Review – Demigod 12 (Tinkered Starsong, Book 2) by Gail Carriger (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: ‎ 370 pages
Publisher:‎ GAIL CARRIGER LLC
Release Date: August 1, 2023
ASIN: ‎ B0C682PS4C
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Tinkered Starsong series
Source: Borrowed ebook from Library
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Phex and his pantheon have become demigods and are taking their show on a galaxy-wide tour. Phex is shockingly good at singing but his voice is intoxicating and one wrong note can kill so everyone wants a piece of him – sometimes literally. But the aliens in charge of the divinity are hiding something even more sinister and it’s hurting performers and audiences alike. When his lover is pitted against his pantheon, Phex will have to choose between the family he has found and the god he adores.

Let’s take this show on the road – where the show is divine and the road is through the stars. Be careful, the moment you start listening you may never want to stop, and you just might kill to keep the music alive.”

Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Tinkered Starsong series. I borrowed this on ebook from my library.

Thoughts: This is the second book in the Tinkered Starsong series. Although this wasn’t as fascinating as the first book, I still really enjoyed this book. This book focuses more on how our characters grow and change as they start touring as demi-gods. In a huge twist they end up on tour with the most famous pantheon in the universe.

This is a very character-driven story and a lot of the wonder of the first book is absent in this one. This book really focuses on Phex and his pantheon and around the things happening with Misit’s pantheon. There is a lot of pull between Phex’s pantheon needing him, Missit’s pantheon needing Phex, Missit needing Phex, and Phex needing to not be burned out. This was very much more on the soap opera, drama end of things and less on the cool space travel and world-building end of things as far as science fiction goes.

Unfortunately, Missit is one of my least favorite characters in this series. He is just so needy and selfish. I hope he grows some in the next book in this series.

I really did enjoy getting to learn more about the Dysei culture and some other sub-classes of development there. I liked that we get to travel to new worlds with the characters, but was sad those new worlds weren’t explored at all.

I feel like I am complaining a lot here. I did enjoy this, I just didn’t think it was as awesome as the first book in the series. It felt a bit repetitive and was too focused on a lot of the characters’ internal thoughts. I would love to see some new revelations about the world here and also see both Phex and Missit grow as characters a bit more in future book.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this but I didn’t love it as much as the first book. Things feel a bit repetitive as they journey from world to world on tour and the book is very focused on character interactions and less on space travel and the new worlds they go to. It was still a very cozy read that leaves you feeling nice and happy, just not as fascinating and engaging as the first book. I plan on continuing with the series.