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theskyboi's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a warm and comfortable book to fall into, especially at the end of this year! At first glance, it's rather easy to suspect that everything would fall into a rather predictable rhythm of queer YA literature, especially given the trappings of a reality TV show set against the high-stakes backdrop of a mission to Mars. However, Phil Stamper creates a story that doesn't rely on any harmful tropes; instead, he writes a gay romance grounded in the struggles between both partners. This is a novel about two teenagers who learn to navigate their own turbulent lives while managing to create a love to outlast the death of the brightest stars in the sky.
This is the kind of novel that stays with you, the kind that creates an atmosphere you're willing to dive more deeply into as each page flips. Taking place in the United States during 2020, the novel inadvertently adopts a hopeful tone about the timeline that could've been, but it's written in such an earnest way that it doesn't seem like we could be too far off from living our Martian dream in the next decade or so. What drives the book is truly the romance. Of course, the question of discovering the history of Mars is prescient for the book's characters, but these scientists and astronauts, as well as their families, seem all too confident about getting where they're meant to be. Similarly, Stamper is very secure in the story he's telling about a budding gay romance. Readers aren't confronted with the obstacles of homophobia, or any other prejudice; this is an indulgent and romantic story meant to let the hearts of young readers breathe in a refreshing sense of comfort in their own identities.
What follows are some more in-depth critiques that may spoil some of the novel, so my overall review is a good one. This novel could warm the coldest of hearts with its ecclectic cast of characters, and it tells a story that's more than important in this day and age.
While the conceit of the novel lies in Cal's early career as a live streaming, budding journalist, this takes a backseat to the intimate moments he shares with Leon as they define their relationship. Similarly, the Shooting Stars crew adds some dramatic and tense energy to the plot, the reality TV chapters were not very fleshed out and were, in my eyes, underutilized. This is chiefly a book about romance in the age of modern space exploration, and it's not exactly the Real Housewives of Clear Lake, as Cal himself would probably see it from time to time. As far as other underdeveloped parts of the book go, most of the characters undergo rapid transformations that dodge some pivotal emotional milestones. However, these characters remain charismatic and intruiging up until the book's last pages. What they may lack in plot and emotional range, they make up for the situations that they face, which carry an authenticity that cannot be denied.
This is the kind of novel that stays with you, the kind that creates an atmosphere you're willing to dive more deeply into as each page flips. Taking place in the United States during 2020, the novel inadvertently adopts a hopeful tone about the timeline that could've been, but it's written in such an earnest way that it doesn't seem like we could be too far off from living our Martian dream in the next decade or so. What drives the book is truly the romance. Of course, the question of discovering the history of Mars is prescient for the book's characters, but these scientists and astronauts, as well as their families, seem all too confident about getting where they're meant to be. Similarly, Stamper is very secure in the story he's telling about a budding gay romance. Readers aren't confronted with the obstacles of homophobia, or any other prejudice; this is an indulgent and romantic story meant to let the hearts of young readers breathe in a refreshing sense of comfort in their own identities.
What follows are some more in-depth critiques that may spoil some of the novel, so my overall review is a good one. This novel could warm the coldest of hearts with its ecclectic cast of characters, and it tells a story that's more than important in this day and age.
While the conceit of the novel lies in Cal's early career as a live streaming, budding journalist, this takes a backseat to the intimate moments he shares with Leon as they define their relationship. Similarly, the Shooting Stars crew adds some dramatic and tense energy to the plot, the reality TV chapters were not very fleshed out and were, in my eyes, underutilized. This is chiefly a book about romance in the age of modern space exploration, and it's not exactly the Real Housewives of Clear Lake, as Cal himself would probably see it from time to time. As far as other underdeveloped parts of the book go, most of the characters undergo rapid transformations that dodge some pivotal emotional milestones. However, these characters remain charismatic and intruiging up until the book's last pages. What they may lack in plot and emotional range, they make up for the situations that they face, which carry an authenticity that cannot be denied.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Violence
Frequent yet mild mentions of depression and anxiety; a major death/accident; and one notable verbal altercation.
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