What a unique book! The structure is so strange. Stuff happens, then more stuff and more stuff, but I had no idea where we were going basically up to the very end. Between the "stuff" happening, sometimes months pass and the characters settle into a new normal. They make decisions then end up doing the opposite.

Somehow all this adds up to a very life-like story. You may shout "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT", but you shout at the character, not the writer. The characters are fantastic, with juicy inner lives. The way they work together is perfect.

Bianca is attractive and loves Sophie in her own aristocratic way. She appreciates Sophie's loyalty and kindness. So we can understand why Sophie is in love with her. But Sophie's love is more romantic and passionate. The kind of crazy young love. But she ignores the parts of Bianca that are outside of their room. She wants those to not exist.

Sophie wants Bianca. Bianca wants power. Mouth wants a purpose. Alyssa wants to "make it" maybe?

Even as a stage play it would be interesting. But all these characters are dropped on a tidally locked alien planet. Humanity can only live in the thin twilight zone between the boiling sun and freezing night. While the 21st century reader is used to living on the upward trajectory of human civilization, these folks are on the downward side. They've lost contact with the mothership that brought them here hundreds of years ago. They are losing technologies bit by bit.

And then there are the aliens. I really don't want to give away anything here, but it's very original and just great.

The ending is unique too. It's not a full closure. I can't say I know the fate of the world. Everything is up in the air. A lot of characters have died, but the world is still too small for those that are alive. I would have gladly read more. But it works. The book has told the story it wanted to tell.