Stone in the Sky

happypug12 - This sequel to Tin Star was a deeply intense read; much more so than the first book, which was just Tula's walk in the park compared to what she goes through in this one. It starts off a bit slow, but quickly picks up the pace when something happens: a lone starship crashes on Quint, the long depleted-of-all-resources and uninhabited world. The world that Tula can only stare at from her window. Until all of a sudden the mysterious figure (sorry, no spoilers!) who mistakenly crash-landed on the planet discovers that it is blooming with alin flowers–a rare, much-sought, flower that almost no one has. This attracts much attention–especially unwanted attention. Everything that happened from that point on caused Tula to become a fugitive, forced to leave the place she has called ":home" to escape her execution. And she still seeks revenge on Brother Blue. I really enjoyed reading this book. This is not a light book. There is death, war, revenge, poverty, and sadness all around, but overall it brought a good message–hope is not something you want to lose.

December 15, 2014
After years trapped on a space station, seething with fury, a girl gets the chance to broaden her horizons.It's been one year since Tula shipped the only two other humans away from the Yertina Feray Space Station, hoping to save their lives (Tin Star, 2014). Tula's been on the station for years, craving revenge on the charismatic human sociopath who tried to murder her, left her for dead and blew up the spaceship carrying her family. Living with extraterrestrial species and running her own shop (selling sweets, salts and waters) is tolerable, and an ET named Tournour loves her, but this can't be her real life. Castellucci's well-structured plot includes an unexpected gold-rush-like bustle on the station (because a valuable plant suddenly blooms on the planet below); escapes, travel and reunions for Tula; a government to fight; and a caste system to erode. However, continuity's a problem: A key event from Tin Star has changed during the gap between books. The change is acknowledged but never explained, and its nature shifts illogically even within this volume. Prose is often leaden ("In that moment, my heart broke"), repetitive or awkward ("I fumbled along this path of trying to grow up and I didn't know how to come of age"), with much forced narrative interpretation. Thoroughly original outer-space scenario wrapped around clunky prose. (Science fiction. 13 & up)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-In the sequel to Tin Star (Roaring Brook, 2014), readers catch up with Tula Bane after she flees the Yertina Feray space station following Brother Blue's arrival with the Imperium forces and must hitchhike around the galaxy. Tula searches for evidence of her nemesis Brother Blue's crimes, warns groups of Human Wanderers of his duplicity, and attempts to stay in contact with her long-lost friends Reza and Caleb, and her potential alien lover, Tournour, who is back on the Yertina Feray. In wordy prose that teens unfamiliar with adult science fiction may find difficult to keep up with, Castellucci weaves a tale of intergalactic politics, intrigue, war, and love. The potential interspecies romance between Tula and Tournour is a fascinating look at diversity in a sci-fi setting. Their relationship grows and changes as both characters face many challenges attempting to simply stay alive. Although the romance is important to the story, it is not always at the forefront of Tula's mind. When faced with space pirates, deadly Imperium soldiers, and forced servitude, the heroine doesn't have much time to think about love. A great book for readers who enjoy traditional science fiction titles.-Eden Grey, Kenton County Public Library, KY

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