...I just finished the fucking book
OH MY FUCKING GOD
I CRIED FOR 51 PAGES STRAIGHT, STARTING ON PAGE 427 WHEN THEY SAID GOODBYE TO PAGE 478 WHEN THE BOOK ENDED
GRACE WAS WILLING TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF FOR ROCKY
Holy character development. In the beginning, Grace was unwilling to save Earth if it meant he died in the process. It was the planet he'd grown up on, with several people, including his kids, who he knew. But by the end, he was willing to sacrifice himself to save a planet and its people who he never knew and who never knew him, save for Rocky.
And in the end... HE DIDN'T DIE!! HE GOT TO SURVIVE ON ERID... AND TEACH??? HE GOT TO TEACH THE ERIDIAN CHILDREN??????
SOOOOBBBBBBBBBINNNNNGGGGGGGGGG
ALSO the writer purposefully jumpscared us. When Grace was making the decision to save himself or Erid, this happened:
"I'm sorry, Rocky."
WHAT. WHAT YOU'RE LEAVING HIM??? YOU'RE LEAVING HIM TO DIE??? NOOOOOOOOOO-
"I know you would've wanted to study at least one of the beetles, but I had to send all four of them back to Earth."
...YAY HE'S SAVING HIM
LIKE THE AUTHOR MADE US THINK HE WAS ABANDONING ROCKY BUT HE WASN'T!!!!! IM SO FUCKING HAPPY AND THIS BOOK HAS EMOTIONALLY DESTROYED ME 10/10 WOULD AND WILL READ AGAIN
