Seafire

Gr 7 Up—Caledonia Styx captains the all-female crew of the Mors Navis assisted by her best friend Pisces. They spend their time outrunning Aric Athair's fleet, the Bullets, and doing whatever they can to keep their ship going and stay alive. Caledonia has kept a dangerous secret for four years: she broke one of her mother's rules by letting a Bullet named Lir live instead of killing him immediately. This mercy obliterated everything she and Pisces loved, including their parents and younger brothers. When Pisces is captured by the enemy, then rescued by a rebellious Bullet named Oran, Caledonia is forced to confront her past mistakes and figure out the best thing for her crew. A somewhat rushed backstory propels the plot, leaning heavily on Caledonia's guilt and the question of what her mother would do in her place. There is a feeling of freedom on the vessel from constantly being on the move, but Caledonia is weighed down by her past and responsibilities as captain. The majority of this futuristic dystopian novel is set on the girls' ship, with occasional glimpses of what sedentary life is like in different locales. The crew is made up of young women with a diversity of skin color, backgrounds, and skills. This is sure to appeal to readers looking for strong female characters and fans of Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser and The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig.