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A review by literalottie
The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow, this truly is a unique sci-fi thriller, and my experience with reading this has definitely cemented Joan He as an author I will continue to look out for in the years to come. This is categorised as a YA novel, but (I mean this as no slight against YA books) honestly I think that is doing it a disservice. It doesn't feel like it's specifically geared towards the YA demographic, and there's a lot of depth and complexity that I think readers of many ages would enjoy.
I absolutely loved the setting of this book - the backdrop of ecological disaster, the concept of the eco-cities and all the commentary on climate ethics and humanity that came along with it was so interesting. I do feel that at times the worldbuilding was a bit vague - the twisty nature of the story necessitates a bit of mystery, of course, but sometimes I felt like crucial details got a bit muddied along the way.
As for the story, hoo boy, it delivered beyond my expectations. The blurb describes it as being akin to Black Mirror, and I absolutely can understand and agree with this comparison. There was a specific point in this book where the penny dropped, and I outright gasped and had to take a moment to put the book down and process what I had just realised. The reveals don't feel cheap or random, in fact the stories of the two sisters Kasey and Cee unfurl and ultimately intersect in a way that is equally shocking and satisfying. Ultimately, this was a great read, and one I would wholeheartedly recommend.
I absolutely loved the setting of this book - the backdrop of ecological disaster, the concept of the eco-cities and all the commentary on climate ethics and humanity that came along with it was so interesting. I do feel that at times the worldbuilding was a bit vague - the twisty nature of the story necessitates a bit of mystery, of course, but sometimes I felt like crucial details got a bit muddied along the way.
As for the story, hoo boy, it delivered beyond my expectations. The blurb describes it as being akin to Black Mirror, and I absolutely can understand and agree with this comparison. There was a specific point in this book where the penny dropped, and I outright gasped and had to take a moment to put the book down and process what I had just realised. The reveals don't feel cheap or random, in fact the stories of the two sisters Kasey and Cee unfurl and ultimately intersect in a way that is equally shocking and satisfying. Ultimately, this was a great read, and one I would wholeheartedly recommend.