Scan barcode
A review by tani
Space Hostages by Sophia McDougall
5.0
A worthy successor to Mars Evacuees! I was worried that I might not enjoy this one as much. I'm always kind of weird about middle grade books, which is why I don't tend to read a ton of them. But no worries! I loved this! I made it about 40% of the way through and then decided that I just really needed to finish the book in one fell swoop. So, I did, and it was totally worth it.
I think that my favorite part of these books is the aliens. McDougall manages to write them as simultaneously different from humans, but also eminently relatable in all the ways that matter. The message of empathy for others has been a huge theme in both of these books, it's one that I'm always happy to see in my fiction, especially in these time. Also, she makes them tremendously fun, with interesting quirks and funny interactions with the main characters.
I also really love the characters. The kids are just great. They manage to be brave and resourceful while still being kids. Sometimes they whine or snap at each other, but in the end they always come through for each other. I like that a lot.
The pacing is also really great in these. There's not a moment wasted - there's always a character growth moment going on, or something being learned, or some action taking place. It makes it really hard to put the book down, which is a very good thing. Both of these books have really reminded me of the joy that I got from reading as a child, and that I still get to this day. I really hope we get to see more of Alice, Josephine, Carl, and Noel in the future!
I think that my favorite part of these books is the aliens. McDougall manages to write them as simultaneously different from humans, but also eminently relatable in all the ways that matter. The message of empathy for others has been a huge theme in both of these books, it's one that I'm always happy to see in my fiction, especially in these time. Also, she makes them tremendously fun, with interesting quirks and funny interactions with the main characters.
I also really love the characters. The kids are just great. They manage to be brave and resourceful while still being kids. Sometimes they whine or snap at each other, but in the end they always come through for each other. I like that a lot.
The pacing is also really great in these. There's not a moment wasted - there's always a character growth moment going on, or something being learned, or some action taking place. It makes it really hard to put the book down, which is a very good thing. Both of these books have really reminded me of the joy that I got from reading as a child, and that I still get to this day. I really hope we get to see more of Alice, Josephine, Carl, and Noel in the future!