, adding authenticity and depth to the family and community dynamics. Many found the focus on Edie’s relationships—with their family, with Angel, and with the heist crew—engaging and emotionally resonant, appreciating the exploration of butch identity and the depiction of found family. The heist elements, while familiar, were enjoyable for some, and the book’s fast pace, strong narrative voice, and the normalization of diverse identities in a futuristic setting were noted as positive aspects. Several readers also enjoyed the audiobook narration and the camaraderie among the crew.

Criticisms centered on the book’s world-building, with many readers finding the space station setting underdeveloped and lacking a distinct sense of place, often feeling interchangeable with an Earth-based story. The heist plot was described as formulaic, with low stakes, minimal tension, and few genuine obstacles or surprises; some felt the crew’s success came too easily, with little planning or risk. Secondary characters were often seen as underdeveloped or archetypal, and the antagonist was described as cartoonish or one-dimensional. The romance between Edie and Angel was divisive, with several readers finding it toxic, rushed, or unconvincing, and some felt Angel’s motivations and redemption were insufficiently explored. A number of reviewers also noted issues with pacing, particularly in the first half, and felt that the book’s resolution was too neat or failed to address deeper systemic issues raised in the narrative.

The book has received a wide range of responses, reflected in its average rating of 3.6 out of 5 from over 3,000 readers and nearly 1,000 full reviews. It is marketed as a blend of Ocean’s 8 and Blade Runner, with comparisons to Gideon the Ninth and Six of Crows, and is positioned as a queer, adult science fiction debut with strong Hawaiian and diaspora themes. While some readers found it an enjoyable, fast-paced, and affirming read, others were disappointed by its execution of genre elements and character development. The novel’s focus on community, cultural identity, and socioeconomic commentary was frequently noted, and it is recommended for those interested in character-driven, queer-centric stories with a heist framework, though expectations for intricate plotting or immersive world-building may not be met.