Asuka was the last person chosen to join the crew for humanity's last hope, eighty elite graduates of a competitive program who will give birth to a generation of children in deep space and one day reach a distant but livable planet. But when a bomb kills three of the crew, investigating it falls to Asuka.

I'm trying to get more into science fiction lately, and between the creative world-building and the high-stakes mystery, this book was certainly a good addition to the roster. In a near-future dystopia, the world has managed to cooperate long enough to send a group of child-bearing people into space in hopes of colonizing a distant planet, but the way that both the crew members and the general populace act toward this goal was unfortunately all too human.

I enjoyed the character of Asuka, who despite qualifying for this highly competitive program has a serious case of imposter syndrome. Over the course of the book she begins to better understand why it was she was chosen, as well as what the purpose of this whole endeavor even was.  The mystery was compelling, and the resolution of the story was emotional, elegant, and resonant.

However, I did feel like the book tried to tackle too much for how long it was - between the timeline aboard the spaceship and that which took place on earth, we cover world politics, parent-child relationships, white supremacy, misogyny, and ecoterrorists, which is an awful lot to cram into world-building for a 400-page standalone novel.

Similarly we are introduced to a good number of the crew members, many of whom are not only suspected to be the bomber at some point or another but are indeed accused of it, and apart from a couple of the more prominent members they all blended together. I wish the author would have written a bigger story or cut out some of those elements, because as things stood, it was simply too convoluted to always enjoy.

*The Deep Sky* by Yume Kitasei is a captivating science fiction novel that blends space exploration with themes of survival, identity, and human resilience. The story follows a group of diverse characters aboard a spaceship on a mission to save humanity from an impending disaster. As they journey through space, they face internal and external challenges that test their resolve, relationships, and sense of self. Kitasei’s world-building is immersive, with a tense and atmospheric setting that enhances the emotional depth of the narrative. The characters are well-developed, with rich backstories that add complexity to the plot. *The Deep Sky* is a thought-provoking and engaging read, perfect for fans of character-driven space adventures and speculative fiction.

An engaging blend of science fiction and murder mystery, with ominous, evocative worldbuilding. It's not an Earth I'd want to inhabit, but it's one that seems all too feasible. Speaks simultaneously to the past, present, and future like all the best sci-fi does.

I wanted to like this one very badly but I did not.

I initially requested it as I was interested in finding my way back to the sci fi genre, it gave me illuminae vibes.

Unfortunately it fell short.

The first few chapters were incredible - I was really hooked by this mysterious explosion.

Immediately following the aftermath, the narrative lost me. Our main character reads like a 15 year old - a the writing in general felt at the level of a middle grade/young adult novel which confused me as I assumed this was adult sci fi fiction?

I grew bored as the story progressed and was unable to ultimately finish due to the confusing plot line. I appreciate being given the chance to read through netgalley.

Paused reading at 10%. I started this one a while ago, and it just couldn’t catch my attention. I’ve lost interest in picking it back up. I may come back to it another time, but I have to put it on pause for now. If I ever pick it up again I will update my review!

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei is a sci-fi murder mystery in space. The strengths of this story are the interesting concepts that Kitasei brings to the foreground and the very believable, yet foreboding environment of the future of Earth. Future citizens have given up hope that we will continue to thrive on our own planet so have put into motion a training program (that is also a competition) for the brightest and fittest among the female inhabitants of Earth to venture out into the stars in search of Planet X. Why only females? Well, because they can all be artificially inseminated while on board the ship to spawn the future of the human race. With a subject such as this, one would expect eugenics to be brought up, and it was, but not nearly to the extent as I was expecting which seemed disingenuous to a real world scenario (but I digress). I think the things I had the hardest times with were the two different timelines. I enjoyed being in the past way more than the present and wish we could have gotten the narrative in chronological order. I also had a hard time distinguishing between a lot of the character's individual voices. (I also listened to this and the narrator helped a lot with this. I feel like if I had only physically read it I would have had a harder time keeping them straight in my mind's eye.) Overall, I enjoyed the book and would be tempted to pick up something the author writes next.

The Deep Sky is a sci fi mystery-thriller about space mission that soon turns into a murder mystery and the crew no longer know who to trust.

As a huge lover of science fiction and murder mystery I was very excited about this book. However, it ultimately didn't quite hit for me.
The initial conceit of a murder mystery set in space was interesting, but it was very much bogged down with dense technical details. It also was too convenient that somehow the ship's technology seemed to never work without valid reason. Also the pregnancy factor of this book just took it all the way to the absurd and unbelievable.

The main character also suffers from a lack of arc / growth and so it's hard to invest in her story.

I really wanted to like this, but unfortunately just wasn't for me.

It took me a bit to get sucked into this one, but once I was in, I was IN. I really appreciated not only the characters, but the set-up of this one - and the mystery at the center of the story had me guessing for quite awhile! I was correct in who I thought did it, but it didn't make it any less enjoyable for me. I'm excited to read more from Kitasei, and I've read her second novel is even better!

The Deep Sky was a wonderful, absorbing novel. I loved Kitasei's world building and can't wait to read what she writes next.

A thrilling blend of a murder mystery/conspiracy plot and near future exploration of climate change. Really enjoyed it.

As Earth teeters on the verge of environmental collapse, an elite group of eighty women are chosen to travel into deep space to repopulate a new planet. When a bomb planted on the ship kills several crew members, Asuka is assigned the task of finding out who is behind the explosion. Could it be one of the groups on Earth who oppose their mission … or is there a saboteur on board?

Review

In Yume Kitasei’s sci-fi mystery-thriller The Deep Sky, Earth is in chaos. Environmental catastrophe is spreading, hostilities are escalating, and the future of humanity is at risk. A global project is set up to train female children for an interstellar mission to Planet X, a recently discovered Earth-like planet. After ten years in stasis, the now-adult crew is to become pregnant by artificial insemination and give birth prior to arriving on Planet X, where the next generations will establish a new human colony.

Asuka is a American woman of Japanese and Latinx heritage, with a history of trauma. Despite her mother’s objections, Asuka joins the mission program as a child and becomes the “Alternate”, the last to be chosen and only because Japan’s first choice drops out. While she is on an EVA, a bomb explodes, killing three crew members. Asuka is assigned to find out who or what is responsible: whether the ship’s AI has gone awry, a group opposed to the mission planted the bomb, or one of their own is sabotaging the ship.

The Deep Sky is a well-written debut, with a carefully crafted plot interspersed with flashbacks to Asuka’s childhood and training. Unfortunately, the characters are given very little depth, making it hard for the reader to care about them. Asuka’s impostor syndrome and self-doubt provide a great opportunity for character development; however, she is mostly immature and resentful, has no arc to speak of, and remains the same throughout, being difficult to like or empathize with. Perhaps the author intends her to be prickly and sullen, but the fact that she goes on no inner journey to reflect the enormity of her celestial voyage does not make for a compelling protagonist.

Science fiction rises and falls on its believability and realism, and much about The Deep Sky casts doubt on the viability of its mission. The crew are alarmingly dependent on Digitally Augmented Reality (DAR), provided by their ship’s AI, known as Alpha, which the novel suggests is a good thing. However, in space, though virtual entertainment would be needed, being rooted in reality is essential, and a matter of life and death. Constantly mixing virtual reality with the reality of space travel is a hazardous concept and flies in the face of all common sense. After the bomb explodes, those outside cannot communicate with the ship’s AI because it only communicates through DAR from inside, which makes no sense on a space mission.

Another issue is the concept of the mission itself. The idea of sending only fertile women to populate a new planet might be trying to send a feminist message, but has the opposite effect. Many of the crew leaders being pregnant at the same time is dangerous and highly irresponsible, and the fact that only women able to bear children are deemed suitable for an interstellar mission could be construed as anti-feminist in the extreme. Having no men on board to provide balance as the other half of humanity is also questionable, suggesting a rather juvenile brand of feminism and an idea that has not been thought through as a feasible concept.

It could have worked if the women had been portrayed as exceptionally competent, gifted, and self-sufficient – as would be expected from those chosen for such a mission. Instead, they are rendered in a decidedly anti-feminist manner, adhering to problematic sexist stereotypes of being emotional, irrational, selfish; unable to cope with stress and tough situations; betraying each other; and obsessing over relationships, rivalries, and getting pregnant. They come across as petty, self-absorbed, infighting adolescents, not as the mature, brilliant, and capable women they would need to be.

Effective tension is created when the plot veers into horror territory, as terrifying delusions are planted in Asuka’s vision/brain via DAR. The suggestion that Alpha is breaking down and becoming malevolent like 2001’s HAL lends added dimension to the story. However, the dénouement is disappointing and the story goes out with a whimper rather than a bang. Ultimately, The Deep Sky is a novel of intriguing possibilities let down by an unconvincing premise, unsatisfactory resolution, and, above all, the lack of depth, maturity, and proficiency afforded its female characters.

I unfortunately did not get to this one in time to leave a good review as I know it has been out for a while. I apologize

I would like to thank Flatiron Books for providing a digital copy of this novel via NetGalley. In The Deep Sky, Earth is in danger due to an environmental collapse. This novel tells the story of a team of Astronauts from various countries who are selected for a special mission to populate a distant planet. The protagonist is Asuka, the representative from Japan. The novel alternates between the current time period and before the mission, with much of the story from before the mission centering around the training of the crew members at the academy. There is a central mystery that is set up after an explosion takes place that takes their vessel off course. The crew members must figure out who among them is responsible for the explosion. We get important details from the past that help move the present story forward and solve the central mystery. I really enjoyed this story. I emphasized with Asuka's journey. She is not the strongest among her class, but she perseveres and plays a key role in the ultimate revelation in the plot. I enjoyed the dynamic with the mother. It felt like a realistic portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship, and we see how this dynamic affects the decisions that Asuka makes. Ultimate, this was an enjoyable space story with a satisfying ending.

This was 110% everything I could want in a sci-fi novel. It was beautiful, tense, claustrophobic - I just loved every inch of it. Murder mystery in space is definitely where it's at, and Kitasei's vision of the future felt frighteningly real while still giving me hope in the ability of humans to perservere if we can learn to work together. Absolutely I am buying a copy of this for my home library. I'm just sorry it took me so long to read it!

This is a solid book and certainly a solid debut! However, I just was not blown away by the story. It is fun but nothing completely mind blowing which I guess I was expecting for some reason. I'm am excited to see what this author does next.

I appreciated what this set out to do - it didn't feel cluttered with intense world building but gave enough to get us through the story at an enjoyable pace. While not earth shattering, my time with this one was pleasant and I look forward to other works by this author.

This was more my error. I want to try more sci-fi and expand my genre horizons. This was good. I like the writing versus so much of the drivel in this genre that we used to get so I do appreciate that aspect.

This was a really enjoyable scifi novel about relationships of all kinds and looking forward when it might be extremely difficult. When is it worth it to keep going? Whether it is with difficult personal struggles, internal battles with belonging and otherness, to literal planetary endings and the uncertainty in the options for the future. Whether to hope or give in. And on top of all that, some fascinating technological advancement elements, including some transdermal VR and long term stasis for space travel, as well as a bit of a murder mystery. Though honestly the murder mystery felt secondary to everything else. Enjoyable overall.

Good read! I enjoyed this book overall; however I did feel it had some room for improvements.

I think the story could have been fleshed out more.

I was lucky to receive an early copy of this scifi-mystery, THE DEEP SKY by Yume Kitasei. I had been looking for a new sci-fi book to dive into and this one delivered. Full of intriguing tech that lends itself to a thrilling mystery, a unique take on a familiar set-up, and dotted with well-done flashbacks to build out characters, this inclusive and diverse story delivers!! The augmented reality technology was especially brilliant. It lended a fantastical air to the present-day scenes and an extra layer of intrigue to this locked-room mystery. I’d caution trigger warnings, though, for pregnancy loss and death of pregnant persons.