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A review by christajls
The Final Six by Alexandra Monir
3.0
Review originally posted on Bookmarked
In The Final Six, climate change is no longer up for debate. Its effects have wiped out entire cities all over the world and for the people who remain, time is running out. The fate of the human race rests on the twenty-four teens drafted by the International Space Training Camp, including Leonardo, an Italian championship swimmer and Naomi, an American-Iranian science prodigy. The plan is to put them through advanced testing and accelerated training in order to choose the final six who will (hopefully) start a new colony on one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa.
The novel is told from both Leonardo’s and Naomi’s point of view and they each offer a unique perspective on the situation. Leonardo desperately wants to be chosen. He’s the only surviving member of his family and there is nothing left for him back in Italy. He knows the mission is dangerous but he’s willing to take the risk. What does he have to lose? Naomi, on the other hand, would give anything to leave the training camp and return home to California. Though her intelligence would be a significant asset to the mission, her younger brother is sick and she would never voluntarily leave him behind.
Their personalities and the way they grapple with their thoughts and feelings toward the mission (and eventually toward each other) are what really won me over while reading this novel. They’re both such relatable and interesting characters. The plot, on the other hand, is very predictable. There are a few plot twists, but frequent readers of science fiction and young adult novels are unlikely to be surprised by them. At other instances, plot points can feel extremely convenient and occasionally unbelievable. For example, I still have a hard time believing the accelerated training schedule could prepare anyone for such a mission, let along a group of teenagers. But despite these shortcomings, the characters have heart and it is easy to get swept up in their story.
In The Final Six, climate change is no longer up for debate. Its effects have wiped out entire cities all over the world and for the people who remain, time is running out. The fate of the human race rests on the twenty-four teens drafted by the International Space Training Camp, including Leonardo, an Italian championship swimmer and Naomi, an American-Iranian science prodigy. The plan is to put them through advanced testing and accelerated training in order to choose the final six who will (hopefully) start a new colony on one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa.
The novel is told from both Leonardo’s and Naomi’s point of view and they each offer a unique perspective on the situation. Leonardo desperately wants to be chosen. He’s the only surviving member of his family and there is nothing left for him back in Italy. He knows the mission is dangerous but he’s willing to take the risk. What does he have to lose? Naomi, on the other hand, would give anything to leave the training camp and return home to California. Though her intelligence would be a significant asset to the mission, her younger brother is sick and she would never voluntarily leave him behind.
Their personalities and the way they grapple with their thoughts and feelings toward the mission (and eventually toward each other) are what really won me over while reading this novel. They’re both such relatable and interesting characters. The plot, on the other hand, is very predictable. There are a few plot twists, but frequent readers of science fiction and young adult novels are unlikely to be surprised by them. At other instances, plot points can feel extremely convenient and occasionally unbelievable. For example, I still have a hard time believing the accelerated training schedule could prepare anyone for such a mission, let along a group of teenagers. But despite these shortcomings, the characters have heart and it is easy to get swept up in their story.