The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (review by Anya W. '20)

The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Five Parts by Douglas Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On a rather boring Thursday, a rather boring (but mostly harmless) planet known as Earth is demolished by a Vogon construction crew to clear room for a new hyperspace overpass, along with most of its inhabitants, who rather unfortunately had yet to invent a method of faster than light travel and therefore had neglected to see the clearly posted notice in Alpha Centauri. Ford Prefect, writer for a new edition of the "Hitch Hiker's Guide" and alien who's been stranded on Earth for the past decade-and-a-half is not content with vaporization. He takes up his usual pastime, Hitchhiking, bringing along one Arthur Dent, a boring, regular, specimen of humanity if there ever was one, who also happens to be a very good friend.

One of the landmark novels of science fiction and a great influencer of pop culture, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a must read. Adams writes a ridiculous romp through worlds and galaxies on an unimaginable scale, and mixes ridiculousness with unspeakable horrors in just the right proportion to make his book a comedy instead of a textbook. One of the great advantages of science fiction and fantasy novels is the ability to wave away plot holes with "magic" or "science," but the methods Adams uses to rationalize his fantastical universe are so creative that they hardly deserve the title of Applied Phlebotinum. - Anya W. '20

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Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee (reviewed by Anya W. '20)

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's tough to be an American born Chinese girl in San Francisco in 1906, and Mercy Wong knows all about it. But, for all that she was born and raised in chinatown, she'll let it shape her but not define her. So, after she finishes her last year at the only public school in the city open to kids from chinatown, she seizes the first opportunity she can get to con (beg, borrow, barter, blackmail) her way into a better school. After all, St. Clare's will help her get a foot in the business world, so one day her weak younger brother won't have to take over her father's laundry business. Things go all right, at first. Then they devolve. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going, and Mercy is nothing if not tough.

Lee's Outrun the Moon is a riveting tale of prejudice, friendship, and loss, set against the wonderfully dramatic background of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Her characters are dynamic and multifaceted, each with their own stories, weaving a well-built picture of many different lives converging by chance. Lee paces her story well for the most part, and my only request is an extra hundred or so pages in the middle to allow more time for characterization. Even though the romance is predictable, it is still fairly sweet, and the rest of the novel more than makes up for it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. - Anya W. '20

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Shine by Lauren Myracle (review by Anya W. '20)

Shine by Lauren Myracle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Victim:
Patrick -- Cat's ex-best friend, currently in a coma the hospital after being found beaten at the gas station where he works, the victim of a hate crime against gay people.

The Investigators:
The sheriff -- says it's probably some out of towners from a nearby college. Case closed.
Cat -- has her own ideas about it. After all, the sheriff can't exactly implicate the son of the man who funds his campaign in a hate crime.

The Suspects, according to Cat:
College Boy -- out of towner college boy who mocked Patrick at the gas station before the incident.
Tommy -- the richest kid in town. For all that they hung out, he never stopped bullying Patrick. He was present at the party where Patrick was last seen conscious. Also, as Cat can attest, he likes to molest 13 year old girls.

The Witnesses
Beef: Cat's surrogate older brother, who drove everyone home and isn't talking.
Bailee-Ann: Beef's girlfriend.
Robert: Bailee-Ann's 11 year old brother with fetal alcohol syndrome who was there to watch his sister come home.
Christian: Cat's older brother. Even if he was willing to talk about what he knew, Cat knows better than to believe in him.

Myracle writes a gritty portrait of small town life. Even her side characters are multifaceted and capable of growth. Shine is well paced and satisfying, with the right number of twists and an ending that is not too neat. Definitely a lovely reason to read away a day. - Anya W. '20

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Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen (review by Anya W. '20)

Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mira doesn't know what she would call a major turning point in her life. Was it the walk when she decided that this year's yearbook theme would be New York City? Was it the day she found her father in bed with his TA? Was it the day when she found out about her parent's open marriage? Was it the day she found out that her family had no time left?

At some point though, Mira shut down, and she can't-isn't-won't ever be the same again.

Jensen's novel written in free prose is a heart wrenching expose on the beautiful, terrible mess we call family. She writes unflinchingly of parents' mistakes and the intolerance of youth, and manages to still infuse it all with a sense of understanding, and of the importance of acceptance and compromise. I love how dynamic her main character is, and how Jensen still allows the side character be multifaceted, with their own emotions and goals. While some plot points may seem trite, they are at least comparatively minor. This is a good, solid read that won't leave you feeling like you wasted your time. - Anya W. '20

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