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A review by thisdadreads
Alone Out Here by Riley Redgate
4.0
Special thanks to Disney Publishing Worldwide for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
It’s the year 2072 and the entire world is bracing for an end-of-the-world volcanic eruption which will force residents of Earth off-world and into space to search for a new home. The choice of just how many earthlings will make it onto a ship has been cause for political upheaval, and central to it all is main character Leigh Chen, daughter of the President of the United States. Scientists believe that the cataclysmic event is still a ways off, and while preparations still have a ways to go, there’s progress being made. Leigh joins a group of teenagers on a tour of a prototype spaceship, the Lazarus, when the end of all things stars earlier than anyone expects. Panic ensues as the decision to launch the Lazarus is made, with only about 50 residents of the planet onboard, all of them teenagers. It’s up to Leigh and the leadership team that forms to create some sort of order out of the chaos. As they all soon discover, managing opinions and egos isn’t easy, especially when food is scarce and obstacles continue to arise, threatening the future of the human race forever.
Alone Out Here is written by Riley Redgate (Seven Ways We Lie, Noteworthy) and is a YA sci fi fiction novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the very beginning, Redgate pulls you in with immediate action and intensity. It’s always a process when starting a new book, balancing getting to know the characters with the momentum of the plot. Redgate does a great job of introducing the main characters without sacrificing the pace of the plot, allowing readers to get to know characters over the entire length of the novel. This has a secondary benefit of leaving an aura of mystery around the teenagers on board the Lazarus, neither the kids themselves nor the readers truly know anyone very well, so anyone could have devious intensions.
Alone Out Here has been described as Lord of the Flies in space, and that’s an accurate way to sum this book up, but doesn’t fully encapsulate the novel. Redgate’s novel immerses readers into the headspace of Leigh, how her past has shaped her to be the person she is now. I often find that YA novels can treat teenage emotions unrealistically and authors use that to their benefit to do sometimes silly things with the plot and relationships. I didn’t get any of that with Alone Out Here, Redgate does an amazing job of honestly portraying the fears and emotions the cast of character are going through. Plus she has an amazingly diverse cast of characters from all over the world and utilizes a very smart way to have them communicate with each other. I thought it was a very cool glimpse into the future of humanity, one where even languages will no longer be a barrier to human connection.
I really enjoyed Alone Out Here, devouring it a handful of reading sessions. I give it 4444/5 – recommend!
It’s the year 2072 and the entire world is bracing for an end-of-the-world volcanic eruption which will force residents of Earth off-world and into space to search for a new home. The choice of just how many earthlings will make it onto a ship has been cause for political upheaval, and central to it all is main character Leigh Chen, daughter of the President of the United States. Scientists believe that the cataclysmic event is still a ways off, and while preparations still have a ways to go, there’s progress being made. Leigh joins a group of teenagers on a tour of a prototype spaceship, the Lazarus, when the end of all things stars earlier than anyone expects. Panic ensues as the decision to launch the Lazarus is made, with only about 50 residents of the planet onboard, all of them teenagers. It’s up to Leigh and the leadership team that forms to create some sort of order out of the chaos. As they all soon discover, managing opinions and egos isn’t easy, especially when food is scarce and obstacles continue to arise, threatening the future of the human race forever.
Alone Out Here is written by Riley Redgate (Seven Ways We Lie, Noteworthy) and is a YA sci fi fiction novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the very beginning, Redgate pulls you in with immediate action and intensity. It’s always a process when starting a new book, balancing getting to know the characters with the momentum of the plot. Redgate does a great job of introducing the main characters without sacrificing the pace of the plot, allowing readers to get to know characters over the entire length of the novel. This has a secondary benefit of leaving an aura of mystery around the teenagers on board the Lazarus, neither the kids themselves nor the readers truly know anyone very well, so anyone could have devious intensions.
Alone Out Here has been described as Lord of the Flies in space, and that’s an accurate way to sum this book up, but doesn’t fully encapsulate the novel. Redgate’s novel immerses readers into the headspace of Leigh, how her past has shaped her to be the person she is now. I often find that YA novels can treat teenage emotions unrealistically and authors use that to their benefit to do sometimes silly things with the plot and relationships. I didn’t get any of that with Alone Out Here, Redgate does an amazing job of honestly portraying the fears and emotions the cast of character are going through. Plus she has an amazingly diverse cast of characters from all over the world and utilizes a very smart way to have them communicate with each other. I thought it was a very cool glimpse into the future of humanity, one where even languages will no longer be a barrier to human connection.
I really enjoyed Alone Out Here, devouring it a handful of reading sessions. I give it 4444/5 – recommend!