The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James follows Romy Silvers, Commander of The Infinity, a spaceship bound for the next closest solar system in search of a habitable planet. Communication between Romy and NASA has a two-year delay, which makes things difficult when Romy's parents die, leaving her completely alone. But once news reaches her that another ship, The Eternity, has launched and is on its way to meet her, messages between Romy and the ship's captain, J, breathe new life into her world. J seems to have single-handedly saved Romy, but as he gets closer, his messages make Romy suspicious, and she wonders whether there are worse things than being alone.
This book reinforced my fear of space travel. I'm happy to read about it and watch space movies, but the thought of going into space terrifies me. All things considered, Romy lives pretty well on her ship—automated medical procedures, all sorts of (dehydrated) food at her fingertips, a garden, a bedroom, and a huge ship to explore. Still, even that can be difficult without another human being around.
Like Andy Weir's The Martian, an isolated character can create an interesting story. Romy narrates things from her day-to-day life, her reactions to her therapist's messages, glimpses of flashbacks, and the fanfic she writes about her favorite TV series. There's a good balance between messages and action, and the short chapters contribute to a fast pace that made it hard for me to limit myself to "just one more chapter." As the puzzle pieces piled up and the mystery emerged, I was too invested to walk away.
I rate Lauren James's The Loneliest Girl in the Universe 5/5 stars. There isn't much technical jargon for a sci-fi book, so it is very accessible and fun. If you like The Martian, check it out!
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