I wanted to love this so much, and though I did enjoy it, I found that my time reading this felt very confusing. I was very intrigued by the plot and the characters, but found myself getting frustrated along the way, as everything felt distant and far away from me. Perhaps this is a me-thing, as I may have been trying to puzzle things together too much instead of just experiencing the story as it is. I kept having to go back and reread because I wasn't sure if it was me, or if it was the book. I kept asking myself, over and over, "What is going on?". This can be normal to an extent, but it kept me from enjoying the story more.

I wanted to try and put the pieces of the puzzle together, as the plot is so interesting and mysterious. So many twists and turns. I also wanted to try and understand the sisters more (especially Kasey, who I feel we didn't explore as much as I would have liked), understand why they are the way they are, and how they ended up where they are. To me, they felt a bit like 2D, stereotypical YA sisters and I wanted more. I had so, so many questions about them, what was happening to them, and what was going on with the world around them. And as the plot continued, I only had more and more questions, and ultimately felt more and more frustrated with the lack of detail. It felt like a disconnect. I wanted to be more engrossed than I ultimately was, and there's a good chance that this is a me-thing and not a book thing since I seem to be in the minority of reviewers!

I'm giving this 3 out of 5 stars because I found this to be quite beautiful and intriguing. I absolutely love how creative and deep it is. However, I never got to learn about the characters or their world in the detail that I wanted to and was left feeling confused.

This is one of the best mysteries I've read for quite some time. The characters are so well written and fleshed out, with plenty of development and surprises up their sleeves. I cannot do justice to He's writing, which is so evocative and tantalising, constantly keeping you hooked into her amazing world and gripping tale. This is a book with incredible twists and leaves a scar on your mind and your heart forever more.

Content warnings: terminal illness, suicide, violence, death, death of parent (off page), vomiting, large scale natural disasters and mass casualties

The Ones We're Meant to Find centres around two sisters, Cee (Celia) and Kasey (Kay). Cee is the older sister, it's mentioned a lot that she's far more of a 'people person' than Kay who is basically an awkward genius. One thing that threw me off is that I should have connected to Kay more on the awkward side, but I found it extremely hard to relate to her. Her chapters were very scientifically focused but with the mystery of her sister's disappearance thrown in, and she barely shows any emotion throughout. 

Having said that... Joan's overall world building is spectacular. The whole concept of people living in cities in the sky and the emphasis on human error making it such is a statement in itself. I think even if this hadn't had the sister story woven through it would have been a brilliant story. 

Cee though, she's a survivor. Her parts of the story were my favourites and seeing her fight and fight to get to her sister was great. For the most part she's alone on an island with just an automaton called U-Me to speak to, and it really does hurt your heart a little to read how she's so alone. Eventually, another washes up on the shore being a guy who eventually goes by the name of Hero, and it's so lovely to see Cee have someone finally. 

Kay spends the majority of the book unravelling mysteries as she tries to find out what happened to Cee, whilst also trying to set the wheels in motion to save humanity. As I've mentioned, it was harder to read her chapters due to the overall lack of emotion she shows but then, it's pretty understandable as she's dealing with having lost her sister.

There's a character who is essentially the villain of the story too. I won't give anything away about them at all though aside from the fact that I didn't see it coming? At all...

It's hard to actually write my full thoughts on this without giving too much away, after the half way point we get a LOT of revelations and answers. In some ways it makes it slightly more confusing, but at the very end everything just kind of pieces itself together? 

Finally, I must say I've seen a lot of people who adored this book. I just think overall it wasn't the book for me.

The Ones We’re meant to find is a sci-fi dystopian which is full of twists and surprises and is rightfully compared to Black Mirror as reading it gives you those exact vibes and creeps. This book is told in alternating narratives of two sisters, one who is stranded on an island trying to get back to her sister and the other sister is tasked to save humanity.

The Plot and Story

The story of the book follows two sisters- Cee and Kasey. Cee is the one who finds herself stranded on an island with no recollection of her memories. The only thing she remembers is her sister Kasey and that she must find her way to her. Kasey is a STEM prodigy who resides in one of Earth’s eco-city and who may be able to help humanity from impending doom. This book revolves around a mystery while also discussing the themes of capitalism, climate change and sisterhood.

The story was intriguing to say the least. It always keeps you interested enough to read what’s going to happen next. I loved how all these themes were woven into the story and it was done so well that it left me highly impressed. The twists and reveals were top-notch. They leave you with a sense of awe with how it all comes together.

The second half of the book was better than the first half for me. The first half was kind of sluggish in pace in the sense that it felt dragged in parts. I really wished it was a little fast paced to keep up with the tone and atmosphere of the book. This kind of hindered my experience in the start but the second half the book more than made up for the book.

As I mentioned before, the second half was absolutely thrilling. After crossing the first half, I finished in just a few hours. It all comes together and it was done so so well. It was executed brilliantly and it made this a truly enjoyable book for me. Though slow paced books don’t always work for me, this one did due to the characters and the second half.

The Characters

Both the main characters Cee and Kasey were intriguing. I loved reading about them. There was some mystery around both the characters and there was a certain sense of innocence in both the characters which made them compelling. The side characters were also good and overall the characters kept you engaged. I don’t want to say more in case of spoilers but I loved the characters!

The World Building and Themes

The world building was good as it presented a terrifying future of the earth where there are eco cities and the less privileged do not get to experience that. I loved the various themes Joan He has talked about it in the book. She has touched upon capitalism, climate change and environmentalism along with discussions of humanity’s greed and selfishness and morals. It talks about how institutions fail to protect and provide resources and how its almost always the less privileged who are worst affected by this.

There are a lot of thought-provoking questions and themes and I truly enjoyed this so much because a dystopian sci-fi which discusses the evils of capitalism while also touching on topics such as human morality and behavior. I may seem divided in my opinion of the book but I did end up loving it a lot.

Overall, The Ones we’re meant to find was an enjoyable read and although the first half was just okay the second half was amazing and left me impressed. If you’re a fan of or searching for a dystopian sci-fi with Black Mirror vibes and mysterious atmosphere with compelling characters which discusses hard hitting themes and climate change, then you MUST pick up The Ones We’re meant to find. The first part is admittedly slow but if you can, pushing through is absolutely worth it and will definitely make it a good read.

The Ones We're Meant to Find is a strange dystopia/sci-fi set in the future where the inhabitants are suffering from the effects of climate change. First, accept that you won't understand anything in the first half of the book, but the intense confusion will be worth it when the narrative starts coming together. The contrast between the two different perspectives were jarring at first and I didn't care about Kasey's world, but after I got to know the situation and the characters better I became more invested in both POVs. There are so many twists and turns and a sense of mystery throughout, but the highlights of the book for me were the characters and the focus on the strong sibling bond even when the sisters aren't together. What more could you want than an intriguing plot and compelling characters?

My Rating: 3.5
The Ones We’re Meant to Find is staggering, compulsive, and beyond imagination. It’s a futuristic novel that focuses on current issues set in a world where humans are on the verge of extinction. There were many projects that were undertaken to protect planets and can you imagine “sky bound immigration?” Yes, people lived in skies, defying gravity and trying to reduce further natural disasters by adopting to live virtually in this book. It was nice to read about how science played it’s role in the book. I highly recommend this book to those who love YA Sci-Fi.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this eARC

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I am a bit disappointed, thinking I would love this, but there were things about this that made it impossible to love.

Firtsly, the perspective changes prevented the story to flow smoothly at times and frustated me as I liked to continue from the perspective of Cee. The survival part was more interesting and the parts of Kasey were confusing but also a bit boring. The first part of the book overall wasn't the most exciting because of its slow pace, but reading about confusing science stuff from a stoic character was hard in the beginning. However, the contrast between the sisters, and the characterisation of Kasey were refreshing, as Kasey is not likeable but can still be relatable. Still, I found the characters to be a bit flat and the relationship between the sisters not fully explored, which effected in me not caring intensely about them. Also, this book has an instalove, which braught the opportunity to more character complexity to the story, but I don't like instalove, as it feels unbelievable to me.
The worldbuilding and it being about the world being poluted and damaged was really interesting, and this is one of the best aspects of this book. Personally I would have liked to have a more clear worldbuilding, with more information. Yet, it was intruiging, but quite scary, to see what could happen to the earth. Subsequently, the themes of climate change and capitalism added an important message to the story that I liked.

An unique story, with an interesting plot with some good twists, but sadly the writing and characters made me detached from it. There could have been more details added to make this a book more liked by me. Nevertheless, I think this is a refreshment to the ya fantasy genre, and I hope to have some better luck next times with Joan He's creativity.

A very enjoyable book! If you are a science fiction fan, looking for a book with plot twists and sisters’ bonds, then you should definitely pick up The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He, you won’t be disappointed.

Read the full review at our blog (link attached)

We would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing us a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's not every day you find a book like The Ones We’re Meant to Find; I've never read anything quite like it before. That being said, I think the best way to describe it would be We Were Liars crossed with 2014–16ish dystopia. The dystopian elements felt subtle, but definitely present and well written.

Told in haunting dual perspective that traverse time and space, we’re introduced to two sisters who couldn’t be more different. Kasey is a STEM genius who feels distanced from the world. Cee is trapped on an island and has a singular mission: find her sister. Both characters were compelling and it was interesting to follow them on their separate journeys through past and present. Hero and Actinium added so much to the book as well, in particular their interactions with the sisters were never straightforward, a complexity that continued throughout, especially after the twist was revealed.

I love the exploration of themes in this book, from the impact humanity has made on the earth to questions about the morality of bots. Memory, too, was such an interesting aspect of the novel, and in particular its role in the ending, which I found super effective and intriguing. This is a book that draws you in and waits until you’re fully immersed before making you think about the issues that are equally relevant in fiction and reality.

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is a book best read without knowing too much before going in, but I will say that I do kinda wish I’d read the full Goodreads synopsis before starting, simply because then I would’ve been able to settle in faster. Regardless, the atmosphere is set up beautifully and retained the whole way through, a calming flow much like the ocean that is central to the novel. This is such a thoughtful and poetic book, and I recommend it from my heart.

I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[This will be posted in my blog on 3 May 2021]

*Actual star rating 4.5*

The Ones We're Meant to Find is Joan He's second novel, and even though it is a completely different genre, I loved it as much as her first novel, Descendant of the Crane, because of the similarities. Joan He has this modus operandi that works so perfectly for me as a reader, and is probably going to make me a lifelong fan.

First, she presents the reader with a mystery. A tantalising question, and a quest. In TOWMTF we're given two, one for each main character. Kasey's sister, Celia, has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and she is driven to find out what happened to her. For Cee, who woke up on a deserted island, the mystery is what happened to her memory, and her quest is to find her sister, Kay.

Next, the author lures you in with her seductive writing. It's so fluid and easy to read, that you blink and an hour has gone by. She has this ability to make the atmosphere so evocative. Not only does the reader have a sense of what the characters are experiencing - the loss, the desperation, the anger - but she also makes the spaces they inhabit exude emotion - the loneliness of the island, the claustrophobia and complacence of the eco-city, the vast unendingness of the sea. The pacing of the first half is quite slow, and that may put some readers off initially, but it is very much setting everything up so the novel can take flight in the second half.

Joan He places the reader in a world that is so detailed, yet expansive. You get the feeling that you are not only right there in the room with the characters, but also that you are part of a much greater world. To put it bluntly, this novel had two of my least favourite settings - a deserted island and the open ocean - and it didn't matter. I still couldn't get enough.

I also really enjoyed the eco-city setting, and the ways society has had to change in order to survive. In this case, those who live in eco-cities live in very small quarters, and spend up to a third of their day in virtual reality pods, or holos, where they can interact with other people. We also get a peek at what is happening in the wider world, in those places where people are at the mercy of the planet we have destroyed.

The Ones We're Meant to Find was also thematically strong, weaving questions for the reader to ponder throughout the novel. It explores the impact of pollution and climate change on the world and its inhabitants, as well as the impact capitalism as a driver of environmentally destructive practices. It asks ‘who is responsible, and who deserves to survive?’ We are unable to look away from the plight of climate refugees, those who are affected most by economic and environmental choices made by those with greater privilege than themselves. It is an indictment against letting governments and corporations make decisions based on profit, and against our rejection of personal responsibility, and our apathy. It is also about love and sisterhood, and the choices we make. Choices that affect us as individuals, that affect those we love, and choices that affect the world we live in.

I thought the plot was interesting, and provided a very strong foundation for Cee and Kasey's emotional growth throughout the novel. There were a bunch of twists, which is what I love about He's stories. My only issue was that I didn't feel like some of them were foreshadowed enough (or at all, in one case.) I find immense satisfaction in picking up those breadcrumbs and following the trail, so that left me a little bereft. However, there was so much to love that I’m really not that upset.

Finally, the quality that makes He’s books shine is her ability to make you feel connected to the characters, even if they aren't the most likeable people. I felt connection to Cee because she's easy to like, and she's got emotional intelligence, but also felt connection to Kasey, even though she is a bit prickly and anti-social. This is the joy of reading a book by Joan He. The characters are so real, so multi-dimensional, that you can relate to them. He used an interesting technique, having Cee's narrative in first person perspective, while Kasey's chapter were in third person. As I continued through the book I started thinking how incredibly clever it was to do that way, but alas, I cannot say much more than that without venturing into spoiler territory.

These are the things that drew me into Joan's first book, and why I will almost certainly read every book she writes after this one.

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!

Sad to say I didn't really enjoy The Ones We're Meant to Find, which had been high on my spring releases list. I ultimately really struggled through it and took a long break from it after about a third. The plot and characters only got interesting to me more than halfway through, but even then the plot and world-building was confusing and the characters underdeveloped - it was hard to follow the world and its science/tech, as well as what the characters were doing or wanted, which wasn't helped by the choppy writing style. Some elements of the plot twists were very intriguing and promising - a great foundation for a story - but never felt followed through or satisfying. I was just interested enough to keep going to figure out what was going on with Cee, but it never got there for me.

This is one of those books that I have no idea how to explain, and usually when I feel that way about a book I don’t rate it too highly because I’m more confused than anything. Starting at the beginning of this book I was very confused because we were thrown into their futuristic science filled world and I wish the world had been set up better. I wish it was easier to understand the world, even at the end of the story there were still parts of the world I didn't quite understand. This book also had like 8 plot twists, and I just felt like that was way too many. I found the characters to be very unlikeable and I am not the type of reader that can get past that. If I don’t like the characters it is hard for me to enjoy the story. I felt like this story jumped around alot and was not very cohesive. Mind you, I did read an ARC so maybe the final copy will be put together a bit more. The ending was also very unsatisfying and there are so many unanswered questions.

ARC received by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this. I just knew it had a stunning cover and that I wanted to read something from that author (I do that a lot, read books without knowing anything about them…oops).
So, I was parts amazed and confused with the worldbuilding (not in a bad sense, it was just a bit of a whiplash to jump from the island to the rest of the world, even though there was tech in there too).
If you focus on the worldbuilding, you find yourself with a book that makes an amazing job at analyzing the effects of climate change while keeping in touch with the human side. It’s obvious to see the dedication poured both into the ins and outs of the society they live in, how they got there and what’s behind everything, and the actual world building, both the physical and online aspects of it.
The plot is, when stripped of all the science terminology, a fight between the rational and emotional, which the plot-twists only build onto. The desire to be less of one and how, at the end, there’s no truthful way of being a human but you can’t disregard the power of neither.
As for the characters, you’re presented with two completely different approaches to life. The combination of unreliable narrator and switching POVs makes for a remarkably interesting read in which you have an amnesic character trying to get back to the only thing she remembers and a character who I read as someone with autistic traits, trying to make sense of her emotions that she feels disconnected from everyone’s else while uncovering some secrets that give an output to the way we see the future described.
I absolutely adored the fact that this focused on the relationship between two sisters and, while there’re some other characters, theirs was the strongest connection. The fact that we were allowed to see how they saw themselves and how the other thought of them adds a layer of reflection to an already well-fleshed portrait about family.
While I enjoyed both sisters POVs, I think I found Kasey much more interesting until things in Celia’s one started to get more active, and we got to see a situation that was more nuanced than I expected at first.
This book doesn’t only invite us to reflect about climate change, privilege and consequences, it does so from a very science-oriented point of view, presenting solutions that can sound radical to us nowadays but that presents a future we’re approaching faster than we think.

Unfortunately I think I fall into the unpopular opinion category for this book which is a real shame. No real fault on the book's part, I just really didn't gel well with the overall writing style.
The sentences read a little too choppy and disjointed and the change from first person to 3rd person between chapter POVs was a little too jarring for me. I didn't feel too connected to either character so at times, especially the beginning, it felt difficult to tell who we were following.

I really did like a lot of the ideas that were aspects of the futuristic society, the author did seem to have a thorough idea of many details but unfortunately I found the writing of it on paper to be a little too much of "told not shown" so it felt a little info dumpy at times. There seemed to be a lot of jumping around from topic to topic with the worldbuilding details which made it feel like there wasn't a whole lot of depth given to one issue while at the same time reading as somewhat chaotic and "info dumpy". I think, for me, the descriptions of the world building suffered a little just because of what I previously stated about the writing style not being to my personal taste.

This is a little bit of a difficult one to rate, because while I don't think it was my cup of tea, I think many other people could and would enjoy this book. Something such as writing style is so subjective and I don't want to discourage anyone from reading just because it wasn't for me. I think the premise was really interesting and some of the world-building aspects were really intriguing to me. This could be enjoyed by readers who are also new to sci-fi, in my opinion. There is a melding of genres which makes it more accessible to a variety of readers.

Wonderful! This book is the sort of science fiction I love!
Set in a near future on an earth ravaged by climate disasters, pollution, megaquakes, how will humanity survive?
It starts out a story of two sisters, one (Cee or Celia) alone on an island trying to make a boat so she can find her sister, Kay(Kasey). Kasey lives on an ecocity, her family were involved in the establishment of these low impact cities and admission is strictly controlled to only people who have had a low impact on the planet including in their family history. That’s the bare bones of the story, and as the chapters alternate between the two settings and I realised what the author was setting up, all I could think was Brilliant!! So cleverly and beautifully written. So many great ideas. It asks the big questions, what does it mean to be human and does humanity deserve to be saved?
I don’t usually read YA but I don’t think this is YA. Yes, the main characters are young but the story is more than just teenage concerns.
Loved it!

I am quite honestly lost for words. That ending, my god Joan He how dare you!
“Logic ended where love began”

“My real home waits for me across the sea.”

ARC provided by the publisher Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A haunting story about the bond shared by two sisters that spans through time as they try to reunite crossing the ocean of memories, diving deep into the depths humanity, whilst discovering one’s purpose and meaning in life.

First and foremost I would like to thank Xpresso Book Tours for choosing me as one of the many amazing book bloggers for The Ones We’re Meant to Find tour from May 3rd to May 7th. Thank you as well to the author and publisher Roaring Brook Press for providing an ARC (Advance Readers Copy) as part of this blog tour. For those who are interested in getting their hands on a copy there is a tour wide giveaway for everyone to join near the end of this review.

“Before, I was both. Incomplete and still searching. But now— Tears, hot in my eyes. They blur my vision. Still, I see her. I see her as clearly as I do in my dreams. Clearer. Because this isn’t a dream.”

The Ones We’re Meant to Find is the second published book by one of YA’s leading voices Joan He. Following up the monumental success of Descendant of the Crane, Joan He is back with a sci-fi fantasy story marketed as a combination of We We’re Liars and Black Mirror, this book truly lived up and even exceeds my expectations as one of the most terrifyingly beautiful YA books I’ve read this year. Don’t let the visuals fool you by thinking it’s gonna be pretty tame for a young adult book because it’s not. Before I read this book, I’ve seen a couple of my friends on Twitter raving about it. The cover itself is gorgeous beyond measure with Kasey and Celia in the ocean waves done by the talented Aykut Aydoğdu. I can just look at the cover forever because it’s so damn stunning. If you joined the preorder campaign you can feast your eyes on more art of the book done by Paulina Klime and Eduardo Vargas. After finishing the book, I looked up the preorder campaign art and I was reeling. The story seems much more haunting with the illustrations. Who knew as someone that doesn’t flinch from reading bloody battle scenes can shiver from seeing art of characters from this book.

The story takes place on the dying earth as humans are driven to live in eco cities escaping from the inhabitable lands and oceans. As the last sanctuary for humans on earth these eco cities are only accessible for a few chosen individuals of privilege. A caste system is established to simplify the process of picking who can live there, the smaller the number the higher their placement in society. Joan He adopted a Black Mirror-esque vibe to reflect the imminent dread and desperation as humans clung to their last chance in survival. With astounding descriptive writing He transports readers to a world full of convenience, tech, and stream lined efficiency. Though the world itself seems advance but it created a trench of void that disconnects any human relationship.

“The sea was a trillion strands of hair, infinitely tangled on the surface and infinitely dense beneath. It distorted time: Minutes passed like hours and hours passed like minutes out there. It distorted space, made the horizon seem within reach. And it was the perfect place for hiding secrets.”

In all honesty, I had a hard time immersing myself into the world because it took a while for me to familiarize with the jargon used in the story describing the scientific notions of the world He has created. I’ll say it early on that dystopian sci-fi isn’t a genre adherent to my taste in stories. Alas this did not hinder me from enjoying the thrilling aspect of an impending doom for humanity. Joan He created the perfect world for the story as the world became the very thing that takes intensity and stakes even higher for the characters to ponder upon. The amount of research He has done is evident within the pages as seen in the well detailed descriptions of the world and in the data reports Kasey receives in the story. What makes this story so haunting is how realistic and near to true life the world is, I seriously can see a possibility the world He created becoming a reality. He didn’t guide us into understanding the world at all, readers are thrusted into a world full of orderly chaos and dread, similar to being thrown into the ocean with no life vest. He also did a masterful job at layering the symbolisms adding further depth into story the closer you get to the truth. I can’t say it enough that the closer I got to the ending the more haunted and shell shocked I became. (And I am still haunted btw.)

“I can’t stop the pain, but I can stop myself from bending to its will.”

To top it all of there are reoccurring themes explored in The Ones We’re Meant to Find such as : grief, family, connection, and humanity. How ones grief can either destroy their connection to their humanity drowning them in an ocean of anger and sadness. How one can find meaning in surviving, living, and being human against the circumstances and ones already defined purpose in life. I liked that Joan He uses the ocean as a tool for foreshadowing the whole narrative. He’s prose is magnetic, calm, and efficient in delivering hauntingly breathtaking moments to the point I was rendered empty as I unbox the emotions in each chapter. The complexity of emotion in the story is as strong as the tide, as wave after wave slowly drown and pull you under into the darkest depths of human emotion. It is rare for a book to ruin me this bad by consistently jabbing on my feelings. What makes it even more astounding is that it is condensed within 384 pages, making The Ones We’re to Find as a book that packs a smashing emotional punch. To sell this book even further is the consistent and concise writing. This book has single handedly set the standard for future books to come because the level of quality Joan He presents is beyond excellent.

“Some secrets were best left at sea, between sisters.”

The anchor for The Ones We’re Meant to Find is it’s characters. There isn’t a big cast of characters for readers to follow as the story is more focused on two paralleling perspectives. First is Cee, a girl stranded on an abandoned island with only fragments of her memories. For three years she has been stuck on the island with U-Me, a robot that recites the dictionary. As Cee grows weary of living on the island that is slowly becoming a prison, she manages to construct a boat that will be her one way ticket in escaping it’s clutches. After Cee’s desperate first attempt an unlikely person washed ashore that might turn the tides in her plans. For Cee’s perspective Joan He gives us first hand accounts of Cee’s experiences by writing in first person. The writing in Cee’s chapters can be described as full of longing, confusion, and desperation. Without spoiling anything the dread is prominent mostly in Cee’s chapters as it bleeds through the page pulling readers into the depths of her desperation to flee the island and find her sister. Cee’s arc is my favorite arc in the whole story more than Kacey’s. There is simplicity in the plot yet it evokes complex feelings that doesn’t happen often in the YA books I’ve read.

“Between them, they shared an ocean of loss. It was under their chins, threatening to drown them the moment they sank. And Kasey chose to sink. The world was ending. People were dying. But how many others were consuming more than their fair share when Celia could taste no more?”

Second, we follow Kasey Mizuhara, youngest daughter of the Mizuhara family and science prodigy. Kasey is mourning the lost of her sister, Celia, after their sudden disappearance. All the while the world is facing a massive crisis as the humans have stretched the earth’s resources thin to the point of imminent natural catastrophe. Knowing this, it is up to Kasey to help humanity by using her gift to secure a better future for the world by finding a solution, one that the people might not want to hear. Kasey as a character seems detached from the reality that she is living in since the lost of Celia. The grief of losing her sister is felt through the page as Kasey slowly comes to terms with her feelings by confronting them to find closure. As Kasey traces Celia’s steps to the moments before she disappeared she stumbles upon a boy that can help her find her answers. Kasey’s perspective is interestingly written in second person which made me think for a good chunk of the story. I later understood the implications of why He decided to write her perspective in second person is to add another layer of important nuance to an already brain heavy story.

Besides these two sisters there are two other supporting characters that also fuels the plot and became important figures in the story. This character’s revelation and corruption didn’t translate well to me. Personally for me I had a hard time connecting their motivation and their intent. Which left me feeling scatter brained trying to understand this character. Joan He laid the foundations well for them to carry out their intent to become a tremendous plot twist, but I ended up feeling overwhelmed. On the other hand, the other character carried the ending of the story and amplified the impact of the emotion for readers nearing the end. I can’t say which scene but when you read the book you’ll know. Because what this character did became the catalyst to trigger the final reaction so that the main character can finally make their decision. And oh wow! I was shivering when I read it. Joan He executed it beautifully!

“I don’t think either of us came here by choice.”
“And I think we have even less choice over the ones we’re meant to find.”

Final thoughts, The Ones We’re Meant to Find is a thrilling sci-fi dystopian ride. Presented with an aesthetically beautiful cover that can temp any reader; complete with Joan He’s captivating world building, emotion heavy prose, detailed and consistent symbolism, and haunting foreshadowing it solidifies this book as stand out amongst the young adult releases of 2021. If you’re looking for a short stand alone young adult book that packs complex story telling about reuniting and closure set in a dying world with emotions as deep as the ocean, high quality writing, and soul-stirring twists; this book is for you.

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

This story summed up: good for her.

Joan He's writing was simply spectacular. It was just the right amount of poetic to elevate this story and make it so much more than expected. The relationships and the characters were written in such a beautiful way.

This story kind of feels like a war against time. There are endless possibilities and only time can tell which one will prevail in the end. This book will make you think about what it truly means to be human, what is our purpose and what do we owe ourselves in the end. Even at the end of humanity as we know it and it a futuristic setting, hope still manages to find itself it the characters' lives. This story seems like the journey of two sisters in their quest to find each other once more, but it's so much more than that. Through twists and turns you'll find yourself with so many questions floating in your head.

I'm very glad I have this book a chance!

'The Ones We’re Meant to Find’ is an exceptionally clever science fiction dystopia. The first half is shrouded in mystery, many elements strange and confusing, but the payoff is spectacular.

Cee has been trapped on an island for three years, with no knowledge of how she arrived or concrete detail of her previous life. All she knows is she has a sister, Kay. Determined to find her, Cee spends her days scavenging parts, trying to build a boat to take her away from the island. Meanwhile, 16-year-old science prodigy Kasey is grappling with the sudden disappearance of her sister Celia. Kasey lives a life of isolation, preferring logic to people. Her eco-city’s lifestyle – spending as much time as possible indoors, socialising using holos and regularly using stasis pods – suits her in a way it never suited Celia. However, the more she thinks about Celia’s disappearance, the less sits right with her – and she decides to retrace her sister’s last steps, solving the mystery once and for all.

Of the two protagonists, Kasey is the more initially interesting, although Cee does her best to equal her at the end. Intensely logical, Kasey doesn’t understand people. She looks at life through a lens of science and numbers, analysing situations to determine the most sensible course of action – and not understanding why everyone else doesn’t do the same. Kasey cares deeply about her sister – they’re extremely different, but Celia is important in a way that defies Kasey’s otherwise logical life. Practical but un-streetwise, Kasey can concoct a solution to any problem – but possibly not a solution that anyone else would accept.

Cee is also practical, but her emotions are bright and all-encompassing where Kasey’s are a mere inconvenience. Alone on an island – apart from her robot companion, U-Me – Cee’s only concern is to get to her sister. She’s smart and practical, but throws caution to the wind in her desperation to find Kay. Cee is easy to empathise with, and her desperation is striking. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear there’s far more to her than initially meets the eye – and it’s this complexity that really makes her character compelling.

Joan He’s worldbuilding is intricately detailed. Earth is facing ecological disaster, with pollution and climate change threatening humanity with extinction. The privileged have fled to eight eco-cities – floating cities where people live in the smallest possible amount of space, minimising their carbon footprint by leading predominantly virtual lives. Science has advanced to almost eradicate disease, and each citizen is fitted with an implant that functions as both a health monitor and a miniature computer. He makes all the advances seem believable, and whilst the complexity of the setting takes some time to fully understand, the way the reader is left to figure everything out for themselves fits in what is a generally tricky and mysterious novel.

While this is definitely a science fiction novel, its also a story about moral ambiguity and what it means to be human. Joan He is constantly exploring humans and their differences. Kasey, as a prodigy, is working towards saving humanity, despite not fully understanding humanity herself. Cee, alone on an island, is trying desperately to remember and figure out who she is. The juxtaposition between Kasey’s life in an eco-city and Cee’s on an abandoned island highlights the differences between Kasey and Cee themselves. The struggles with identity and humanity are beautifully written, making the denouement even more powerful.

Overall, ‘The Ones We’re Meant to Find’ is a novel worth persevering with. The start can seem slow and confusing, but by the end the depth and cleverness is staggering. Recommended for all fans of dystopia, ethics, and complex science fiction.