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Summary
Summary
A gripping science fiction thriller where five women task themselves with ensuring the survival of the human race--if you mixed ". . . The Martian and The Handmaid's Tale , this sci-fi novel would be the incredible result" ( Book Riot ).
"Best of 2020" - Library Journal
"Best of 2020" - Kirkus
"Best of 2020 - runner up" - Polygon
"Our favorite books of 2020" - GeekDad
Despite increasing restrictions on the freedoms of women on Earth, Valerie Black is spearheading the first all-female mission to a planet in the Goldilocks Zone, where conditions are just right for human habitation.
It's humanity's last hope for survival, and Naomi, Valerie's surrogate daughter and the ship's botanist, has been waiting her whole life for an opportunity like this - to step out of Valerie's shadow and really make a difference.
But when things start going wrong on the ship, Naomi begins to suspect that someone on board is concealing a terrible secret - and realizes time for life on Earth may be running out faster than they feared . . .
" Goldilocks is a thrilling, character-driven space opera", perfect for readers of The Martian , The Power , and Station Eleven ( Shelf Awareness ).
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Lam (Seven Devils) makes the personal political in this tense near-future family drama that's fueled by the climate crisis. Dr. Naomi Lovelace, a botanist working with alien soils and seeds, joins her foster mother Valerie Black's all-women team of astronauts in stealing humanity's first starship, the Atalanta. Fleeing an Earth scarred by climate change and a rising tide of misogyny, tech entrepreneur Valerie plans a better world on Cavendish, a habitable exoplanet 10 light-years away. As the women learn the inner workings of their stolen ship, Naomi discovers Valerie has a hidden agenda and is keeping her own secrets from her foster brother, Evan, their contact back on Earth. Though the exodus plan presents plot holes aplenty, Lam expertly evokes the claustrophobia of both tight spaces and taut relationships in the evolving struggle between Naomi and Valerie for the soul of the mission. This deeply felt space opera will please those who like their sci-fi to focus more on the characters than the science. Agent: Juliet Mushens, Caskie Mushens. (May)
Booklist Review
Valerie Black is a driven woman who created the business empire necessary to spearhead a mission to Cavendish, an exoplanet settled nicely in the "Goldilocks zone," an area of space that may be able to support human life. Earth is dying, and governments refuse to address glaring problems. Valerie and her hand-picked crew are passed over by the other agency responsible for the ship, the U.S. government. Women aren't getting anywhere in the working world, and the new political climate is eroding their rights and encouraging them to have children and stay home. Valerie brings together her crew and steals her own work. The story is framed by a narrator in the future, though it is told by biologist Naomi Lovelace, Valerie's adopted daughter. The journey isn't smooth; there are malfunctions and political complications, and someone on the ship is hiding too many secrets. The dynamic between Valerie and Naomi drives a lot of the narrative, and their characterizations stand out above the rest. Ultimately hopeful, the majority of the story is grim and thriller-tense, with plenty of twists and turns.
Library Journal Review
Earth is dying. Restrictions on births and what women can do are increasing, but Valerie Black is determined to launch the first all-female space mission to Cavendish, a planet that could sustain human life-- a planet in the Goldilocks zone. While making the trip means defying authority, botanist Naomi Lovelace knows this is her chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to move beyond her surrogate mother, Valerie, is extra incentive to move forward. Immediately things begin to go wrong on the Atalanta: hostile and hushed missives from Earth are arriving, and dark secrets are being kept. But to reveal the truths will pit Naomi against all that she has been raised to believe, and the cost could be the entire world's existence. VERDICT Smooth prose weaves a tale to support humanity's survival, along with the shades of gray of scientific decisions. Lam's (Seven Devils) exciting sf thriller proves intellectual and entertaining for all.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton