The Loneliest Girl in the Universe

May 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-Romy Silvers was born on The Infinity 16 years ago and has never been to Earth. As the ship soars the galaxy to colonize a new planet, Earth II, Romy is left to command the ship after her parents' death. As the only human onboard, Romy passes her time writing fan fiction about her favorite earthen TV show and emailing her NASA liaison-her only source of communication. Romy receives a message that a new ship with Commander J is on the way to help her, and she's excited to no longer be alone. Through emails filled with their deepest thoughts and concerns, Romy counts down the days until J joins her and wonders if he's as dreamy as her favorite TV show character. With war looming on the horizon, the uncertainty of the new Earth, and a new man joining the mission, Romy wonders if loneliness is the least of her concerns. Peppered with email exchanges from Earth and Commander J, this sci-fi tale is about a young woman looking forward to her future while fighting her nightmares from the past. Romy is an average and relatable teen who dreams of love and crushes on TV actors. Though she is the commander of a ship and gifted in math and science, she also has moments of insecurity and weakness. The author attempts to compose a narrative about loneliness, but this falls short of going deeper into the psychological effects of losing parents and truly being alone for five years. VERDICT Not recommended.-Dawn Abron, Zion-Benton Public Library, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2018
In the mid-21st century, a young white woman tries to complete the mission of her deceased astronaut parents.Romy, the lone survivor on a spaceship heading away from Earth, learned a great deal from her British dad and American mom, enough to help her try to reach the planet they were headed for before they died. With daily messages from her therapist, Molly, reading romance novels, and writing fan fiction, Romy copes as best she can, but the isolation is sometimes too much to bear. When she receives news that another ship has been launched to connect with hers, she is beside herself with happiness. Soon she begins to receive messages from the commander of the approaching ship, J Shoreditch, a young man of 22. Her excitement is soon tempered by a curt message from Molly: "TRANSMISSIONS POSTPONED. WAR ON EARTH." A post indicating the disbanding of the United States spells uncertainty. For a while, it appears she and J share concerns about the war. However, as his ship gets closer, Romy realizes she is facing grave danger from her visitor as well as from memories of how she came to be alone on her ship. As much psychological thriller as space odyssey, the timeline of the action is a challenge to follow, but the focus on the mental pressures is intriguing. For fans of speculative fiction with lots of plot twists. (Science fiction. 14-adult)

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July 16, 2018
It’s 2067, and 16-year-old Romy Silvers, following the death of her parents on the ship five years earlier, is all alone as commander of the Infinity as it travels to Planet HT 3485 c, a possibly inhabitable exoplanet that NASA hopes will ensure humanity’s long-term survival. Romy should arrive in 2092, which leaves her with a lot of time to watch her favorite show, Loch & Ness; write fan fiction; and share audio transcripts with her therapist, Molly. When Romy finds out that another ship, the Eternity, will cross paths with her ship in a year, she’s ecstatic and begins exchanging emails with the Eternity’s captain, the charming J. Shoreditch. Suddenly, Romy, who desperately misses her parents, now has hope for the future and, perhaps, a chance at love. When troubling news from Earth arrives and she’s cut off from NASA, things take a turn for the eerie, and Romy worries that the sins of her parents are resurfacing to haunt her. In James’s suspenseful and clever debut, the immensely likable Romy conveys her desire for the very human contact that will leave her vulnerable. Shocking revelations about J. and the Eternity’s mission, as well as what really happened to her parents and the astronauts aboard the Infinity, pave the way to a harrowing finale. Ages 14–up.

May 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 After her parents and the rest of the crew died, teenage Romy, now the ship's commander, is all alone on an interstellar spaceship headed (hopefully) toward a new Earth-like planet. She passes the time reading and writing fanfic from her favorite TV show and emailing a counselor back on Earth to handle her anxiety. When she gets news that a second, faster ship is coming to accompany her to the new planet, she's thrilled to discover that the commander of that ship, J, is only a little older than her, and their email exchange makes him seem perfect. When unrest back on Earth causes problems for their mission, Romy relies on J even more. At the outset, James' debut seems like a sf character study with glimmers of light romance, but as she skillfully, slowly unspools suspense and dread, as well as a creepy recurring nightmare and the traumatic details of Romy's parents' deaths, it more closely resembles horror. This slow-burn genre-blender has surprising twists and turns, and patient readers will be rewarded by the explosive ending.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)