Review by Kirkus Book Review
Las Vegas teen Skyler Davidson has been trying to live her astrophysicist mother's life ever since third grade, when her mom died in a car accident. Now a high school senior, Skyler's aiming for MIT (her mom's alma mater) so that she can become an astronaut and finish her mother's research on neutron stars. Unfortunately, Skyler's SAT score was disappointing, but a new NASA internship for teens could be the perfect opportunity--if she can make a good enough application video. At times, the first-person narration has enough humor and heart to make Skyler relatable. Regarding her insta-love toward videographer and fellow senior Cooper: "Falling into a crush is like catching a deadly virus--you don't know it's happened to you, but once you see the symptoms, it's already too late." Mostly, though, Skyler's characterization disappointingly feels like a collection of stereotypes of STEM-focused people: She has no friends or hobbies, she thinks emotions are useless, she's constantly pedantic, she's obsessed with grades, and--of course--she can solve a Rubik's Cube in 37 seconds. Skyler has never even thought of a real name for her beloved pet rat and simply calls her Five (her laboratory specimen number). Still, it's gratifying to watch Skyler's developing romance with Cooper, her sweet growing friendship with his athletic sister, and her mature détente with the young makeup influencer her dad is dating. Characters are implied white. A sincere story about personal risks and emotional growth. (Fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
