Sound

Gr 7–10—Miyole is a young scientist on a space research vessel in the not-so-distant future. Despite being only 16, she has secured her position on the mission by forging her papers and pretending to be older. When Miyole's ship is attacked by slaver pirates and a guest on the vessel is kidnapped, the protagonist volunteers to lead an illicit rescue mission to find him. Along with the man's teenaged sister, Cassia, and a reluctant pilot named Rubio, Miyola sets off on a dangerous space adventure. Unfortunately, the heroine's motivations for abandoning her post ring hollow. She has lied and put her family at risk in order to be a research scientist, and her decision to help Cassia—a stranger—feels forced and abrupt. Despite Duncan's best efforts to show that Miyole's own past makes her sympathetic toward the kidnapped man's family, the characters feel underdeveloped, and readers will struggle to feel invested in their conflicts and relationships. Diverse characters populate this novel. Miyole, in addition to being a brilliant female scientist, is a lesbian of Haitian descent who has grown up in foster care in India. Two other lesbian characters are included, as well as a character who is Deaf. While Miyole's sexuality does play a role in her character's actions throughout the story, the romance is light and the action is fast-paced.