First published 2012
Denise fights for recognition in the male-dominated world of astronomy while watching a comet pass over a remote South Pacific island in 1965. During the celestial event, a meteor shower kills a local boy, casting a shadow over the scientific expedition. The tragedy ripples through the lives of everyone present. Eli, a married astronomer, finds himself drawn to Denise's unconventional thinking and fierce intelligence. Young Lydia tries to break free from the influence of the older scientists who seem to control everything around them. As years pass, these three characters navigate the choices they made during those crucial days on the island. Their paths cross and separate as they grapple with career ambitions, romantic desires, and the weight of that single tragic night. The story follows how one moment can alter multiple lives in ways both obvious and hidden.
Genres: 20th-century, astronomy, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: South Pacific
Period: 1965
288 pages · Paperback · Faber & Faber