I think Artemis Darth Vader might be one of my favorite characters. She’s one of the 3 main characters in this book, and she’s so much fun. Our trio is rounded out with Nate and Alex. After being fired from his job, and while still dealing with a complex emotional reaction to his parents’ deaths, Nate heads to the cabin in Oregon that his parents left him. He is surprised to find it occupied by Alex and Artemis (Art), who are on the run and give vague answers to Nate’s questions about why. But he lets them stay.
Art, who appears to be about 10 years old, is quirky and innocent and blunt. She wants to try new things, she’s open about her reactions to what she observes, and her childlike wonder was a joy to witness. One of my favorite parts is when she discovers bacon, and the next time she’s at a diner she orders “Pancakes. And bacon. In fact, please just cover my pancakes in bacon. I don’t even want to be able to see pancakes because of all the bacon.” Girl after my own heart.
Some of the events of the book were predictable. I correctly guessed what was going on with Art and wasn’t particularly surprised by some events towards the end. However, I enjoyed the journey to get there, watching Nate start to care about and trust Alex and Art, watching Nate and Alex start to build a relationship, reading about Art calling people “hoss” because she’s been reading and watching westerns. The heart of the book is the relationships among Nate, Alex, and Art, who find a home in each other.
I really enjoyed the emotional journey the novel took me on. There’s tension, humor, and heart, with a focus on the importance of family, no matter where or how it’s found. While the book isn’t unpredictable, it’s still an enjoyable read that I highly recommend for fans of T. J. Klune and science fiction fans in general.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book.