Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein
Author: Robert Heinlein
Book: Podkayne of Mars
Genre: Science Fiction
Julia Rating: 10
Comments:
This is the perfect Sci Fi coming of age tale. Heinlein always has some interesting ideas of future morals and this book explores them without being graphic. This book also shows us a simple sci fi adventure story. A girl named Podkayne is going on her first major outing off-planet. She’s going to Earth via Venus with her uncle. But, she has to take her evil genius brother.
On the way, Podkayne finds out more about the world than she ever dreamed possible, and gets into her fair share of trouble.
I always love Heinlein’s ideas of women. He enjoys portraying young woman with the sensibilities of a girl from the 50’s, but the morals of the 60’s and 70’s. In this book, he not only portrays this, but shows Podkayne grow into a brave, loving young woman – even if her brother thinks she’s a bit silly.
Also, the society in which he places Podkayne and her family is very Brave New Worldish, for example, babies are born naturally, but are frozen and decanted to be reared later. Podkayne’s other siblings (still in deep freeze) are called Gamma, Delta and Epsilon – the classes noted in Brave New World. Heinlein always seems to add his own philosophy and ideas to his fiction books, without overwhelming them.
