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laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Braking Day is named for the day a generational ship, which departed earth 6-7 generations prior, must turn on its brakes to slow to approach Tau Ceti, the planet its crew will make their new home. The novel follows Ravi, a young midshipman training to be an engineer, in the time leading up to this much anticipated day; when he sees a woman without a spacesuit floating outside the ship, he must unravel a mystery reaching far back into the ship's past and threatening its present and future. Overall, I liked a lot about this -- the plot moves along at a good pace, the culture and class dynamics of the ship are well developed, and Ravi is a protagonist that is easy to cheer for. I feel like the characters would've benefited from being a bit more morally complicated -- the 'good guys' are pretty straightforwardly good here -- but overall, this is a fun read. A solid debut that I think would have adult/YA crossover appeal. I look forward to seeing what Oyebanji writes next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Child death, Vomit, Medical content, and Medical trauma
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