Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed Castle Lark and the Tale that Stopped Time on + 5322 more book reviews
Reviewed by Candace Cunard for TeensReadToo.com
Two years ago, I tried to write this book. Yes, I really did mean to say "write" instead of "read." I was determined to write a book set in a future where misuse of Earth's resources along with escalating international tensions had resulted in making the planet uninhabitable, forcing humanity outwards to the moon and Mars. I wanted to write a book about what it might be like for teenagers who had never lived on Earth to understand their heritage. What would the first generation to live without Earth look like, and what would they feel about the planet their parents had left?
By examining the main characters of this novel, Gatuskin has achieved what I sought out to do and more. Her story begins with Fasha, a teenage girl who's grown up on Mars and has never stepped foot outside of a climate-controlled dome in her life. When her parents decide to take a vacation to Earth, she's excited about the prospect, but also uncertain about what to expect. She and her family are joined at the last minute by the son of a family friend, Alex, and he and Fasha immediately hit it off.
As part of Alex's quest to reconnect with his Scottish heritage, he and Fasha convince her parents to allow them to visit Scotland while on Earth, despite the fact that all of Great Britain is covered by a mysterious mutated vine, akin to rock ivy, that spread as a result of a fuel spill before Earth was evacuated. However, there's more to this vine than anyone suspects, and more to Earth's history than the textbooks have passed on. Alex and Fasha quickly get pulled into an adventure that's more magical than scientific, so although the story begins in a sci-fi setting, it eventually transitions into a mode of storytelling more common in fantasy.
I enjoy both genres thoroughly, and Gatuskin's unique blend of the two makes for a highly engaging read. I found myself savoring the first hundred pages, in which Gatuskin's portrayal of Fasha and Alex's first visit to Earth is nostalgic and contemplative without being overly sentimental. The overarching plot was rather complex, so that the middle felt slow, and the end was confusing because so many loose ends were tied up by the introduction of new points of view. Readers should not expect to understand even the book's title for some time. However, the story's real power comes from the author's inspired understanding of different characters' relationships with humanity's first home, and the meaning of Earth when man can live amongst the stars.
Two years ago, I tried to write this book. Yes, I really did mean to say "write" instead of "read." I was determined to write a book set in a future where misuse of Earth's resources along with escalating international tensions had resulted in making the planet uninhabitable, forcing humanity outwards to the moon and Mars. I wanted to write a book about what it might be like for teenagers who had never lived on Earth to understand their heritage. What would the first generation to live without Earth look like, and what would they feel about the planet their parents had left?
By examining the main characters of this novel, Gatuskin has achieved what I sought out to do and more. Her story begins with Fasha, a teenage girl who's grown up on Mars and has never stepped foot outside of a climate-controlled dome in her life. When her parents decide to take a vacation to Earth, she's excited about the prospect, but also uncertain about what to expect. She and her family are joined at the last minute by the son of a family friend, Alex, and he and Fasha immediately hit it off.
As part of Alex's quest to reconnect with his Scottish heritage, he and Fasha convince her parents to allow them to visit Scotland while on Earth, despite the fact that all of Great Britain is covered by a mysterious mutated vine, akin to rock ivy, that spread as a result of a fuel spill before Earth was evacuated. However, there's more to this vine than anyone suspects, and more to Earth's history than the textbooks have passed on. Alex and Fasha quickly get pulled into an adventure that's more magical than scientific, so although the story begins in a sci-fi setting, it eventually transitions into a mode of storytelling more common in fantasy.
I enjoy both genres thoroughly, and Gatuskin's unique blend of the two makes for a highly engaging read. I found myself savoring the first hundred pages, in which Gatuskin's portrayal of Fasha and Alex's first visit to Earth is nostalgic and contemplative without being overly sentimental. The overarching plot was rather complex, so that the middle felt slow, and the end was confusing because so many loose ends were tied up by the introduction of new points of view. Readers should not expect to understand even the book's title for some time. However, the story's real power comes from the author's inspired understanding of different characters' relationships with humanity's first home, and the meaning of Earth when man can live amongst the stars.
