Publication: July 3rd 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 305 pages
Source: Bookmobile
Genre: Fiction, YA, Sci Fi
My Rating: ⛤⛤⛤⛤
“Now I know that there are just some things so terrible you can’t cry about them, because if you start, you will never stop,” (James 191).
I saw this book on bookstagram and it peaked my interest with it’s beautiful cover and interesting title. Yes, it’s another title with “girl” in it; I don’t know if that’s a trend the publishing industry is ready to give up on any time soon. But I learned its science fiction, and since I hadn’t read a sci fi novel in a while and so much of the book already intrigued me I decided to check it out.
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe follows Romy Silvers, sixteen-year-old Commander of The Infinity, a spaceship travelling to Earth II, a new habitable planet for the people of Earth. Originally Romy’s parents and the other astronauts aboard The Infinity were going to help establish the planet, but after a tragedy on the ship five years before Romy is the only one left. Except for emails with her therapist Molly on Earth, Romy is completely alone, that is until Molly informs her that another ship is coming. Commander J. Shoreditch on The Eternity, a sister ship to The Infinity, begins communicating with Romy via email and Romy has never been happier. Finally she is no longer alone in the universe, but as strange things start happening with her communication with J., Romy can’t help but wonder if being alone was the worst thing.
This book was amazing! It was incredibly creative, addicting, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I was glued to this story, anxious to learn more about Romy, J., the astronauts. I chewed away at every tiny hint given and tried to figure out where the story was headed. And I was pleased that it shocked me. I usually end up predicting a lot of things in books (the curse of being an English major) and was happy that The Loneliest Girl in the Universe managed to throw in a few twists that really threw me!
Romy is a great character and James does an amazing job writing her anxiety and PTSD, it’s the first accurate depiction of anxiety I’ve ever read. I could really feel for Romy, her isolation and longing. She felt both like an ordinary teenager with ordinary teenage problems and someone so far away, literally when you’re light years away on a spaceship.
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe was a satisfying read, and I couldn’t put it down. James’ writes honestly and is a voice that more people in the YA genre should pay attention to. I look forward to reading more of her work.
Favourite Quotes
“I’m pretty sure I’ve forgotten what other people feel like. When I dream, I dream in screens. A line of text, a voice in my ear. Nothing real,” (James 6).
“But some days it’s hard to remember the exciting parts. I get stuck in the memories. It’s hard to focus on the future when the past is so distracting,” (James 7).
“My life is a gambling chip thrown carelessly across the universe in the hope it’ll land somewhere my descendants can survive,” (James 10).
“I’ve got that half-real fear that creeps up on you in the middle of the night, making you think that there’s a monster in your room. The kind that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. But, unlike a monster, it doesn’t go away when I pull the duvet over my head,” (James 43).
“Love takes so much energy, and it just leads to pain,” (James 56).
“…time doesn’t really make any difference to pain. It never disappears,” (James 74).
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