This felt like a novella written by someone who loved the Alien movie when they were younger, and wanted something with a more modern touch. And a much grimmer setting.

And I absolutely loved every second of it.

I love books that have representation, but I especially love books that take this representation and blends it into the background. Where it's not a big deal, or an essential part of the story, just.. part of life? I felt that Ness Brown did this in a beautiful way. No one was described by their skin color, we got told what hairstyle Jacklyn has in one scene and sure it's a type of hairstyle that has a lot of associations to black people but I believe with the cover people go into the book already thinking it. Sexuality was also never mentioned, but it's pretty clear that Jacklyn has a sweetheart, and said sweetheart is another woman. Nothing explicit, other than a few kisses and a few allusions to a good time.

Other than that, it's impossible not to compare this to Aliens. At the bare basics, it's the same premise. "Woman hunts alien who hides in space ship walls". There is even an android side kick and slimy alien blood.

It does avoid the biggest association people have with Alien, which is the whole baby-alien eating humans from the inside and "popping out". But, if you love Alien like I do, you're going to be seeing a lot of similarities.

The setting alone is different enough that it felt fresh. I mean, generational ship on the verge of collapse, with potential riots breaking out among the populace and not enough food to go around and suddenly you got murdering aliens? But then there is also the mystery of what is damaging, or attacking, the ship at random intervals. And the mystery of the captain locked up in his bunker and refusing to come out (Who is also the leads father).

If I have any complaints, is that the vague descriptions which was a bonus on describing humans, felt a little lacking when all we got about the aliens was "large" and "black kind of like a beetle" (meaning they shimmer?). Which meant, I just saw the exact same monster of Alien roaming around. But if someone haven't watched Alien? It might be a huge disappointment.

(Tho, in their defense, a lot of the hunting of aliens was done in the dark).

I hope this gets a sequel, the ending left enough of an opening where I could see one happening.