Starworld: 08/24/20

Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst and Paula Garner is about two teens trying to escape reality. They share the fun of a made up world, Starworld. It's their own private spot in the universe that they visit through texts.

Sam Jones can't keep up with her mother's OCD driven rules and moods. She can't have friends over. She barely has time for herself. Her whole life revolves around her mother.

Zoe Miller is adopted. Her mother is struggling with cancer. Her brother — her adoptive parents' biological child — is disabled and probably will never be able to live on his own. His parents have made the decision to move him into an assisted living home.

Sam and Zoe's chapter alternate. Each new chapter seems to be a contest to out angst the previous one. There's very little in the way of moments of downtime. Neither character gets much of a chance to breathe and chapter after chapter like this lessens the overall emotional impact.

What originally sucked me in was Sam's love of painting. Her first chapter, the one where Zoe and she first interact was amazing. Their initial meeting was over Zoe wanting to use one of her paintings for set design for the drama club. But that whole thread gets buried in the home life dramas of both girls.

Three stars

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