I loved this. Romy's soaring hopes, her vulnerability and then her growing doubts, her self-reliance and quick thinking, and the shifts and twists of the book all kept me hooked for this quick read.
Can you fall in love with someone you’ve never met, never even spoken to--someone who is light years away?
This young adult science fiction story has an irresistible premise: teenaged Romy is the sole survivor on her spaceship, which is en route to establishing an outpost on a new planet. She's on her own out there in space, and as lonely as any human could imagine being. There's no hope of seeing another human again anytime soon. Her sole communication outlet is with her NASA contact, Molly, who sends her audio messages (and occasionally forwards along episodes of Romy's favorite TV show). But then Romy gets word that another ship has launched from earth, with a young man called J as the pilot.
While events on Earth spiral into world war and destruction, sending the space missions toward uncertain futures, Romy and J make contact. They message each other, share their hopes and fears, and quickly grow to rely on each other--the only two humans in the universe experiencing their unusual set of circumstances. They begin to forge a bond Romy never would have anticipated. But the odd messages she begins receiving from Earth (and from J himself) begin to throw everything she knows about J--her only link to humanity--into doubt.
I loved this. Romy is on her own in space, haunted by the events that led to her solo venture. Her soaring hopes of human contact, her vulnerability and romanticized ideas--and then her growing doubts--her self-reliance, quick thinking, and strength of character, and the shifts and twists of the book all kept me hooked.
Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book?
James is also the author of The Quiet at the End of the World, The Next Together and its sequel The Last Beginning, The Starlight Watchmaker, and other books. I haven't read any of these others yet.
I first mentioned The Loneliest Girl in the Universe (along with The Unwilling by John Hart and Beneath the Keep by Erika Johansen) in the Greedy Reading List Three Books I'm Reading Now, 1/28/21 Edition.