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A review by outsmartyourshelf
The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Fourteen-year-old Anabelle Crisp lives on Mars with her father & together they run the diner in New Galveston. They moved to the colony on Mars several years before but lost contact with Anabelle's mother after she returned to Earth to visit a sick relative. The colonists have not heard from Earth since then, no further ships have arrived, & supplies are starting to dwindle. Losing food to robbers is therefore a big deal & when they are robbed at gunpoint one evening, that incident sets off a chain of events which no-one could foresee.
This book is an odd mix of genres. Set in the 1930s, it's an alternate universe where humans have colonised other planets - basically it's the Western expansion of America but set on Mars. There are robots (referred to as Engines) which are used for various jobs & the Crisps have one called Watson (Watson is a kitchen Engine & named after Sherlock Holmes' sidekick & has been given an English accent) but the other technology is rather antiquated, they still use mules to pull carts, & the law is upheld by a local sheriff. There are several settlements referred to in passing but the main two are New Galveston & Dig Town, site of the local mine which uncovers the ore that powers the Engines.
It's an odd juxtaposition but it mainly works. The issue for me was the main character who basically acts like a smart-mouth brat throughout, getting herself & others into trouble by not thinking before she speaks or acts. Yes you can't expect teenage characters to act like an adult but full blown tantrums & screaming at people because you don't get your own way became irritating. A slightly more bearable MC would have gained a higher rating.
This book is an odd mix of genres. Set in the 1930s, it's an alternate universe where humans have colonised other planets - basically it's the Western expansion of America but set on Mars. There are robots (referred to as Engines) which are used for various jobs & the Crisps have one called Watson (Watson is a kitchen Engine & named after Sherlock Holmes' sidekick & has been given an English accent) but the other technology is rather antiquated, they still use mules to pull carts, & the law is upheld by a local sheriff. There are several settlements referred to in passing but the main two are New Galveston & Dig Town, site of the local mine which uncovers the ore that powers the Engines.
It's an odd juxtaposition but it mainly works. The issue for me was the main character who basically acts like a smart-mouth brat throughout, getting herself & others into trouble by not thinking before she speaks or acts. Yes you can't expect teenage characters to act like an adult but full blown tantrums & screaming at people because you don't get your own way became irritating. A slightly more bearable MC would have gained a higher rating.