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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This did not at all catch my interest when I tried to sit down and read it, but the audiobook was fantastic. This is set not terribly far in the future, when there is a settlement on Mars, built after a successful settlement on the moon. But life on Earth is not apocalyptic, and not greatly different from current life on Earth. We hear about life on Mars from the viewpoint of 11-year-old Bell. We see through his eyes the danger of leaving the settlement and the danger from the settlements of other countries, but we only learn of the story behind all that gradually. The book was written before COVID, and before our current political situation, but the commentary on isolation and nationalism is prescient and important.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: War
I’m obviously not the target audience, mighta appreciated the good qualities more as a kid, but this one just had issues. Not engaging, unlikeable characters, and a conflict that just.. what? That’s the whole issue? Bruh, you teased aliens and the entire concern came down to miscommunication? Good lord.
There’s also a lot of (spoiler) death for a kid’s book, and some of the vocabulary seems a bit advanced. It’s just rather uneven to me- the plot and character development seem aimed at kids younger than the actual narrative structure/vocabulary. Maybe I’m totally wrong there, but either way it just was not an especially gripping read. The protagonist is too over-the-top kind and optimistic, and never shows fear to begin with, so what growth is there? And again, the conflict itself is lame, so I just kinda raced through, because none of this went an interesting direction.
Maybe a good read for book-hungry 8-12 year olds, but this one just did nothin for me. I like to think I can appreciate kid’s fiction, and this is all sparkle, no substance.
There’s also a lot of (spoiler) death for a kid’s book, and some of the vocabulary seems a bit advanced. It’s just rather uneven to me- the plot and character development seem aimed at kids younger than the actual narrative structure/vocabulary. Maybe I’m totally wrong there, but either way it just was not an especially gripping read. The protagonist is too over-the-top kind and optimistic, and never shows fear to begin with, so what growth is there? And again, the conflict itself is lame, so I just kinda raced through, because none of this went an interesting direction.
Maybe a good read for book-hungry 8-12 year olds, but this one just did nothin for me. I like to think I can appreciate kid’s fiction, and this is all sparkle, no substance.
adventurous
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The pacing and plot were kinda weak, but the world and characters were so nice I bumped it up to 4 stars.
I loved this story! It almost makes me believe we could travel to Mars - and that I would want to go!
At the heart of this story is that we need others.
At the heart of this story is that we need others.
This one is probably my favorite Mark Twain Nominee so far this year. I'd give it about a 3.5. It's a great discussion book and my Chat & Chew group had a lot to say about it!
This felt like such a quiet, simple story while I was reading it, but now that I'm done I can't shake it and wish there was more. It's science fiction without any weapons, fights, or action. Highly realistic. Focused on the mundane, day-to-day activities of basic survival. Focused on the characters and their relationships. Personal, everyday, relatable. It was so accessible I didn't realize I was getting attached, but clearly I am. I hope she writes a sequel.
This was super cute.
(( Reading Olympics Fall 2023 ))
(( Reading Olympics Fall 2023 ))
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No