Female Lead in Space Story
Review of Mission to Mars: The Last Diaspora Book 2
By Elisabeth van der Wilt
Mission to Mars is a wonderful tale designed for young adults. We start the first chapter off with Aldi our female lead. -In my personal opinion I found it amazing to read a science fiction novel where the female character is the lead. Normally I’ve seen a lack of female leads in space novels with most of them being with male-centred leads.
This is book two of the series called ‘The Last Diaspora’ being unfamiliar with Mandy’s world she created, I was fascinated, knowing I would have to pick up book one to start the series where it originally began. -This is a common problem of mine, reading a book in the middle of the series.
Let’s begin with Aldi Mirous’s tale which is all about the crazy adventure she leads coming from Earth to orbit Mars, and claim the red planet. We talk of her start as a diviner in the Ancestry Cult, her woes with homelessness, and then she gets started on Project Mars.
Aldi is strangely fascinating, her tale was a powerful one. She was born and raised in isolation -which made me reflect on the past few years – and when she is released from the shackles so to speak, she is then forgotten. It was a good look on life and the people we have forgotten about and whom we should talk with.
Things got even more interesting with Aldi always questioning, and wondering what life was like outside of the Pits.
This universe was well written, and drawn out, even in this short novel. It leaves you with questions -hopefully being answered later in the series- about what the social structure of things are, how does the religions fully function, and can we get more information on the cannibalism. I was surprised when seeing this brought to life.
There were other characters in the story, but none took real focus as our lead did. They were all given great detail – including back stories – and the way they acted, brought a smile to my face. But as I said, nothing took focus except our lead. But since it was her story and there was only so much information allowed to be stuffed into this book, I’ll allow it.
This book’s language is phenomenally written and you can tell the author put a lot of love into the story. It reads as a space book, something I would see on TV and watch with my family, which the concept immensely pleased me.
Overall, Mission to Mars was a great story of adventure. I think for the audience, and the story that we are told, it fits like a perfect glove. Just like our character Aldi and the adventure she was on, I was grateful to have joined her on it.
I look forward to what else the author writes. Surely she will tell us more, incredible tales about characters in space and their adventures and hardships they face. Teaching us all valuable and important lessons that we must face in life.
10 out of 10! Bravo!