Riley has lived her whole life as an elite daughter of one of the five ruling earthen corporations. She was supposed to be a beautiful figurehead working behind the scenes to help her husband. But the dresses they stuff her in are uncomfortable, social situations leave her confused, and she never really has been a woman. When she was diagnosed with autism, her father’s only hope was to marry her off. As she aged, her usefulness to her husband has diminished, and he plans on trading her for someone younger. Divorce isn’t legal, but murder is. . . as long as you don’t get caught.
Except Riley has never been as helpless as they believed. She has a gift for navigating technology, one that has let her lead her own rebellion. But to see her ultimate plan succeed, she needs to survive long enough. Her only solution is to get off the planet.
When Matty, a Martian ambassador headed home, sees Riley for the first time, she knows her life will never be the same. Riley needs help, and Matty wants to step in to save her even though she doesn’t know what she is saving her from. The more the two women come together, the more Matty falls in love. But what happens when the person you love cannot love you the same way?
Quarter Finalist
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Primarily character-driven and delivered through dual viewpoints, James's engrossing novel follows Riley’s winding path to freedom, from the threat of a patriarchal Earth to her blossoming kinship with the intriguing, thoughtful Martian, Matty. Well-executed flashbacks reveal Riley’s past traumas and obstacles while lending context to her present decisions.
Prose: James’s effective worldbuilding employs strong emotional and sensory descriptions of life both on and off the story's Martian-bound spaceship. Her choice to use a distant third-person voice parallels Riley’s compelling—and authentic—neurodivergent perspective, as well as Matty’s unique Martian upbringing. If readers feel alienated, that is precisely the point.
Originality: James uses the lens of Riley’s recovery from abuse and embrace of her new identity as a way to explore a distinct and creative Martian culture, often paralleling our society’s own issues with neurodivergence, gender equality, economic disparity, and more.
Character/Execution: James balances Riley’s feelings of alienation, gender dysphoria, and desire for change with a burgeoning romance with the confident, thoughtful Matty. Watching Riley shed her Earthen teachings to embrace her new identity is highly satisfying, and James's emphasis on diversity is refreshing.
Date Submitted: August 28, 2024
