Review by Booklist Review
Yuri's no ordinary 17-year-old: he's got a PhD in astrophysics from Moscow State University, and his research on antimatter makes him a Nobel shoo-in. But a gigantic asteroid is hurtling toward earth, and Yuri's been sent to the U.S. to work with NASA scientists to prevent the cataclysmic impact. Though his brain power is on par with colleagues decades his senior, almost everything else about Yuri is as teenage as it gets especially his ego and when compellingly kooky Dovie enters his world, he finds himself struggling to balance his responsibility to the entire planet and his affection for the artistic, color-obsessed girl. Though Yuri's ultimate decision about whether to stay in America seems a bit out of character, Kennedy's snappy depiction of the multifaceted, whip-smart teens and the crackling dialogue (full of Russian-inflected, broken English, naturally) is an entertaining, genre-bending mix of quirky romance and realistic sci-fi, with some thought-provoking questions about adulthood thrown in for good measure. Hand to readers who prefer their romance brainy or their sci-fi a little heart-fluttery.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Kennedy's engrossing and entertaining debut, a 17-year-old Russian physicist must help NASA stop an asteroid that is hurtling toward Earth. Yuri Strelnikov arrives in the U.S. with only three weeks until BR1019 is expected to hit, but his age and his specialty (antimatter) make it hard for him to get his scientific colleagues to take him seriously. When he meets Dovie Collum, an artistic and quick-witted high-school student, and her unusual, loving family, Yuri gains a few new reasons to figure out how to avert global disaster. Yuri is delightfully droll, and Dovie awakes in him a zest for life as well as a sense of family he has never known. Dovie and her family inspire Yuri to think outside of the box, even if it means going against his colleagues in order to save the planet. The science Kennedy weaves throughout the story is fascinating and accessible, and Yuri and Dovie's gentle romance is pitch-perfect. This novel is made to savor-readers will want to catch every nuance of Kennedy's multidimensional characters. Ages 13-up. Agent: Kate McKean, Howard Morhaim Literary. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-A unique take on end-of-the-world novels. Yuri is a 17-year-old physicist from Russia sent to California to help NASA stop an asteroid. Yuri faces struggle after struggle trying to cope in a new country and get an older physicist to listen to him. Then Yuri meets Dovie, a fun girl who marches to the beat of her own drum. The protagonist is then forced to learn how to cope in a world with girls and teenage problems (something he has never done before), all while trying to save the country. He must decide if escaping total disaster is something worth risking his life and reputation for, or if he should just flee back to Russia. The book starts off slowly but then really dives into a roller-coaster ride of emotions and characters with the introduction of Dovie, and the enjoyable fast pace continues all the way to the unexpected conclusion. Kennedy has created wonderful characters who are quirky and endearing. VERDICT This work is thought provoking, heartwarming, and unforgettable and is recommended for readers who enjoy science-based fiction. A superb addition to any library collection serving teens.-Danielle Fabrizio, Swanton Public Library, VT © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Russian astrophysics prodigy Yuri comes to America to help NASA stop an asteroid headed to Earth. But the seventeen-year-old is finding that his American colleagues fail to take him seriously. Meanwhile, a budding friendship with an American girl allows Yuri to finally experience normal teenage life. The blend of science and romance with complex, unusual characters offers a fresh take on apocalyptic fiction. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of an awkward teenage genius in Kennedy's comical debut novel.Yuri Strelnikov is a 17-year-old Russian physics whiz called in to help NASA concoct a plan to deflect a deadly asteroid heading straight for Los Angeles. In fact, Yuri's unpublished work on antimatter may save everyone from global catastrophe, if only the older, more experienced scientists at NASA will deign to listen to a cocky, socially awkward wunderkind whose loyalties they have reason to suspect. It's a lot of pressure for a teenager to handle, even one as brilliant as Yuri. However, after a chance meeting with Dovie Collum, the daughter of a NASA building janitor, Yuri finds an outlet for his stress and loneliness amid the white girl's close-knit, eccentric family. Though the relationship between Dovie and Yuri is ostensibly a romantic one, the chemistry between them never quite gains momentum or achieves maximum impact, much like the threat of the asteroid threatening to lay waste to the region. Despite the gravity of the situation, Kennedy's narrative maintains a light and humorous tone punctuated with punchy one-liners, wry humor, and cultural misunderstandings, such that the stakes never feel as high as they should.An end-of-the-world romp that will prompt readers to think and to laugh, this novel ultimately teases more suspense and romance than it genuinely delivers. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
