Genre: YA Sci-Fi
How far would you go to save the world? Probably not as far as Maisie Danger Brown...
"When Maisie Danger Brown nabbed a spot at a NASA-like summer boot camp, she never expected to uncover a conspiracy that would change her life forever. And she definitely didn't plan to fall in love.
"But now there's no going back-Maisie's the only thing standing between the Earth and annihilation. She must become the hero the world needs. The only problem is: How does a regular girl from Salt Lake City do that, exactly? It's not as though there's a handbook for this sort of thing. It's up to Maisie to come up with a plan-and to find the courage to carry it out-before she loses her heart...and her life."
Wow, you impressed me, Mrs. Shannon Hale. I heard a lot about this book from her blog, about how she's writing another genre-hopping book (sci-fi in a contemporary world and a superhero novel, instead of a comic) and writing a minority character who also has one arm. And Hale didn't let me down. Sure, I like some of her other books better (The Goose Girl series and Princess Academy to be precise), but there is so much to love in this novel:
1. Maisie Danger Brown: I mean, with a nickname like that, you can do anything, right? I loved that she was half-Paraguayan (so unique) and had one arm, with a prosthesis that had a hilarious, always-changing name.
2. The Plot: It was more creative than other science fiction stories I have read. Yes, there are aliens, but they aren't the main focus of the story.
3. The Humor: Maisie's dad makes pretty hilarious puns throughout the book, and Maisie is funny in her nerdiness.
4. The Poetry: What? Poetry in a science-fiction book, where all the characters are obsessed with science and technology? I know, right?! This might just be the English major in me, but I loved that Hale laced the story with real poems, adding another layer of depth and beauty. It shows that literature and science might be able to live side-by-side after all.
5. The Similes: Hale always writes so beautifully and eloquently and peppers her novels with similes, which are so clear and creative.
There were other things about the book that I enjoyed, but I don't want to give away too much. There were just a few things that I thought could be improved upon. The first part of the book, when the characters are at the camp, seem to go too fast, and I would have liked more information/detail about the fireteam training. Since I'm a highly visual person, a few more details about what the characters looked like would have helped; I had a hard time seeing them in my head. And I was confused about what the havoc armor looked like exactly.
Overall, though, this book was excellent, and Hale did what she wanted to do: write a thrilling sci-fi superhero story, and about a girl, no less! I give it a 4 out of 5 and recommend it for 15 year olds and up.
What I learned: Don't judge people too harshly until you understand their motivations. An elevator that goes up to space=awesome. Love is not made up of attraction, infatuation and consternation; there's more to it than just tingly feelings.
How I do wish I could have understood more clearly all the sciency words she used in the novel...
My Favorite Quote: "Life is precious because it's finite."
Wood House: "Is a sci-fi tour de force that plunges into a hideous future not so far away, in which a teenage girl races to save the world from a nano-revolution perpetrated by a mega-corporation under the guise of ReCreation Day."
Brick House: "Is a hard-boiled detective drama about the wish police in modern New York City. To prevent murder, the special forces of the Imaginary Crimes Unit must unravel and apprehend the secret deadly impulses held by a resentful boy against his parents."
Blow: "This story delivers a Shakespearean love story that brings together two feuding artisan families, narrated by none other than Death himself--a hero who may steal your heart in more ways than one."