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This Week’s Word Is “Goldilocks”
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson was going to be hard to beat for my novel of the year. Yet, only two weeks later, I’ve found another book that riffs off a classic story, that may well be even better. Goldilocks by Laura Lam is a smart science thriller, that thrills like Andy Weir’s The Martian. Whilst perhaps less cerebral than Frankissstein, Goldilocks is riveting from the first page to last. It will leave you breathless, horrified, and rooting for its hero.
What is Goldilocks?
Being a science fiction novel, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Goldilocks is not so much about three bears, but relates to everything being “just right.” Set at some point in the nearish future, humanity has discovered faster than light travel (via a working Alcubierre drive) and found a nearish planet that supports just the right conditions to support human life. In other words, a Goldilocks Planet.
Earth, meanwhile, has become too hot. Runaway greenhouse gases are cooking the planet. Air quality is awful and sea levels are rising. Scientists predict that the Earth has no more than 30 years before global society collapses. This means that getting to the planet of Cavendish is vital for the survival of the human…
