I love stories with strong female roles. Ones were the female doesn't just take whats coming to her or lets other people decide her fate. It can be really hard to find well written independent female leads, so at first I was concerned over how the main character, Jarra, would be written. Just reading the book jacket caused a spark of interest but past experiences kept me from hoping to much. But Earth Girl literally rocked my world!
Sassy eighteen year old Jarra is a handicap, an ape, a throwback, the garbage of the universe. These are what they call the ones living on Earth that are born with immune systems that cannot survive on other planets. Jarra is one of the thousands of babies who got sent to Earth to save their lives. Most of these children never get into contact with their birth parents again.
She can’t travel to off earth but she does grow up watching vids from other planets. Most of these videos are historic or even entertainment. Sadly, many also seem to be cruel vids that make fun of the “apes” still living on earth. The people stuck on earth are often portrayed as backward or old fashioned and not well educated.
Jarra doesn’t let her handicap or the cruel stereotypes facing it keep her from living the way she wants. And she wants to go to one of the best History universities on earth. She wants to show up the norms and prove shes just as good as them. Jarra doesn't want her handicapped to be know, so to keep the norms from finding out about her handicap right off the bat she creates a fake military background to hide her secret.
Jarra doesn’t let her handicap or the cruel stereotypes facing it keep her from living the way she wants. And she wants to go to one of the best History universities on earth. She wants to show up the norms and prove shes just as good as them. Jarra doesn't want her handicapped to be know, so to keep the norms from finding out about her handicap right off the bat she creates a fake military background to hide her secret.
The class is for a year of practical history studies, where they will be excavating the dangerous ruins of Earth’s old cities. Jarra successfully enters the class and she can’t wait to see their faces once they realize she was only an ape girl pretending to be a norm. What she wasn’t expecting was to make friends with them all, to even risk her life to save them, or to find love.
While reading Earth Girl, it was at times hard to find true faults. Though do I questioned her motives for joining into a "norm” school; it felt petty and childish. But watching Jarra’s bitterness transform as she learns to acceptance not only herself but others as well was an amazing experience and read. Earth Girl is a YA science fiction with true depth and well developed characters and worlds. A recommended read to sci fi, action, and romance lovers all around.
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