I’ve been inspired lately to read more books by L.R. Lam and next up is Goldilocks. This science fiction dystopia was just right what I needed. It’s been a while since I read a dystopia, and this one got me thinking. Keep reading this book review of Goldilocks for my full thoughts.
Summary
Despite increasing restrictions on the freedoms of women on Earth, Valerie Black is spearheading the first all-female mission to a planet in the Goldilocks Zone, where conditions are just right for human habitation.
The team is humanity’s last hope for survival, and Valerie has gathered the best women for the mission: an ace pilot who is one of the only astronauts ever to have gone to Mars; a brilliant engineer tasked with keeping the ship fully operational; and an experienced doctor to keep the crew alive. And then there’s Naomi Lovelace, Valerie’s surrogate daughter and the ship’s botanist, who has been waiting her whole life for an opportunity to step out of Valerie’s shadow and make a difference.
The problem is that they’re not the authorized crew, even if Valerie was the one to fully plan the voyage. When their mission is stolen from them, they steal the ship bound for the new planet.
But when things start going wrong on board, Naomi begins to suspect that someone is concealing a terrible secret — and realizes time for life on Earth may be running out faster than they feared . . .
Review
Goldilocks is a story about ambition. While it’s very easy to get lost in the dangers of space, the peril facing humanity, Goldilocks is a story about characters. It’s about the lies we tell each other, and ourselves, and what we will do when we are faced with ethical dilemmas. It delivers a story where women are being pushed out of STEM fields and where humanity is looking for an escape route. But it’s also a dystopia where, like today, there isn’t much being done to either fix what we have now, or to help those around us. For Naomi, this heist is the only way she can fulfill her dreams and make sure women have a space in the conversation.
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The tension between the lies, and betrayal, and the danger of these interpersonal relationships juxtaposed with the dangers of space were fabulous. We wonder if the things going wrong are merely mistakes or calculated errors. And as Goldilocks descends, we ask ourselves what we will do when we find out. At the same time, Goldilocks delivers an ethical exploration into what humanity will do with the new opportunities and also what will get humanity to change. Will they begin to recognize the talent around them? The necessary sacrifices that have to be made? How do we stop using our emergency exit as an excuse?
Goldilocks made me think. While I don’t know if I agree with the decisions of our crew members, it’s a book that will worm its way under your skin. And as our Earth slowly descends into climate crisis, makes you wonder. Find Goldilocks on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.