Orphans -- Juvenile fiction. |
Loneliness -- Juvenile fiction. |
Outer space -- Juvenile fiction. |
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Audience | Shelf Location | Material Type | Shelf Number | Current Location |
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Teen/Young Adult | Fiction | Book | YA FIC JAMES | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
A surprising and gripping sci-fi thriller with a killer twist
The daughter of two astronauts, Romy Silvers is no stranger to life in space. But she never knew how isolating the universe could be until her parents' tragic deaths left her alone on the Infinity, a spaceship speeding away from Earth.
Romy tries to make the best of her lonely situation, but with only brief messages from her therapist on Earth to keep her company, she can't help but feel like something is missing. It seems like a dream come true when NASA alerts her that another ship, the Eternity, will be joining the Infinity.
Romy begins exchanging messages with J, the captain of the Eternity, and their friendship breathes new life into her world. But as the Eternity gets closer, Romy learns there's more to J's mission than she could have imagined. And suddenly, there are worse things than being alone....
Now nominated as a YALSA Quick Pick!
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-Romy Silvers was born on The Infinity 16 years ago and has never been to Earth. As the ship soars the galaxy to colonize a new planet, Earth II, Romy is left to command the ship after her parents' death. As the only human onboard, Romy passes her time writing fan fiction about her favorite earthen TV show and emailing her NASA liaison-her only source of communication. Romy receives a message that a new ship with Commander J is on the way to help her, and she's excited to no longer be alone. Through emails filled with their deepest thoughts and concerns, Romy counts down the days until J joins her and wonders if he's as dreamy as her favorite TV show character. With war looming on the horizon, the uncertainty of the new Earth, and a new man joining the mission, Romy wonders if loneliness is the least of her concerns. Peppered with email exchanges from Earth and Commander J, this sci-fi tale is about a young woman looking forward to her future while fighting her nightmares from the past. Romy is an average and relatable teen who dreams of love and crushes on TV actors. Though she is the commander of a ship and gifted in math and science, she also has moments of insecurity and weakness. The author attempts to compose a narrative about loneliness, but this falls short of going deeper into the psychological effects of losing parents and truly being alone for five years. -VERDICT Not recommended.-Dawn Abron, -Zion-Benton Public Library, IL © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
It's 2067, and 16-year-old Romy Silvers, following the death of her parents on the ship five years earlier, is all alone as commander of the Infinity as it travels to Planet HT 3485 c, a possibly inhabitable exoplanet that NASA hopes will ensure humanity's long-term survival. Romy should arrive in 2092, which leaves her with a lot of time to watch her favorite show, Loch & Ness; write fan fiction; and share audio transcripts with her therapist, Molly. When Romy finds out that another ship, the Eternity, will cross paths with her ship in a year, she's ecstatic and begins exchanging emails with the Eternity's captain, the charming J. Shoreditch. Suddenly, Romy, who desperately misses her parents, now has hope for the future and, perhaps, a chance at love. When troubling news from Earth arrives and she's cut off from NASA, things take a turn for the eerie, and Romy worries that the sins of her parents are resurfacing to haunt her. In James's suspenseful and clever debut, the immensely likable Romy conveys her desire for the very human contact that will leave her vulnerable. Shocking revelations about J. and the Eternity's mission, as well as what really happened to her parents and the astronauts aboard the Infinity, pave the way to a harrowing finale. Ages 14-up. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
After her parents and the rest of the crew died, teenage Romy, now the ship's commander, is all alone on an interstellar spaceship headed (hopefully) toward a new Earth-like planet. She passes the time reading and writing fanfic from her favorite TV show and emailing a counselor back on Earth to handle her anxiety. When she gets news that a second, faster ship is coming to accompany her to the new planet, she's thrilled to discover that the commander of that ship, J, is only a little older than her, and their email exchange makes him seem perfect. When unrest back on Earth causes problems for their mission, Romy relies on J even more. At the outset, James' debut seems like a sf character study with glimmers of light romance, but as she skillfully, slowly unspools suspense and dread, as well as a creepy recurring nightmare and the traumatic details of Romy's parents' deaths, it more closely resembles horror. This slow-burn genre-blender has surprising twists and turns, and patient readers will be rewarded by the explosive ending.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2018 Booklist