Taking a different approach to the standard space exploration story, Temi Oh's characters, while astronauts, are just barely out of adolescence when they are sent to colonize a distant, Earth-like planet named Terra-Two. This is a journey of many years, and the main characters won't arrive at their destinations till their middle age. So, this is a voyage demanding a mental and physical toughness, and a willingness to leave all Earth ties behind.
Oh's cast of young characters are put through the wringer mentally. I loved this. It's an unusual approach to really dive into what it would take to leave everything behind, to also deal with the deep isolation of space and the stress of the claustrophobic setting and interactions between the characters. It's no wonder that each character suffers through the beginning of the voyage, with all the stresses piling on top of one another.
There were some really poignant moments between the cast; Temi Oh had me wondering about the viability of the mission, and how the many remaining years would pass on board. I really liked this book.