I loved this book. There was interesting interaction between the victors and children of war that drove the book. Chelo and the altered are a fascinating remnant of the war– torn between the only parents they’ve ever known and their biological parents who fled or died years ago.
The various groups’ reactions to the children of their enemies is interesting, varied, and feels realistic. You feel sympathy for the kids, but it’s understandable given the disruption and memory their mere presence keeps provoking.
The role of technology is well handled– this isn’t a run away crazy futuristic technological paradise. There are strong hints of transformative technology elsewhere– but locally, it’s comprehensible. The tales of disaster elsewhere help reinforce the colonists aversion to the technology that creeps closer. The New Making is a great lure; Jenna is quirky and so much more than you first imagine.
A great book– I look forward to reading more by Brenda Cooper in the future.