Faven Sythe is a cryst-born navigator, a semi-human capable of creating faster-than-light pathways between the stars. When her mentor, Ulana, mysteriously disappears into the Clutch, a cosmic graveyard that even the most intrepid interstellar travelers avoid, Faven is convinced that something fishy is going on. Luckily (or perhaps unluckily), she crosses paths with notorious pirate Bitter Amandine, who is one of few who has been to the heart of the Clutch and lived to tell the tale — though she won't, as it was that scarring to her psyche — and the odd pairing embarks on a mission to track down Ulana and figure out what could be going on.
Generally speaking, a standalone space opera with pirates and human/alien hybrids is right up my alley, reading-wise. But something about this one didn't quite catch and hold my attention. The plot felt a bit repetitive, I couldn't really see much character growth in Faven or Amandine, and the cryst backstory felt a bit confusing and flimsy. There are better space operas out there.
