From the Printz Award-winning author of Satellite comes a compelling new novel about a girl who must brave the elements to help a lost child with an otherworldly secret.Sixteen-year-old Emily is on the run. Between her parents and the trouble she’s recently gotten into at school, she has more than enough reason to get away. But when she finds a little boy named Aidan wandering in the woods, she … boy named Aidan wandering in the woods, she knows she needs to help him find his way home. But getting home is no easy matter, especially when Emily finds out that Aidan isn’t even from Earth. When their plane crashes into the side of a snowy mountain, it’s up to Emily to ensure Aidan and their pilot, Bob, make it off the mountain alive. Pursued by government forces who want to capture Aidan, the unlikely team of three trek across the freezing landscape, learning more about each other, and about life, than they ever thought possible.
“I love Nick Lake’s writing. I would read anything he wrote–grocery list, email, etc.–because his writing, always, is so real and brave. He takes on subjects other writers might avoid, and he writes the hell out of them.” —New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Niven on Nick Lake
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This is a book that made me feel in unexpected ways. Unexpected since the two main characters are: a sixteen-year-old girl and… an alien. But all the feels I did indeed have.
At its core, it was a book about love. Not romantic love, just love. About loving someone even though you know they are only going to be in your life a short time, loving them deeply even though they are somehow very different from you, loving in a way you never expected. And it was about realizing that love exists, even when you don’t always see it.
It’s interesting because just as much as the book is about love, it’s about hate, too. It’s about the human tendency to destroy that which is different, whether in the name of science or anything else.
But there were other messages, too, including that of sexual harrassment. That was especially relatable with all the discussions these days about unwanted sexual attention, about microagression.
It truly was a bizarre book, all of these messages set in the Alaskan wilderness, and in a sci-fi/survival story, young adult plot. It was just so well done, and there really aren’t words to describe the experience of reading it.
But I loved every single page!
A Novel by Nick Laken
Emily Perez’s life had been in a muddle since her family moved from Minnesota to a small town in Alaska. In Minnesota, she had a reachable goal in life; to be a professional dancer. In Alaska, she could only morn her losses: no dance studio, no teacher, and no partner. There was a new high school, though! It had cheerleading, which, to a dancer like Emily, was a massive step-down. Worst of all was the ass grabbing football player. Brad, the empty-headed, was sure he could intimidate Emily into going to the Junior Prom with him. That made her a little crazy. In need of a bit of revenge, she set fire to Brad’s very flammable letterman jacket. Sadly, the coat wasn’t all that burned that day. The little extra taking part in the conflagration was the boy’s locker room. So. There she was at home, immediately after the suspension, the threats of prosecution and her mom’s ranting, when something strange occurred. Sounds of breaking branches and big thump, much like a ninety-foot tall pine falling to earth, had Emily up and outside to see what the devil was going on. In the woods behind her home, amid the destruction, she met Aidan, and life would never be the same again.
“Nowhere On Earth” is the kind of book that you read time and again. And Emily Perez is a modern teen whose courage, humor, leadership, and skills will win your heart. I recommend this beautifully written story to everyone who appreciates a tale of bravery and determination in the face of an implacable enemy.
I received an advance proof of this novel through the auspices of NetGalley and publisher Alfred A. Knopf for review purposes.
Nowhere on Earth snagged me with the cover and drew me in with the synopsis. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
There was nothing wrong with the book necessarily. I enjoyed the author’s writing; it flowed well and was easy to read. The story itself just didn’t captivate me like I had hoped.
***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***
Nowhere on Earth by Nick Lake a four-star read that you need in your life. This is one of those stories that you may think twice about picking up, but don’t, it isn’t a typical story, it is deep, and you do have to pay attention while reading but its worth the attention. This seems like your typical survival against the elements, but it was so much more than that. This was a good story and well done, there were a couple of bits that didn’t sit with me, but overall it was a good story.
This book was kind of a surprise for me. I had certain expectations based on previous reviews but it was nothing like what I had in my head. This story was part action, part journey, part coming of age/ reminder that family is very important (no matter who makes up your family).
The story starts out with a plane crash and the action starts immediately. I loved the characters in this story. They were all real, like fully fleshed out and realistic. The dialogue matched the ages of the characters and their knowledge base fit as well. The action was well paced with the internal dialogue and the realizations that both the character makes and the reader discovers.
I will not give plot information, it needs to be read. In this case there is a good reason for it not to be discussed in the book’s blurb. The story was just plain enjoyable and I was very happy with the outcome. It has a heartwarming vibe to it; and it is perfect for younger children as well as older ones. There were no triggers or difficult subject matters; yet at the same time it is a family story. I received an ARC via #NetGalley and I am leaving my honest review.