Do You Dream of Terra-Two?

by Temi Oh

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight .
4.5*

Shoutout to Jeann @ Happy Indulgence for putting this one on my radar! It published in Australia (and UK) first, but I was lucky enough to get to read a review copy here! (Though I won't lie and pretend I wasn't deeply tempted to buy it from one of those other countries first hah.) And I will say this: if you are expecting 500 pages of intense action, that isn't what you'll find here. It's very character driven, which is fine by me, but a heads up. That said, there is a lot that happens during the course of the book- I didn't find it to be only character driven, that is.

I absolutely loved reading each character's personal journey, what led each of them to pursue this life in space. It did take me a couple chapters to get the hang of who everyone was, but it wasn't as overwhelming as I'd assumed. Each character was so well developed that it was easy to decipher who was who. And they (as well as their motivations for leaving planet Earth behind) were so different that I found it wildly interesting. Because this book begs the question, would you leave everything behind to become a space pioneer?

I thought that the author did a great job of making daily space life seem really authentic. Because sure, everyone probably dreams of all the exciting parts, like the launch, and finally landing on their new planets and such, but most of it is really mundane. People were homesick, scared, sad, even depressed. And some people became physically ill, just as they would on Earth. It felt very realistic without being boring. And when the time came for action, wow did that deliver!

My only minor complaint is that I do wish we knew a bit more about what happened next. There is certainly room for a sequel (or seven) but I also found it sort of fitting, since this was truly a book about life in space rather than a space adventure itself. But please do note that I am here for literally any further slice of these characters' lives that Temi Oh would like to bestow upon us.

Bottom Line: A very character driven space exploration novel that made me feel all the things for all the characters. And also if I too could ever be a space cowboy.