Expectation is a powerful thing in reading. It shapes how we enter a story, what we look for, and sometimes what we miss. Ignore All Previous Instructions challenged mine almost immediately—shifting from what looked like a fun, spacefaring romp into something much more grounded, and much more serious.
Hype Report
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Aesthetic
The Cover
The cover of Ignore All Previous Instructions is so fun! Retro Space Poster vibes signal a fun, campy space story with heart. Will the story and the cover match? Read on to find out.
The complementary orange and blue tones pop against the dark background of space. The extruded block letters with bright outlines set a fun, throwback tone. Center-aligned elements with the rocket pulling to the left, fuel stream chasing behind, create a sense of dynamism and movement.
Love the pirate flag detail on the spaceship! How does that Easter egg tie in? Guess you’ll have to read it to find out!
Interior
As this was an Advanced Read Copy (ARC) I won’t comment on the formatting because it is sure to change before publication.
Did the design affect whether I bought the book?
The cover absolutely made me request this book to read and review an advance copy! It immediately caught my eye and made me want to know more.
Summary
In Short
Kelli and Am/Rowan struggle to navigate both their personal relationship with one another and as individuals being ostracized because of their own intersectional identities.
From the Publisher
A script supervisor for an AI media conglomerate is caught between her intense need for an orderly life and her deeper, darker queer desires. From the creator of the Outside trilogy, a heartfelt interplanetary epic of identity, longing… and space pirates who smuggle inappropriate stories.
“A deliciously queer, timely ode to human creativity in an ever-more-algorithmic world. Its subtle philosophical depth, keen observations, and lyrical poignancy will wow you, even as its neurodivergent hero steals your heart.”
—Maria Dong, author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief and Aviary
Kelli Reynolds loves creating stories more than anything in the world. But on Callisto, a generative AI company called Inspiration owns everything, including all the media, and only Inspiration determines which stories can be told.
Kelli has a rare and coveted job in which her autism is to her advantage: she precisely edits AI output into “appropriate” stories for Inspiration’s massive TV audience. Her proudest creation is the pirate Orlando—a dashing do-gooder based on stories she used to tell friends.
Re-enter Kelli’s ex-boyfriend Rowan, the person Kelli based Orlando on. Back when they were teenagers, their relationship was a secret. Kelli had thought that Rowan, a trans man, was her schoolmate Am, a girl.
Rowan is tangled up in the black market after he needed to get money for gender affirming surgery. He needs Kelli’s help with something… illegal. So now Kelli has to decide: will she risk the safe, tidy story of her life now for the world she once wished for? What would Orlando do?
Passionate, dangerous, and tender, Ignore All Previous Instructions is a sweeping, poignant novel about forbidden love, growing up, and fighting against censorship.
Character Analysis
Ignore All Previous Instructions primarily focuses on two characters. These two have a lot of depth and nuance. Their motivations and actions are the main drivers of the narrative. The side characters are hinted at having these same nuanced personalities, but we don’t really get to look too closely. Kelli and Am/Rowan struggle to navigate both their personal relationship with one another and as individuals being ostracized because of their own intersectional identities.
Writing Style
The formatting of this dual timeline was interesting. The present-day timeline was in one main character’s point of view (pov) (Kelli), while the story told about the characters in their youth was told from the other main character’s pov (Am/Rowan). So we know what Kelli thinks about Am/Rowan, but come to learn what happened between them and how deeply Am/Rowan feels for Kelli as the story unfolds.
Kelli, an autistic generative AI prompt storyteller, intermittently gives herself prompts to help her determine how to behave in unfamiliar situations. She uses a made-up character to help her tap into her own courage and wit. A metaphorical allusion to “hacking” our own minds to be better versions of ourselves.
Themes
Representation in media matters. Neurodivergency, orientation, gender, race, and various categories by which a person could be cast as “other” are the central themes of Ingnore All Previous Instrictions.
Storytelling as a means of connection vs a means of control. When the governing body owns stories, it becomes very easy to set norms and erase non-normative persons and behaviours.
Dangers and shortcomings of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Love, friendship, and found family.
Critical Evaluation
Hoffmann makes these themes undeniable. Ignore All Previous Instructions is a point personified. However, at times, the driving home of the points caused the characters to feel distant from the reader, maybe even a bit heavy-handed. The story was interesting and layered and insightful, but somehow felt hard to be emotional about. I wanted to like the characters, and to a degree I did, but I never got to the point of being invested or attached to them.
Cover Accuracy
Did the book cover accurately portray the book contents?
Mismatch. This one definitely fooled me. I was expecting something a bit more light-hearted and campy, maybe more focused on the heist aspect. So I was a bit confused when that wasn’t really what this was. However, once I got over the mismatch in my brain, this was a good story with resonant themes.
Personal Opinion
While reading Ignore All Previous Instructions, I had the random thought that this book feels a little bit like Fahrenheit 451. I can’t put my finger on exactly what made me feel that way, but there you have it.
I have mixed emotions about Ignore All Previous Instructions. There are elements of the story that I liked, but never quite fell in love with. I do appreciate the story, especially the weight of the themes and how well they were woven together into a coherent storyline. A tale that makes you think, as this one does, has the power to open minds, but a book that evokes deep emotion has the power to open hearts – and sticks with you long after it’s over. Ignore All Previous Instructions feels important, but not moving.
Recommendation
If the theme of neurodivergence or queer identities in storytelling intrests you, Ignore All Previous Instructions is well worth the short time it takes to read.
Folks obsessed with the current rise of AI, get on board this ship! Ignore All Previous Instructions takes a hard look at the real impacts of reliance on artificial intelligence.
Friends looking for a thrilling space heist, Ignore All Previous Instructions might not satisfy.
What are your favorite books with neurodivergent or queer representation?
May your life be as full as your bookshelf and as long as your TBR list.
Happy Reading!
Consider life’s deep questions; shallow ones too.
“Existential Ruminations” lined, 120-page, paperback journal.
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