There were times when I was reading this book when I wasn't sure if it was going to pay off. Now, a couple of weeks after I've finished, I can't stop thinking about it. What a unique, creative story with a twist that took my breath away.
The story shows our main character Nedda as a child and as an adult. As a child growing up in the shadow of NASA, she dreams of becoming an astronaut. Her dad is connected to the space program, too, and much of their bond involves watching the stars. Her life changes dramatically the day she witnesses the Challenger explode (as someone who has a child on that day, the implications of her memory are powerful.)
Flashing forward in the novel, we see Nedda living her dream: she's in space, as part of an experimental group that will colonize a new planet. They've had to say goodbye - forever - to everything and everyone they love and make this sacrifice for the future of civilization. What she and her fellow astronauts are going through is made possible through an experiment her father had done decades ago. An experiment that - when it happened - went horribly wrong.
I hesitate to give away anymore, because the details of that failed experiment and its connection to the later space mission provide fascinating plot twists. But, it's a powerful book about family and friendship and dreams and what we do for those we love, no matter the cost.
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