Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

In an attempt to preserve the human race, two spaceships – the Empyrean and the New Horizon – were launched into space to colonise a new planet deep in space, deemed New Earth; everything appears to be going swimmingly towards the end of the mission, until the first launched ship, the religious New Horizon slows down in what the Empyrean assumes is an attempt to meet up earlier than planned; except it’s not for a rendezvous – it’s to attack their allies and kidnap the girls, thus separating parents from children, friends from friends, brothers from sisters and boyfriend from girlfriend, including newly-engaged-couple Waverly and Kieran – will anything ever be the same? 

Glow was very gripping, although I didn’t like the way the cliffhanger at the end was done, as it was obviously concocted to make you buy the next book, Spark. I found the plot to be pretty original, and full of great twists, along with being very beautifully written, although it is extremely dark. We’re treated to a third person narrative which switches between Waverly and Kieran’s point of view, although I felt a bit detached from the characters it was still excellently done, and Waverly’s viewpoint was far more interesting to me. It had a few minor flaws, as it dragged a bit in places (especially at first), I felt certain aspects could have been fleshed out further, Waverly and Kieran’s romance could have been made more of, and I didn’t like the offhand cancer comment on first page but on the whole, it was extremely enjoyable.

I’m the first to admit that I don’t know the first thing about space and space travel, so I haven no idea how accurate Ryan’s detail is, but it seemed to make sense to me, and the regular scientific language  used also helped to make it more authentic and shows that Ryan has clearly done more than a fair amount of research.

Glow is unusual in that it’s a Young Adult book that is intelligent, philosophical, symbolic, believable, makes you think, where nothing is black or white, and it’s an excellent, highly recommended read.

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[SYNOPIS: 16 years ago, Waverly and Kieran were the first children born in space. Now a perfect couple, they are the pride and joy of the whole spaceship.

They represent the future.

The ship is their entire world.

They have never seen a stranger before.

Old Earth is crumbling, and the crew is hoping to reach (and colonise) New Earth within fifty years. Along with their allies on the second spaceship - who set off a year before them and whom they have never met.

One day, Kieran proposes to Waverly. That same morning, the 'allies' attack - and Kieran and Waverly are separated in the cruellest way possible. Will they ever see each other again?]