The First 7 – Laura Pohl

 The First 7 is the last book in the Last 8 duology revolving around the now 7 people who are supposedly also the last people who came from Earth, and are now set mostly in space. This amazing book was written by the author Laura Pohl, and revolves around Clover Martinez, an orphan who stays with 6 of her companions; Brooklyn, Rayen, Flint, Andy, Violet, and Avani.

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Basically, the 7 find out a signal that’s coming to them from Earth, which was supposedly vacant apart from them, and they all go back to Earth to search for the survivors. However, their return back to space is more complicated than ever, what with otherworldly misshapen crystals sprouting up and corrupting the ground, and demonizing Andy, the alien-human person of the group.

Later, when Clover and the group find the mysterious Caster and his small civilization, Clover meets her long lost father, who had never visited her when she was a baby. Clover also realizes that it had been many years since the Alien Invasion occurred, and she is currently supposed to be in her mid-twenties; unfortunately, her traveling into space messed with her DNA and she is still stuck with staying in her late teens until she stays on Earth for a while.

I think that this book really highlights the different diversities of every teenager, from Mexican to African American; however, they understand that they’re not the only people with differences, the alien species that they meet are quite different as well, and they do companionize with some of the aliens, already like Andy, their local alien friend.

The First 7 is a very interesting read, with little language, and a bit of gauche attitude, along with Clover’s struggle with suicide, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I understand that the parts where she does act suicidal and depressed are quite a let down for me, though I have understood the way she felt throughout the invasive duology. Laura Pohl does quite a nice job addressing these situations as they are, plainly stated, and not at all overly stressed about their feelings, just right to the point where you nearly always understand their feelings in these particular situations.

At some of the sadder points, I did cry a little bit, while clutching the book with whitened knuckles, but I somehow feel like this might just be me (I don’t know for sure though). 

I have a few suggestions on how this book could’ve gone; one is that maybe Laura could’ve tried to expand details on all of the main characters, letting them talk about their background, their feelings, instead of hiding them in the dark except for Clover. I feel that would’ve been better, as we would know how their view on the invasion would have been.

I personally read very much, like a whole lot, and most of the time I remember storylines from, say, the previous book, but I felt that it was nice to read about Clover thinking about/reminiscing about [the past book] her adventures, and I have friends that tend to forget past stories, so I feel that it would be very helpful for people who have a tendency to fail to recall past plot points and storylines. It was not very loquacious, and it was quite quick; usually books I read with an overview of the past book could be dragging, and lots of pages long. Either way I would still read it though.

If you read books like the Skyward Series, or Outcast Starship, then this book might just be right for you.