Debbie's Spurts

This reader's personal opinion, ©2018, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by goodreads, Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers* 

I have no idea how to review this.

It's a reboot of a teenage favorite (Podkayne of Mars - Robert A. Heinlein) by a favorite author -- and I think that's colored both my expectations and my reading experience.

Overall, a well written book.  Most sources say is a standalone.  I doubt it.  The ending was finally pretty decent but clearly there's a series there. 

If a series, I may chance the next book because of potentially interesting plot/worldbuilding.  I never warmed up to any of the characters -- a big issue for me.  But, from the standpoint of good science fiction -- a lot of interest and very well done.

Some things I think were too much of a switch for me -- the mother being cold, uptight, unyielding, self-involved politician using the kids.  The now-a-twin-aged brother acting so adult and authoritarian.  Instead of curious explorer headed out with fave uncle to earth and stalling on Venus, the Martian kids sent straight to earth and into the special academy trope.

Most of the book was "special academy" with the formulaic mean girls, bullies, etc.  Way, way too much of the book.  Without it being a reboot, I'm not sure (despite decent writing) I would have been interested enough to finish.

Poddy ... er, now she's "Polly" ... came across as very TSTL and pretty much a juvenile delinquent always superciliously whining internally and verbally about how superior all things Martian were.  Unlike original where she was a very compassionate, caring, eager person.

*©2018.  All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher (except Penumbra Publishing) to reprint/quote in whole or in part. I may also have cross-posted on Libib, LibraryThing, and other sites including retailers like kobo and Barnes and Noble. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties or indicate release of copyright.  

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Average. Okay.
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked or meh? but kept reading in hopes would improve.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking. (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." If author is going batshit crazy in the blogosphere over reviews -- I now know why they are getting bad reviews. Or maybe author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)