Reviewer Comments: Melinda's father insists that she go with him to Mars. She doesn't want to leave Earth and the future with Ross that she envisions. but she doesn't have a lot to say about it, and so she find herself aboard the Susan Constant on her way to the Red Planet. Alex, a fellow-traveler and citizen of Mars, enlivens the journey with his stories and quiet admonitions that she give Mars a chance. Although Ross turns out to be something less than Melinda had thought, Alex turns out to be something more. But she doesn't want to live her life with him on Mars! And then through a terrible tragedy and a trip to Phobos, Melinda discovers more about herself than she realized.
This is a wonderful sci-fi romance for young adults. Its light-hearted first-person stream-of-consciousness narrative is engaging, and Melinda is a winsome sprite who comes of age quickly because of her life-changing adversities. The adventure of space travel is always exciting, and Melinda's matter-of-fact description of the voyage and life on the Red Planet makes it seem not quite so impossible. A recommended read for young imaginations!
