the ones we’re meant to find – joan he

The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He

Standalone
Publication: May 4th 2021 by Roaring Brook
Age Range: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction (Dystopia), Mystery
Rep: Japanese MCs

Rating:

Synopsis:

One of the most twisty, surprising, engaging page-turner YAs you’ll read this year—We Were Liars meets Black Mirror, with a dash of Studio Ghibli.

Cee awoke on an abandoned island three years ago. With no idea of how she was marooned, she only has a rickety house, an old android, and a single memory: she has a sister, and Cee needs to find her.

STEM prodigy Kasey wants escape from the science and home she once trusted. The eco-city—Earth’s last unpolluted place—is meant to be sanctuary for those commited to planetary protection, but it’s populated by people willing to do anything for refuge, even lie. Now, she’ll have to decide if she’s ready to use science to help humanity, even though it failed the people who mattered most.

Goodreads | Website | Book Depository

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Thank you to Paola for organising the book tour and for choosing me as one of the participants. If you’re interested in the rest of the stops, check the schedule. TOWMTF is one of my most anticipated releases this year. To think that I got to read it before the release date makes me unbelievably happy. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

trigger and content warnings:

terminal illness, suicide, violence (including choking), death, death of parent (off page), vomiting, large scale natural disasters and mass casualties, some gore

taken from joan he’s goodreads

What am I supposed to do now? Joan He absolutely wrecked me. Her range is vast. Descendant of the Crane is historical fiction while The Ones We’re Meant to Find is science fiction. Both masterpieces I adore and set me on the journey to always support Joan He’s works. ❤️

Back to the review, as expected, her writing is exquisite. While there’s a bit of science-y jargon, the author explained with simplicity. If you’re looking for romance, there are love interests for the sisters but that aspect doesn’t overwhelm or overshadow the main plot. Joan He’s descriptive writing complimented the obscure future of the characters in this heart-wrenching novel. Unable to predict anything, the reader is just pulled into this immersive story about two sisters desperate to be back with one another.

“if you run into her,” i tell him, “remind her for me, will you? tell her if there’s anyone who can move the world, it’s her.”

In The Ones We’re Meant to Find, the two Mizuhara sisters are distinct characters in terms of their personality and their viewpoint of life. While Kasey’s the stoic one who looked towards science and technology, the more emotionally charged, idealistic sister is Celia. As compared to Kasey, the older sister often feel as if she could never be driven or serious. The sisterly love between them was obvious. Celia, marooned on the island for years, is desperate to return to her sister. At home, Kasey tries to find the truth behind her sister’s disappearance or possible death.

More than just a story about sisters, The Ones We’re Meant to Find illustrated the devastating consequences of human activities and selfishness upon the environment. With Earth almost completely inhabitable, a hierarchy was formed. Those of the lower ranks continued staying on the grounds of Earth in the worst conditions while 25% of the population live in the eco-cities in the sky with technology to aid them in acclimatizing to the changes. The world seemed beyond repair despite the advances in technology and innovation.

logic ended where love began.

It was impossible to predict what’s going to happen next. The story beautifully unraveled in a subtle way. I was guessing continuously but was never right especially with Cee’s chapters. “Wait… what?” was a common response for me. Joan He’s spectacular with foreshadowing especially with this dystopian setting. I couldn’t believe what I was reading half the time. The lead up to that chapter was so gradual but the realization hit me so hard so suddenly. BOW DOWN TO JOAN HE 🙇🏻‍♀️

P.S. If anyone would like to scream about what a genius of a book this is, just DM me. I’ll be waiting.