Starclimber

** spoiler alert ** <3 thank you, Oppel, for writing such a good book. The characters are forceful personalities, and I'm not likely to forget them soon. Even Shepherd - I nearly cried when he died, even though he was kind of a jerk in the beginning. I'm glad Bronfman broke his leg lol. Shepherd, Tobias, Sir Hugh, Miss Karr, that scientist, Captain Walker, Kate, and Matt - they all were realistic characters. I loved the plot too - kept me on the edge of my seat (quite literally) and the scenes with the rocket and reentry woowww....

In the conclusion of the Matt Cruse series, Matt and Kate get the opportunity of a lifetime! They go higher than they ever thought was possible - into space! This story has some of my absolute favorite things in it: airships, really tall buildings, and a space elevator. I shared my interest in airships with you the other day - how I would love to start a company that gives tours around the country (and around the world) in airships. Not designed for speed, cruises aboard an airship would be all about seeing things from a new perspective while traveling in luxury. In Starclimber, Matt has a summer job as the “captain” of a floating crane - an airship used to haul materials to heights not reachable by ground-based cranes.  France has undertaken the greatest engineering challenges the world has ever seen - a tower designed to reach outer space. This new tower, which is described to be similar in design to the Eiffel Tower, would have platforms Evenly spaced along its height as it reaches to the upper atmosphere, large enough be like small cities. The tower was certain to help mankind reach the heavens. Matt’s aero-crane was carrying building materials to the top of the tower, helping it to grow another 50 ft in the sky every day. At nearly 2 miles already, the tower was being called a modern wonder of the world! While the French tower may make today’s Burj Kalifa look like a toy, the French were unaware that Canada had already sent a rocket into the stars which trailed a ribbon in its wake. The ribbon was firmly anchored to the Earth while the other end was now connected to a counterweight in geo-synchronous orbit. Matt and Kate are asked to be a part of the crew that will “sail” aboard the first spaceship, the Starclimber. This new ship was designed to climb the ribbon, through the atmosphere and into outer space where the crew could photograph and catalog any strange new wonders they discover along the way. Of course, it wouldn’t be an adventure if everything were to go smoothly. Expect some tragedy to befall the crew of the Starclimber which will leave you wondering how they could possibly survive! One other notable topic in this book is that Kate is proclaimed to be a Suffragette. She makes some questionable decisions that put both her and Matt’s participation in the first space voyage at risk, but it may spark some interesting conversation with whomever you read/listen to this book with. For those of you that may not know, the Suffragettes were a women’s movement calling for equal rights for women, particularly the right to vote in political elections. I’m no history buff, so I won’t pretend to know any more than that. The other thing that really stood out to me in this book, but really all throughout the series, is how Matt and Kate treat one another. They clearly have feelings for one another, but they are extremely hesitant to speak honestly with one another to tell the other how they really feel. I think that Oppel is actually quite brilliant in the way he shaped these two characters and their relationship because there is a realism to it. They don’t dote on another. In fact, they scarcely admit, even to themselves, that they are in a relationship. They don’t hold back their proverbial punches. At times you’ll be thinking, “Yep, it’s over between these two. There’s no coming back from that one.” Kate is just plain selfish. She places her desire to be a strong, independent woman, and her desire to attend university and to build a career as a zoologist above all else, including her, dare I call it “love” for Matt. There is nothing wrong with the things Kate is wanting to accomplish with her life, it’s the way in which she pursues them that is a concern. Matt is a stereotypical mid-to-late-teens dude. He quickly assumes he knows Kate’s mind. That’s the problem. He assumes. Instead of talking to her, he draws conclusions based on what she has said, what she hasn’t said, and the choices she makes and thinks he has her all figured out. Well, news-flash, Matt. You don’t! Stop making assumptions and just talk to her! I get it though. Both of them are young and are trying to find their way in the world. They are trying to figure out what they believe and what they want to make of their lives. When Matt and Kate do talk, it still doesn’t always go that smoothly, because they haven’t really figured out what they want yet. Ahh, young love! Everything new and terrifying and confusing and wonderful...