“Book Review: Constellation”
Reviewed by Joe Walters
The stellar, action-packed finale of the YA series Waypoint.
Co-authors Deborah Adams and Kimberley Perkins have done it again. Constellation is the final book in a post-apocalyptic universe that offers readers all the traits of a good YA thriller: heart-throbbing romances, teenagers saving the world, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Now that the series is over, I have no problem saying the Waypoint series is a sure-fire success.
In the previous book (Waypoint), we are introduced to a young core of Simon (a gamer), West (his jock twin brother), Riya (a spy/secret agent/badass), and Alex (the gutsy president’s daughter). In Waypoint, the teams of Riya-Simon and West-Alex travel 500 miles to restore power to their country, and the couples develop intriguing will-they, won’t-they relationships that work really well with the dynamic storyline. So when I saw a new book was out, I expected more of the same.
And I got that—and then some. The tension is palpable from the very beginning between all four lovebirds, and it’s heightened in both action scenes and in the silences, too. Alex searches for her missing father with a boyfriend she can’t trust, and Riya fights her desire to open up to Simon with all she’s got. And while that’s happening, more danger arises, more antagonists show up, and more heroes surface. The group must work together to accomplish their goal of restoring power and making sure an evil vice president and a power-hungry cult leader don’t allow any more innocent people to die.
Like its predecessor, Constellation is a product of phenomenal pacing. Each turning point is earned and developed expertly, and each character impacts the plot from the moment that they step into frame. With such a wide cast of characters, it’s all the more impressive that this dream team of Adams and Perkins are able to pull that feat off.
Thanks to its varying character viewpoints, Constellation also nails dramatic irony and the endings to nearly each chapter. Just as we reach the top of heightened stakes, we are released into the next scene, the next obstacle, and the next goal that a different character is striving for. By the time the climax comes along, we’ve got so many well-developed storylines converging that I can’t help but hold tight to each word, each line, hoping that our heroes will get what they want and the world will be better because of it.
While I did want a bit more out of West’s characterization in this one, I did feel happy with everyone’s opportunities to shine. Simon’s friends even step in nicely as complementary pieces to inform the readers that the secret to a better world is in the brilliance of gamers working together. Who knew?
I had a blast with this series, and I really think that you would too. If you’re in the mood for an action-packed easy read for you and your teenager, I think you would be making an excellent choice in dropping into this series. I’m just hoping that Adams and Perkins aren’t done yet. Because I sure don’t want to see the last out of them.
ISBN: 978-1732507159
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