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lavendermarch's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of about five science fiction books that I have read and liked. So thank you Janet Edwards, for writing a science fiction book that is actually good!
olivera420's review against another edition
1.0
1.5 stars
The book started off with an interesting idea, and I think it could have been much better. I just like my books to have a bit of mystery in them, and this book didn't. There wasn't anything mysterious in Earth Girl. Everything from chapter 1 was predictable, and a little bit unbelievable.
I mean the whole denial thing in the middle of the book! Seriously? After she heard her parents are dead she just starts living in a fantasy world where they are still alive, and she is an exo, and everything is perfect?? I mean come on! It wasn't that big of a trauma for that to happen. If she had known her parents it would have been understandable; but she only talked to them once, and her whole life she thought they had abandoned her and she hated them for it.
But I guess it had to be that way so she could get together with Fian. Whom she likes just because he looks like Arrack San Domex, a celebrity she idolizes because he has nice "legs"! Jarra falls for Fian and he for her after only a couple of days! I am not a fan of romances where a couple falls in love at first sight, because that in my opinion isn't love. I think you have to get to know a person before you fall in love with them, and you can't get to know someone that quickly... When you first see a person the only thing you know is that they are good looking, and nothing else. But in Jarra and Fian's case at least it was a couple of days... but that's still too fast for my taste. And the fact he already wants them to get married is just ridiculous. But, of course, they can't get married because they need at least three Twoing contracts before that. And I won't even start listing everything that is wrong with those silly contracts!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention... if I hear the "word" blizz one more time I swear I'll rip this book in half!
"After being confined in a heavy impact suit for hour upon hour, this was blizz, complete and utter blizz."
"Five minutes break to lie down and relax is blizz."
"... and there was a moment of pure blizz when I changed into my sleep suit and crawled into my sleep sack."
Overall, Earth Girl wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
liinukka's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting setting but ultimately boring story. (Plus highly accomplished main character who apparently is "amaz!!" at everything ever).
Nothing of interest really happens. I can't even imagine what the rest of the series is like. More whole lot of nothing?
Also I really didn't appreciate the microscopic font. Who edited the style of this book?? Horrible.
---
EDA:
Pasted from my review at Ampersand --
Oop, forgot to write a comment here after finishing this book.
I agree, the premise was interesting, though I think some of the world-building left a lot to be desired. I thought it was idiotic for e.g., that they had the tech to create portals into other parts of the universe but lacked the know-how to build a damn ship that could withstand an atmospheric landing. It's like watching the dumbest smart people in the world flop around helplessly. I know a lot of knowledge was lost over the years but I can't believe that they didn't think it might come in handy to have actual ships that could cross through an atmosphere you know, just in case??
Jarra was kind of bitter and salty, and I guess that's to be expected. Admittedly, it's the reason I immediately tossed out Magonia, which I cracked open after finish Earth Girl. (I really don't wanna read about angst-ridden disabled teenagers for two books in a row, thanks).
And yet, despite her bitterness, she's actually super special awesome and blows everyone away with her amaz! abilities. If the constant usage of stupid future fake slang didn't make me roll my eyes a hundred thousand times, her extensive list of accomplishments certainly did.
Yet again, I'm also frustrated by the fact that despite a cool premise/world, this book was SO BORING! I think this is just testament to lazy writing. Authors must think that we're so enamored by the setting/premise that we won't care that there's barely a sustainable plot. They fumbled around for most of the book digging up crap I couldn't care less about. NOTHING HAPPENS.
And then she
Not interested in reading the rest. Have much better things to do with my time.
Nothing of interest really happens. I can't even imagine what the rest of the series is like. More whole lot of nothing?
Also I really didn't appreciate the microscopic font. Who edited the style of this book?? Horrible.
---
EDA:
Pasted from my review at Ampersand --
Oop, forgot to write a comment here after finishing this book.
I agree, the premise was interesting, though I think some of the world-building left a lot to be desired. I thought it was idiotic for e.g., that they had the tech to create portals into other parts of the universe but lacked the know-how to build a damn ship that could withstand an atmospheric landing. It's like watching the dumbest smart people in the world flop around helplessly. I know a lot of knowledge was lost over the years but I can't believe that they didn't think it might come in handy to have actual ships that could cross through an atmosphere you know, just in case??
Jarra was kind of bitter and salty, and I guess that's to be expected. Admittedly, it's the reason I immediately tossed out Magonia, which I cracked open after finish Earth Girl. (I really don't wanna read about angst-ridden disabled teenagers for two books in a row, thanks).
And yet, despite her bitterness, she's actually super special awesome and blows everyone away with her amaz! abilities. If the constant usage of stupid future fake slang didn't make me roll my eyes a hundred thousand times, her extensive list of accomplishments certainly did.
Yet again, I'm also frustrated by the fact that despite a cool premise/world, this book was SO BORING! I think this is just testament to lazy writing. Authors must think that we're so enamored by the setting/premise that we won't care that there's barely a sustainable plot. They fumbled around for most of the book digging up crap I couldn't care less about. NOTHING HAPPENS.
And then she
Spoiler
loses her mind and confuses the readers with her apparent identity crisis. The onset was so weird and sudden it felt like a cheap way to make things interesting (it did not). Besides, how could she care so much about parents that she only talked to for 5 minutes? It made zero sense.Not interested in reading the rest. Have much better things to do with my time.
mlliu's review against another edition
3.0
This was a sweet book with a true kick-ass heroine and an intriguing premise. I thought it was interesting that the book presented humans as advanced enough to have portal technology but having lost much too when so many people left Earth and allowed parts to go to ruin. And so they express surprise at the sight of high-rises (there's no need to build dense when there are other worlds to settle) and the idea that people could have traveled across land as fast as they did (as in auto racing; in their world, people just portal to a destination). I'm not sure it makes sense from a scientific standpoint. For example, wouldn't people have recognized the importance of redundancy in data storage, making it unlikely that all this knowledge would be lost? But I thought the mythology of Earth's future was well thought-out, like the fact that settlers on different planets have developed different cultures.
I describe this book as "sweet" because I never got a real sense of danger.
I also didn't think Jarra's mental break was very believable. It felt like a convenient way to shuffle the plot forward, though I'm glad she at least took responsibility for her lies once she realized what had happened.
The writing could have been tighter. There were long passages of dialogue where characters explain things in a way that felt awkward. Otherwise, I thought Earth Girl was a well-imagined debut novel with thoughtful characters and a lot of potential for future stories.
I describe this book as "sweet" because I never got a real sense of danger.
Spoiler
Everything works out in the end. I did think it was kind of a cheat (even lazy?) to have Fian reveal Jarra's origins to their class. Instead of seeing how her classmates reacted to her being "Handicapped," Jarra wakes up from her coma to find out everyone still likes her.I also didn't think Jarra's mental break was very believable. It felt like a convenient way to shuffle the plot forward, though I'm glad she at least took responsibility for her lies once she realized what had happened.
The writing could have been tighter. There were long passages of dialogue where characters explain things in a way that felt awkward. Otherwise, I thought Earth Girl was a well-imagined debut novel with thoughtful characters and a lot of potential for future stories.
katherinelv5's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting book. I liked all the fun lingo. There were times when I was really confused about what was going on but it was all explained later.
ellbeecee's review against another edition
4.0
This book surprised me - I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. I really expected it to be fairly fluffy, one that I picked up and eventually finished, but that I didn't think much of.
Instead, I feel like there was good worldbuilding, an interesting premise and good exploration of themes, if some of those felt a little heavy handed at times.
I'm already reading the next book, so clearly the flaws aren't keeping me from that.
Instead, I feel like there was good worldbuilding, an interesting premise and good exploration of themes, if some of those felt a little heavy handed at times.
I'm already reading the next book, so clearly the flaws aren't keeping me from that.
jrosenstein's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book and it is rather unique in the world of YA scifi. As one of the blurbs on the back points out, this is a utopia, not a dystopia, which is such a nice change from all the gloom and doom pervading YA fiction these days. Edwards imagines a world where technology has actually made things pretty good. There seems to be no real poverty and most diseases and injuries can be easily cured. It is not, however, a world without prejudice and Edwards does an excellent job of world-building. She has really thought out the cultural implications of humans spreading out across the galaxy, and her main character is smart and confident but still completely real and vulnerable. The characters give a lot of information about the world and its history but for me it never got boring. If anything, my only complaint is that the overall tone is perhaps a bit too optimistic and upbeat!
carolined314's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
aimeeb993's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0