Neptune's Tears

Gr 8 Up—This story, an interesting mix of science fiction and romance, takes place in London, in 2218 A.D. Zee, 17, is an intern empath, which means that she helps identify problems and also helps to keep people's emotions at bay when they are traumatized. She meets David after a bombing attack, and she cannot stop thinking about him. Even when she finds out that he is an alien, she doesn't care, and when he pushes her away, she just pushes harder to find out why they can't be together. The story moves at a brisk pace and is focused on events from Zee's point of view; this narrative technique results in a lot of holes in the world-building. Savvy sci-fi aficionados will notice some paradoxes right away and experience a few "what?" moments when events are glossed over rather than explained. There are some elements that work, however, and the characters, while a bit flat, are believable. An additonal purchase for readers looking for a futuristic story that isn't dystopian.—Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ