Thank you to Netgalley and Roaring Brook Press! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When two sisters are separated for unknown reasons, they are determined to find their way back in this sci-fi thriller that will have your head spinning at the plot twists and an ending that will stay with you long after you have finished. If you read anything this year make it this one!

This was such a twisty, mind-bending sci-fi written with thoughtful worldbuilding and a vivid setting; the beautiful, atmospheric language used to describe the ocean was just stunning. I highly enjoyed The Ones We're Meant To Find and I cannot wait for more of Joan He's books!

The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He is a poetic work of eco-fiction that’s told from the alternating perspectives of two sisters trying to cross the ocean that divides them.

Cee:
It’s been three years since Cee washed ashore an island. She has no recollection of how got there or much of her life before. All she knows is that she has a sister named Kay and that she must get back to her.

Kay:
Kay is an antisocial STEM prodigy who lives in a high-tech eco-city—one of the last safe havens from the effects of climate change. Following her sister’s disappearance, she tries to retrace Cee’s footsteps and figure out what made her to leave in the first place.

Overall, asides from Cee’s struggle to survive on and leave the island, I found the technology aspects of the book to be the most interesting part of the story. Joan He introduces some really cool conceptual ideas here that remind me of Black Mirror. For instance, the citizens of eco-cities live out the non-essential parts of their lives in virtual reality to conserve resources by “holoing.” They also have Interfaces built into their brains that allows them to record and rewind memories, and it even offers dialogue suggestions for conversations with others.

The story started off so promising to me.

However, about 1/3 of the way in, a boy is introduced for each sister and romantic tension ensues. These romantic subplots felt awkward and more like a distraction to what could have been an incredible story. This might be more of a “me issue,” but I would have much preferred the story had further explored its environmental and familial love themes as opposed to relationship drama with strangers. The former I would have found much more compelling.

All in all, this book teases deep philosophical questions without giving satisfying answers, and the ending was so abrupt that I had to do a double take to see that I had indeed finished the novel and this was indeed a standalone. In the end, its story feels sadly half-baked and incomplete to me, which is a shame since this had been one of my most highly-anticipated novels of the year.

Cee is the only person alive on an island. She doesn’t remember how she got there or much of her life before the island. She has spent three years building a boat to sail away to find her sister Kay, who she only remembers in snatches. Far away, Kasey is trying to navigate her own isolated life. Her sister, Celia has gone missing. Kasey follows her sisters last steps to find out what happened to her, uncovering her sisters secrets as she goes.
Cee and Kasey are equally my favorite characters. I love the sisters. They both sparkle with personality. Cee on her island is hard working, sarcastic, and a bit fanciful. She named every watercraft she built. I especially loved her with Hero and with U-Me. That little robot was so cute! Kasey on the other hand was more reserved, realistic, introverted then Cee was. She was more science minded, analytical. She uses that mind of hers to trace her sisters last steps and find out what happened to her. Each of these characters is pulled towards their sister and it’s a pull they can’t let go.
The worldbuilding is so good. Joan creates two separate worlds and two separate story lines and yet manages to interweave them together so seamlessly. The island where Cee is stranded comes alive with Joan’s excellent prose. I could almost feel the water washing up the beach to pool around my feet as I stood on the sand.
This book was impossible to put down. There was so much packed into it. Romance, mystery, sisterly love, climate change, and more. All of it done masterfully. And that twist! I did not see it coming but it was good and everything made sense once it was revealed. This is a book anyone who is looking for a good dystopian, post-apocalyptic tale will want to dive right into immediately. 5/5

"None of us live without consequence. Our personal preferences are not truly personal. One person's needs will deny another's. Our privileges can harm ourselves and others."

Wow. This book was just wow 👏🏻 It has been a few days and I still can't stop thinking about the plot twist towards the end. This was a really beautiful story with so much depth. I couldn't put it down! If you're looking for a well-written gripping sci-fi novel, this is perfect for you! And it comes out in two days so you won't really have to wait that long to jump into Joan's latest masterpiece.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is a YA science fiction, with a lot of twists and turns that make it reminiscent of We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. There were heartbreaking plot twists I didn’t see coming, and the story itself is such an intriguing setup.

The one downside is that this story is told from two points of view. We’re given Cee’s story, told in first person, and Kasey’s told in third person. Kasey’s POV is necessary because it’s where the readers get the background knowledge of the situation as well as most of the worldbuilding. However, that makes it a much slower read than Cee’s, which is action and instinct. I definitely find myself blowing through Kasey’s chapters so I could get back to Cee.

That being said, it’s an intricate novel, and I think Joan He did an amazing job with the plot. The haunting end is what definitely rounded this book up for four stars, and I can’t wait to see more from this author.

Man, oh, man... I really wanted to like this book so much. From the description and the cover, everything about it seemed intriguing.

Right off the bat, this book is confusing. I thought it’d get better along the way, but I actually just ended up getting more confused. The wording and terminology of it made the world building more complex then it needed to be.

Something I really did like was Cee’s point of view. Kay’s chapters were a drag, when I felt even she had more potential to do more than what she was written as.

The story wasn't a complete bust, but the “plot twist”, was also very confusing to me and I still don’t fully understand it. Overall, I give this an average of 3 stars. Thank you to Joan He, NetGalley, and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for an ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book to a little bit of reading to get into. It wasn't one that grabbed me right away, but it was worth the wait. I think a lot had to be explained in the beginning to set the stage for the rest of the book, so more of the action didn't happen until later on. I like that details were kept from the reader until later on, but some of it felt confusing to me in the beginning, like I missed something I should know. I'm still not sure what it was Celia said to Kasey that she felt bad about. Overall I really like this book, and after the first part of the book it became one I couldn't put down. There were a couple of times I skimmed ahead before thoroughly reading because I was on the edge of my seat. This feels like a book there could be a sequel to....hopefully there will be one.

Disclaimer: I received the e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The ones We’re Meant to Find

Author: Joan He

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Asian main characters and side characters

Recommended For...: ya readers, sci-fi lovers, dystopian readers, thrill seekers

Publication Date: May 4, 2021

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Recommended Age: 16+ (suicide TW, grief, terminal illness, violence, gore, drowning, choking to death, sex mention)

Publisher: Roaring Book

Pages: 384

Synopsis: Cee has been trapped on an abandoned island for three years without any recollection of how she arrived, or memories from her life prior. All she knows is that somewhere out there, beyond the horizon, she has a sister named Kay. Determined to find her, Cee devotes her days to building a boat from junk parts scavenged inland, doing everything in her power to survive until the day she gets off the island and reunites with her sister.

In a world apart, 16-year-old STEM prodigy Kasey Mizuhara is also living a life of isolation. The eco-city she calls home is one of eight levitating around the world, built for people who protected the planet―and now need protecting from it. With natural disasters on the rise due to climate change, eco-cities provide clean air, water, and shelter. Their residents, in exchange, must spend at least a third of their time in stasis pods, conducting business virtually whenever possible to reduce their environmental footprint. While Kasey, an introvert and loner, doesn’t mind the lifestyle, her sister Celia hated it. Popular and lovable, Celia much preferred the outside world. But no one could have predicted that Celia would take a boat out to sea, never to return.

Now it’s been three months since Celia’s disappearance, and Kasey has given up hope. Logic says that her sister must be dead. But as the public decries her stance, she starts to second guess herself and decides to retrace Celia’s last steps. Where they’ll lead her, she does not know. Her sister was full of secrets. But Kasey has a secret of her own.

Review: This book. Oh my goodness. This book is my favorite read of April! I absolutely loved the characters, the world building, and everything about this book. The book is a perfect mix of thriller and sci-fi and dystopian and it makes my heart so so happy! The characters were so well developed as was the world building. The book also had a great plot and it kept me reading the book until the very end.

The only issue I had (and I’m only saying this because I have to put one) is that some moments were a bit slowed down and I felt that the book focused too much on the sci-fi elements and not the thriller ones, but other than that it was absolutely perfect for me.

Verdict: Highly recommend!

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

The Ones We’re Meant to Find was an atmospheric and twisty read that brought together science fiction and climate fiction in a dystopian world– with Studio Ghibli vibes for extra spice.

Reading this book was a unique experience that had its ups and downs and at the end I felt a strange mix of awe, poignancy and bewilderment that left me mulling over the story for days afterwards. The Ones We’re Meant to Find is something special, the sort of book that stays with you, lingering in the corners of your mind. I don’t think I was as emotionally invested as I wanted to be but I appreciated the depth and scope of the story, the nuanced characters and subversion of the usual tropes.

At the beginning of the book I was very, very confused and had no idea what was going on but as I progressed I realised that was how I was supposed to feel. The book is structured in a way that confuses you in the start as you grapple to understand this ravaged dystopian world and the characters’ places in it and there is a distinct sense that something is not right but as a reader you lack the necessary information to know what that something is.

As the book progresses you are gradually given the puzzle pieces and there was a point where I had a giant OHH! moment because I finally had enough pieces to make sense of it all. If you don’t like books that have convoluted plots and never spell anything out explicitly to the reader then this is definitely not for you. But I would also say if you start reading and feel disheartened because you don’t understand what is happening I would advise you to keep going because it all comes together eventually and it does so beautifully.

“Alone is an island. It’s an uncrossable sea, being too far from another soul, whereas lonely is being too close, in the same house yet separated by walls because we choose to be”

The story focused on Cee and Kasey and switched between their vastly different perspectives. Cee was passionate, lively and determined and her chapters were full of hope and pain and longing. On the other hand, Kasey was a genius who was logical and very emotionally detached. She often wondered why she was different to everyone else, why she felt less, reacted less, became less attached to others… felt less human.

I loved how He emphasised the contrast between them by writing Cee’s perspective in the first person and Kasey’s in the third. Cee was likeable in a very conventional way that I think most people would relate to but Kasey’s character was refreshing and different to what we normally see in YA fiction. She wasn’t what anyone would usually describe as likeable but I think a lot of people will be able too see themselves in her too.

The book was set in an Earth poisoned by humans beyond repair and plagued with extreme weather and devastating natural disasters, the only refuge being eco cities that floated in the sky. The book questioned if humanity deserved to be saved if it had brought its own demise upon itself. If it was more important to live freely or live in a way that preserved our planet. If it was fair that innocent people had to suffer for the destructive, polluting acts of others. It served as a chilling reminder that our greed and unsustainable lifestyles are pushing the planet over the brink.

At a personal level, the book explored the bond between two sisters that not even the ocean or hundreds of years could sever. The relationship between Kasey and her sister was rocky at times and they had very different perspectives on life but I loved how their unconditional love for each other shone through with every decision they made.

There is so much more that I want to say about this book that I can’t in this review because it would spoil the most important parts. The best way to go into the book is with absolutely no idea what it’s about beyond the little information provided in the summary so that the plot twists and turns have the maximum impact. The Ones We’re Meant to Find is a story brimming with profound emotion that spills over the pages, straight into your heart. I definitely recommend it!

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is a unpredictable novel that really truly took an outstanding author to write. It managed to grab me right away through the story of alternating POV's as well as the world building. I also loved how distant yet similarly mimicking our time "the future" is in this book. I felt myself guessing along with the characters and trying to figure out how the book would end, and yet I never even came close to how the book twisted and turned. I also loved the elements of sci-fi, suspense, thriller, and survival that was brought to the story.

I typically don't like stories told in more than on point of view, as I often find them to be superfluous and not useful to giving the reader any perspective or information they couldn't get from a single POV. But The Ones We're Meant to Find is the exception! I also love a good sister tale. And like the author's previous work, the writing style was beautifully flowing while still complementing a fast-paced storyline. Really my only complaint is that the girls' nicknames were too match-y and interchangeable (Kay and Cee just made me think of Kasey).

A compelling, fast-paced story with so! many! twists! that will leave your jaw on the floor by the end. But even more impressive is the masterful dual-POV storytelling and careful characterization of the story's two protagonists, two very different girls separated by a literal ocean (and that's the least of what they have to overcome to find each other). I can't wait to re-read this book, find the clues I missed, and sink back into Kasey's and Cee's worlds. <3

Dystopian has been making a comeback and this book is no exception. This breathtaking book about two sisters desperate to find each other as the world is ending is honestly a masterpiece.

This book had it all for me: sci-fi/dystopian, mystery, thriller, beautiful writing, thought provoking situations, ethical dilemmas, and all of the emotions. It's been a long time since I've read a book that has made me feel and think so much. Following the story of Cee and Kay (Celia and Kasey), we get a story of two sisters desperate to find each other. Kasey in her city in the sky. And Celia, trapped on an island out at sea. Throughout this book we also get a first hand look at what our future could look like. 

Climate change has destroyed their world. Mega-earthquakes, massive tsunamis, polluted land and waters, are effecting everyone, and it's clear that the world will need time to heal. Watching the political and scientific side of dealing with climate change was so interesting. The ideas they brought forward with tech we could only hope to see one day made me think how would we solve this problem now, especially since we still have a chance to reverse what we know is inevitable. 

In the meantime, watching Kay and Cee try to find each other was absolutely heartbreaking. It was clear the two sisters loved each other dearly, even if Kay has a hard time distinguishing and addressing her own emotions. Watching the build up of what happened to Celia and where she is gave me goosebumps - and what we come to learn will have you absolutely shocked. 

I really did love the mix of this book between the mystery of Celia's disappearance and the two sisters struggling to find each other versus the ecological disasters taking place and the ethical dilemma of solving it. In these eco-cities, entry is determined by ranking and that rank is based on your personal behaviours and the ones of you family and even ancestors. It doesn't matter how eco-friendly you are right now if your great-grandfather was an oil tycoon. This means that there are only a select few who can stay safe from the deadly disasters taking place on the ground. And it brings up a great question: who has the privilege to determine who is safe and who is not. 

I cannot tell you enough how much I love when books pose these kinds of situations. It really brings into perspective the personal responsibility and privilege that goes into how people live their lives and in the choices of who can be saved and who can't. And don't even get me started on the ethical dilemma posed of creating AI with the ability to feel and think as if they are alive. To essentially make them human and give them the freedom of choice. 

And all wrapped up in this, the discussion of grief and how different people process it. Celia and Kasey lost their mom in a copter accident (which I assume is similar to a helicopter?) when they were little. Celia grieved through her emotions, while Kasey grieved with her actions. And watching them come to terms with what happened to their mother, and Kasey coming to terms with Celia's disappearance, really brings into perspective the hardship of grief and that not one person deals with it the same. 

Overall, this book makes you think and digs deep into emotions, ethics, right vs. wrong, grief, and personal responsibility vs. privilege. By the end of this book, I was in tears. The ending is left open to interpretation and it makes me so upset, because I really want to know what happened. If you're in the mood to be philosophical and get in your emotions, this is a perfect book to read. I'm astonished how beautifully this book works together and blends so perfectly. I cannot recommend this book enough and can't wait to read Joan's other book, Descendent of the Crane!

Reading The Ones We’re Meant to Find left me feeling conflicted. On one hand, I loved the plot, the characters and the world Joan He crafted albeit a confusing one (but I always have a hard time wrapping my head around sci-fi settings!). On the other, there are quite a number of things I was dissatisfied with. But, the more I thought about it, the more this duality made sense; after all, the duality between the sisters are the very core of The Ones We’re Meant to find.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is not the kind of book I’d typically enjoy. It’s too abstract which I often find detaches me from the reading experience but Joan He is a writing goddess and her talent is obvious in how well everything came together in the end.

Plot, Prose and Pacing: Reminds Me of Black Mirror
Told from two different perspectives, The Ones We’re Meant to Find tells the story of Cee and Kay, two sisters trying to find their way back to each other. For three years, Cee has been trapped alone on an island after being washed up on its shores. She remembers nothing except her sister waiting for her to return home; it is the only thing motivating her to stay alive and to find a way off the island. Until, a mysterious figure washes up on her shores. On the other hand, her sister’s unexplainable disappearance has always perplexed Kasey, unable to come to terms with why the former had left their home the first place. When her sister’s presence pops up on Kasey’s radar, Kasey is determined to track her down and relive the last few months before she disappeared to find an answer to her questions. All the while, the eco-city serving as earth’s final hope for survival is beginning to see signs of breaking down both physically and socially and Kasey has the only solution to save all of humanity. Separated and keenly feeling the loss, both Cee and Kay are determined to find their way back to each other, no matter what it takes; no matter the secrets they uncover they uncover along the way.

And that doesn’t even begin to cover the fantastic and unexpected twists and turns of The Ones We’re Meant to Find. Even recalling the plot and typing out the title gives me chills because that’s how good the mystery turned out to be. It was incredibly clever and I definitely did not see the end coming. The Ones We’re Meant to Find is reminiscent of more introspective Black Mirror episodes that force you to think while at the same time shocking you. While at times the plot was difficult to follow, it forces you to stop and think about the story and what He was trying to convey with her writing which more often than not, was lyrical, abstract and poetic.

As I mentioned in my opening statement, this sort of writing is an “it’s me, not you” situation but I know many people do. At times, it veered into purple prose and other times, it was clichéd and other times, it worked. He did a fantastic job using this sort of abstract, inner rambling monologue style to create a melancholic atmosphere, demonstrating the bleakness and sometimes urgency of Cee and Kay’s situations.

But what surprised me the most despite my apprehension towards the writing style was how fast I went through the book. The mystery was so gripping and I just kept turning every page; I didn’t want to put it down. He also cleverly built this sense of urgency the further into the book you go. The beginning definitely started off a lot slower but by the mid-way point, I felt my heart racing as I powered through to the end. Now, if only the characters were as compelling as the three P’s.

Characters: One-Dimensional and Unrealistic
As I have a younger sister and she doesn’t really know just how much I would do for her, I tend to judge books featuring sisterly relationships very harshly, especially if they’re depicted to be very close and would do anything for each other. And this is one instance where this relationship didn’t work for a number of factors, the key factor being: the characters are very one-dimensional. To expand this even further, both Cee and Kasey while they do have fully formed personalities and are pretty interesting characters in their own right, are mere chess pieces in The Ones We’re Meant to Find; they’re slaves to the plot and the thematic components.

And to make matters worse, Kasey is implied to be neurodivergent (I am not an expert and I’m really sorry if this offends anyone but this is how I interpreted Kasey’s character). She is highly intelligent, lacks social skills to interact with her peers, is unable to demonstrate or process emotion and in the context of the book, has to have certain parts of her brain suppressed to fit into society. And yet! In a futuristic, science fiction world where people can carry out their daily lives on a virtual platform in order to reduce their carbon footprint, the book has no indication that this advanced society recognises neurodivergence nor does He ever address it; mental health is clearly not important in this society (kind of like the one we live in now!).

However, The Ones We’re Meant to Find‘s biggest crime is telling, not showing. And I do believe this was because He had chosen to tell the story from the dual perspective of the sisters and we’re being told what they felt rather than shown. It makes sense from Kasey’s point of view to do so as she processes emotion and relationships differently (she treats it like a mystery to be solved) but I could hardly feel Cee’s urgency nor love for her sister. The characters are telling us that they want to find each other but we’re not shown how or why they feel that way; we’re told that the sisters share a very close relationship but we’re not shown it.

It was incredibly frustrating that we’re told Cee urgently wants to go home to her sister but I don’t see it. Cee rarely demonstrated a sense of frustration at being unable to find a way off the island, we’re told only that she’s frustrated. And then, there’s the romance (and a red herring!). Oh lord, please bless my soul for this is not a romance we needed. It was poorly written in the context of the plot and I rolled my eyes the whole way through; there was no chemistry nor did it feel relevant in the grand scheme of things. It felt like an excuse to input a romance and some non-graphic sex scenes.

Overall, in a story based off of emotion and relationships, The Ones We’re Meant to Find lacks severely in that department. Thank goodness, the science-fiction element could save it; if only a little.

Worldbuilding: Beautiful Concept But Lacks Finesse
The most important aspect in a science-fiction book, The Ones We’re Meant to Find did not disappoint. There is a definite room for improvement in expanding on multiple elements introduced instead of it being left to the imagination (and here is where telling would have been a good idea!) but overall, I really loved the world He had created. It’s definitely a world that we can imagine living in a few hundred years from now if we continue damaging the Earth and our natural resources.

I especially loved how the social-political system in the eco-cities whereby each citizen is ranked according to how much damage they and their families had inflicted on Earth; the less damage and more eco-conscious you were, the higher your rank. Kasey and Celia’s family sits at the top of the social ladder as they were one of those who had founded the eco-cities. In fact, there are many others who are abandoned on the dying earth, hoping and fighting to live in the clean and prestine eco-cities. Other elements such as the Intraface which is a device implanted into every citizen’s head that allows them to monitor their vital signs, their emotional levels and even take part in virtual daily activities are commonplace in most science-fiction stories as well as flying cars and sky high elevators.

But the science behind for example, the eco-cities floating in the air above the Earth, how the homes are built, where the people lived are not clearly explained. There lacks a lot of finesse in creating such a beautiful concept of a world, especially for a plot that is hinged around characters who contributed to setting up the eco-cities and the effects of a dying earth. Readers are asked to suspend their disbelief at a science-fiction world rooted in real-world concerns which dilutes the science-fiction aspect and leaves the world feeling half-formed.

Much like the characters, the worldbuilding serves only the plot rather than to create an immersive and believable world.

Themes: Scary Realistic
Environmentalism and eco-consciousness are themes woven throughout the story and influence every element from the plot, the characters, the mystery and especially the worldbuilding, that much is obvious. The Ones We’re Meant to Find is set in a time not too far from where we are now and part of why the book is so impactful despite it’s multitude of flaws is that we are able to put ourselves in Kasey and Cee’s shoes. Unlike most sci-fi books set far into the future or in outer space, readers are confronted with a reality we are familiar with, making the horror of the earth’s condition in the book more real.

While as I mentioned in other sections that the characters and worldbuilding do little to create a realistic setting, the themes do it all for them as every single detail in the book ties back to how humans are destroying the earth and by the time we can find a solution to heal the earth, it would be too late.

There is also a little bit of what it means to be human, humanity and making the right choice woven into the story.

Overall, I loved The Ones We’re Meant to Find. There are many elements that I loved and many elements that I didn’t. I would recommend it to anyone who loves this genre but it wouldn’t top my best reads of the year. I felt that He struggled and ultimately tried a little too hard to make the concept wholly unique rather than telling the story she wanted to tell. A lot of the book seems stuffy, padded to fill in the gaps and words. It feels more like a melodrama wrapped in a science-fiction blanket. However, it has really made me think and made an impression on me which makes it a good book, after all!

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is one of my most anticipated releases of 2021, and it exceeded my every expectation. I’m thrilled to have been chosen as a member of Joan’s street team, Hesina’s Imperial Court, and to be participating in this blog tour! As I mentioned in my previous post, I have always sought more diversity within the genres of sci-fi and fantasy. After Joan He’s exquisite writing absolutely captivated me in her debut, Descendant of the Crane, I was beyond excited to learn that her next novel would be a sc-fi (one of my favorite genres)! Despite the first sentence of the summary, I could never have been prepared for how twisty and enthralling this book is. The Ones We’re Meant to Find managed to captivate me, devastate me, and fill me with awe in equal measure. All right, admittedly, the heartbreak of it hit me especially hard. Multiple times throughout the book. Part of my brain still feels thrown off balance and is struggling to wrap my head around all that transpired! I know I will need to revisit this book to absorb a deeper understanding of its complexities–which I will do gladly, as The Ones We’re Meant to Find has quickly joined the ranks of my favorites!

The description of The Ones We’re Meant to Find as Black Mirror with a dash of Studio Ghibli could not be more apt. All the while as I was reading, I got the sense that I was watching an episode of Black Mirror through a Studio Ghibli filter. The two may seem an oddly suited match, but He manages to create the perfect blend of futuristic, high-tech elements similar to those of the television show combined with the iconic film studio’s vibes. The contrast between the two main settings, paired with a dual narrative, helps create the vivid backdrops against which the novel plays out. Through the stunningly crafted prose, I could visualize each scene as though viewing a painting. My heart was hardly able to withstand the way this effect only emphasized the heart-wrenching scenes, but the emotional impact only further demonstrates He’s masterful handle of the written word.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is strongly character driven, focusing on the inner journeys and development of the sisters, Cee and Kasey. While the element of romance in this book is lovely and aching, I was much more interested in the relationship between the sisters. As the sometimes leisurely plot progresses, Cee and Kasey are heavily impacted by the challenges they face in attempting to find one another despite the numerous odds. Cee’s immeasurable love for her sister and yearning to find her way is such a beautiful, powerful force in the story. On the other hand, Kasey’s determination lends a passionate intensity through it all. Additionally, Hero and Actinium were wonderful counterpoints to Cee and Kasey respectively. In some ways, I felt that Hero and Actinium mirrored the sisters, while acting as foils in other aspects. The gloriously descriptive language she writes with makes each narrator’s feelings palpable, seeping beneath the reader’s skin from the page. With each chapter, He skillfully peels back the layers to allow readers to peer into each sister’s mind. This makes it easy to share in each of their failures and successes, reel with shock upon coming to each revelation that they did, and be pulled into the tides of their emotions along with them.


As I sit writing this review, my chest still feels filled to the brim with the heartache brought on by this book. It is a story that explores the nuances of human nature, how we are shaped by both grief and love, the impacts and echoes of our actions, and our individual power of choice in shaping ourselves, as well as the world around us. Among other themes, the questions of environmentalism, privilege, and identity resonate with a sometimes eerie familiarity. I’m absolutely blown away, my mind still drifting on the vast sea of all the beauty and tenderness, heartache and pain that spills from these pages. Additionally, I adored the nuggets of alliteration that I noticed throughout the novel! It may not have always been intentional, but as an alliteration aficionado, it was another small joy amidst a trove of gems. If you miss the sci-fi fantasy dystopias from around the 2010s, look no further! The Ones We’re Meant to Find will satisfy that craving while adding diversity to the genre. He has not only given us an atmospheric and suspenseful story, but a future world to contemplate. I highly recommend this book, and I eagerly await having my heart shattered by Joan He in any future works she might publish.

Huh. I honestly don't know what I think of this book. It was very well-written and crafted, but not really a genre I like.

***ARC Review***

Reading The Ones We’re Meant to Find is like watching a puzzle steadily come together to create a beautiful picture; satisfying and intricate.
This sci-fi mystery is set in a world where tech is integrated into all aspects of life, is told from multiple perspectives in separate but converging storylines, and is written in 1st person. I, generally, dislike all of these things so when I first started reading I was skeptical and doubtful as to whether or not I would like the book. But just like seemingly everything else in this story, when you think a sign points one direction, it’s actually leading you in another. I absolutely loved this book.
The two plot lines are both interesting and I never found myself wishing that it would “just go back to the other story,” which is often a concern with books written like this. The storylines are wholly unique and I both fell in love with the story and could never predict what would happen next.
One of He’s strongest points was the pacing of the story. I was never once bored with a portion of the story and like I said before, when reading you watch the pieces slowly fall into place but the picture is nothing like you thought it would be. I found myself completely shocked by every twist and turn and definitely had to put the book away to just sit and process a couple of times. (Because what. the. hell???)
Also, the characters are so wonderful. While not necessarily likable, they’re lovable and so intriguing. One of this book’s major themes is the idea of what it means to be human, to live, and to love and the characters’ different ideals are just so interesting to read about. Also, Kay exist. I love her so much. She’s like my soft, science-y genius child and I feel like half of the readers will hate her but she has my whole heart. It’s fine.
And while I’m here to gush about this book, He’s writing is stunning, too. This whole book is stunning.
So you’re probably wondering why I only gave it 4 stars. The answer is the ending. I have legitimately no idea what happened at the very end of the book and I feel like I need an English teacher to analyze it for me. While all of the characters’ internal conflicts were wrapped up nicely and played into the aforementioned theme beautifully, the plot points and external conflicts didn’t feel wrapped up at all and after the whole story seemed to be coming together in a satisfying way, I was left shell shocked and confused when I turned the last page so, y’know, I would really like an explanation.
As a whole, The Ones We’re Meant to Find is a surprising and engaging read that will keep you occupied for hours. If you’re looking for something to get you out of a slump and really make you think, this is absolutely the book for you.

I really liked this book… but I’m kinda still trying to figure out why. I attempted early in the book to see the big picture, to put it all together… but, what I really needed to do was focus on the chapters. If I could understand the individual chapters, I could start to put it together. Separated by time, location, and at times, style, these chapters are challenging puzzle pieces.

Set in the midst of Earth’s push-back against the population’s abuse, sisters Cee and Kay are miles and miles apart. Cee is stranded on an abandoned island with only a dictionary-obsessed bot to keep her company. Kay is still living in their quarters in one of the eight floating cities… free from contaminates but tied up in her own secrets and feelings.

Cee spends her days trying to get back to her sister. Surviving on food she grows and building a boat out of parts she finds on the little island. It’s tough work but it’s cleansing.

One-third of Kay’s life is spent in stasis to reduce the population’s drain on planetary resources. This is fine with Kay as she is the more introverted of the sisters. She’s torn. Inside she believes that there’s no way her sister could have survived, but public sentiment pushes her to hope… sometimes a dangerous idea.

I was pulled in by this gorgeous cover and challenged by He’s secrets and the vast differences in the settings. One filled with sand and blistering sun, the other with hermetically sealed stasis tubes and the loss of Earth. A sisterly love story that is only slightly marred by some slow pacing at the beginning.

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing, and the author for an advanced copy for review.

Reading the synopsis alone already gave me the feeling that this book will be complicated and heavy on a futuristic feel, which, did meet my expectation. From the first few pages alone, I was immediately introduced to a world unknown yet so familiar. With a world on the brink of death and a girl, struggling to cope with the disappearance of her sister. Joan wrote the perfect YA science fiction book -- TRULY a Black Mirror book.

The concept of floating cities is SUCH A DREAM. This to me is definitely where you get the Studio Ghibli vibe from just because of how "out of this world" this concept is along with the sisterly love. The worldbuilding did get a bit overwhelming for me just because I usually don't do well with the science fiction genre but this was such a breath of fresh air (very ironic btw). It is heavily futuristic and I was completely intrigued with the world that Joan has built. Many futuristic concepts familiar to us are introduced such as stasis pods and intrafaces built into our minds.
I think it's so important that this is a world advanced yet failing its home. With the lower class population living below the eco-cities being exposed to toxins and technology that was meant to help but ultimately wasn't. This book has a heavy theme of environmental awareness and truly opens our eyes to the fact that not everything we create as humans are helpful to our home. I loved how much this book felt like a Black Mirror episode (and honestly hope it does get adapted into one), but I hope and can't wait for Joan to write more books like this because this was a masterpiece.

I LOVED reading from both their perspectives so much. Joan truly knows how to write her characters so distinctly and lovable. I fell in love with Cee and Kasey so quickly and rooted for both of them throughout the book. (which of course led to my heart being inevitably crushed). I will say that I did love Cee but related to Kasey a lot more in terms of personality (and being in general 👀)

In conclusion! I HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND! This is a book that is truly mind-boggling and touching. It has a slow build to it but the twist of it all is what makes it worth it. The Ones We're Meant to Find is a story of two sisters, making a decision that ultimately decides how they live in a world that may soon end. A book full of longing, grief, and finding oneself in the midst of it all. If you want a book that'll leave an impact on you? I suggest you pick this one up!