Review by Booklist Review
On a doomed colony planet, teenagers Faith and Hoshi find each other as the rest of the population prepares to leave for a new home. The world is crumbling; though both have an assigned therapist, apathy hangs thick in the air. Will the humans destroy the next planet too, like they did with Earth? Not to mention that Faith and Hoshi are subject to ridicule and violence, not only for their off-beat personalities, but for their insistence on staying on their planet as it deteriorates. Both have faced tragedies, including sexism, bullying, and neglectful parents. As the date they're assigned to leave creeps closer and their surroundings are destroyed, they come to terms with their planet, learning the meaning of the misfortunes that have defined them. Hanshaw's illustrations drop readers into this chaotic world, but the narration allows them to fall in line with Faith and Hoshi as they watch the world burn. With a dry sense of humor rife with unlikely silver linings, Space Junk explores sitting still in a world moving dangerously fast.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this eloquent, melancholic sci-fi parable from Hanshaw (Free Pass), aliens have used up their planet and must now move onto the next. Young Hoshi and Faith, however, resist the mandated evacuation. Hoshi's obsessed with chickens and has a metallic leg, while Faith is distinguished by the outmoded tech bolted to her skull. They bond over the similarity of their metal parts and their shared refusal to leave what's left of their planet. Ostracized by society and bullied by their peers, the pair struggle to fulfill their individual destinies with the help of a therapist and an emotional support chicken. Hanshaw's soft and curling cartoon work renders humanoid shapes against pale pastel backgrounds, effectively conjuring this alien and dying world. Long sections of dialogue are made dynamic by emotive lettering and speech balloons. An accumulation of fiery indignities and small moments of beauty brings the dreamlike narrative to an explosive climax and a conclusion that's both optimistic and satisfying. This lush allegory of defiance and growing up resembles a sci-fi version of Daniel Clowes's Ghost World. (Aug.)
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