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Satellite Love
Set in 1999 Japan, Satellite Love is a heartbreaking and beautifully unconventional debut novel about a girl, a boy, and a satellite--and a bittersweet meditation on loneliness, alienation, and what it means to be human. Named a CBC Books Spring Reading List Title, a Shelf Life Books Book of the Month, a Toronto Life and Nikkei Voice summer read recommendation, and one of Daily Hive's 10 Essential Reads to Celebrate Asian Canadian Writers.
On the eve of the new millennium, in a city in southern Japan that progress has forgotten, sixteen-year-old Anna Obata looks to the stars for solace. An outcast at school, and left to fend for herself and care for her increasingly senile grandfather at home, Anna copes with her loneliness by searching the night sky for answers. But everything changes the evening the Low Earth Orbit satellite (LEO for short) returns her gaze and sees her as no one else has before.
After Leo is called down to Earth, he embarks on an extraordinary journey to understand his own humanity as well as the fragile mind of the young woman who called him into being. As Anna withdraws further into her own mysterious plans, he will be forced to question the limits of his devotion and the lengths he will go to protect her.
Full of surprising imaginative leaps and yet grounded by a profound understanding of the human heart, Satellite Love is a brilliant and deeply moving meditation on loneliness, faith, and the yearning for meaning and connection. It is an unforgettable story about the indomitable power of the imagination and the mind's ability to heal itself, no matter the cost, no matter the odds.
On the eve of the new millennium, in a city in southern Japan that progress has forgotten, sixteen-year-old Anna Obata looks to the stars for solace. An outcast at school, and left to fend for herself and care for her increasingly senile grandfather at home, Anna copes with her loneliness by searching the night sky for answers. But everything changes the evening the Low Earth Orbit satellite (LEO for short) returns her gaze and sees her as no one else has before.
After Leo is called down to Earth, he embarks on an extraordinary journey to understand his own humanity as well as the fragile mind of the young woman who called him into being. As Anna withdraws further into her own mysterious plans, he will be forced to question the limits of his devotion and the lengths he will go to protect her.
Full of surprising imaginative leaps and yet grounded by a profound understanding of the human heart, Satellite Love is a brilliant and deeply moving meditation on loneliness, faith, and the yearning for meaning and connection. It is an unforgettable story about the indomitable power of the imagination and the mind's ability to heal itself, no matter the cost, no matter the odds.
280 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2021
77 people are currently reading
3449 people want to read
About the author
Genki Ferguson
3 books58 followersGENKI FERGUSON was born in New Brunswick to a family of writers and grew up in Calgary. He spent much of his childhood in the subtropical island of Kyushu, Japan, where his mother's family still resides. Fluent in Japanese and capable of making a decent sushi roll, Genki was the recipient of the 2017 Helen Pitt Award for visual arts, and recently completed a degree in Film Production while working part-time at Book Warehouse, an indie store in Vancouver.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
March 5, 2021
Review soon... going back to sleep ...
but first... a little share...(probably repeating myself from many years past)...
But I have soft spot for Japanese stories..
This was the perfect bedtime tale for me.
Pleasant dreams you Earth 🌍 people ...
More later 💕
I’m BACK.....LONG..BUT NO SPOILERS
Genki Ferguson, ( born in New Brunswick), not only found his way into my heart with his debut novel “Satellite Love”, but he grew up in Calgary— ( where my daughter and her husband live)...
Genki — haha —I first thought was a women (because why?...I had figured only a sweet-tender book about love and outsiders could have been written by a female?- shame on me!)....
Genki, (a he), spent much of his childhood in the subtropical island of
Kyushu, Japan, where his mothers family still resides.
Genki surprises and delights us with this ‘visual-imaginative-thought-provoking-tale’ — balancing scales between light and dark, chaotic and calm, faith and religion, and the different types of loneliness and love.
The writing is filled with beautiful introspective pondering. It’s also at times lovingly poetic.
I absolutely cherished his blending Japanese words...(not often, but often enough to experience the Japanese culture deeper)...
We instantly know what the words mean....( but I looked the words up anyway)...
“Satellite Love” reminded me of what it was like to be young — away from the city — camping — looking up at the sky filled with massive stars....wondering if anybody was looking back at me.
But that’s not all it reminded me of...or....
rather gave me.
This book kept offering valuable wise morsels. In fact...I first gave it 4 stars...and the more I think about it.....
“No way”.... it was ‘more’ than a 5 star experience....
I know it’s a book that I won’t forget — it’s a book I’ll enjoy thinking about for a long time.
Rather than say more...( the blurb explains things nicely)....it was sure enough for me to know I wanted to read it.
I’ll share a few excerpts.....
Grandpa says....
“My daughter, Yoshiko, tells me forgetfulness is a symptom of old age. I barely see her anymore. We live in the same home, yet she’s always gone. I tell her it’s dangerous for a girl her age to be out and about all the time, but she just laughs and tells me she’s nearly fifty years old now. I don’t remember her turning forty, thirty, or even twenty, but here she is, a fully grown adult. When did that happen?
“I seem to recall Yoshiko telling me to watch her daughter sometime ago, but there’s no one else here. I was stunned to hear Yoshiko has a child. She said she’s had one for sixteen years! When I told her how surprised I was, Yoshiko said I need to just try harder with remembering, that it’s important to keep working on the sudoku ( Japanese logic puzzle), she gave me”.
“Tragedy doesn’t exist only in the extremities of life. It doesn’t take a massive blow to knock someone out of orbit. Up in space, I had been blessed with aluminum alloy plating, protecting me from a barrage of space dust at any hour. Yet all it takes is one
micrometeoroid, one microscopic piece of space debris, to find an opening for it all to be over. The smallest intrusion can fry circuits, disrupt navigation, cut power off entirely. Seeing Anna with nothing to protect her soft skin from the orbital debris of the world, I was surprised this melt-down hadn’t happened sooner”.
Anna makes a friend at school > Soki
Satellite (LEO) says:
“Soki was good for her. And I should have been happy. But I could feel this irrational jealousy start bubbling to the surface, a sickeningly human feeling. A fear of being abandoned by my creator”.
“Was I wrong, then, for wanting to keep her to myself?”
Satellite.....
“Surely Anna’s reaction was out of the ordinary. I didn’t understand human courting methods, but from what I had observed hundreds of kilometers away, Anna and Soki were acquaintances at best. What she felt was a childish infatuation, one that I had selfishly been envious of. I wondered if there were equations for love. If some formula based on initial attraction, prolonged contact, or social viability could explain what I was seeing down below”.
Satellite...
“I still felt sympathy for the humans, but I couldn’t bear the thought of being tied to them any longer. Was that wrong of me? The very struggles which had at first drawn me in became too heartbreaking to watch. I couldn’t find an equation to solve their melancholy. Self-actualization multiplied by love, divided by years left on earth? Being alone was unbearable, yet companionship only brought more suffering. Of all the people I observed from space, not one of them could find a solution for this innate pain. Some days, it is hard to make jokes”.
A Japanese prayer - *daijinju* - that no one knows the exact meaning of — nor its origin — [not even the priests can accurately translate all the ancient words]....
But...
“when the words are said sincerely with pure heart and mind, the prayer has power. It lets you create a connection to the kami (divine)”.
Note....I was reminded of why I light candles for my friends who live on the other side of the planet from me — when they tell my they have lost a parent, or close friend, or any painful struggle.
It’s taken me a lifetime (increased acceleration during this pandemic), to appreciate the profound power of prayer for others.
To my friend, Laysee, who recently loss her father.... I thought of you many times while reading this book....and have been sending prayers.
Two last quick things...
....okay three:
1... I love the book title
2...I love the book cover
3...I love the characters...Anna, LEO ( Low Earth Orbit Satellite), Soki, grandpa, and mom.
Yep... 5 stars from me.
but first... a little share...(probably repeating myself from many years past)...
But I have soft spot for Japanese stories..
This was the perfect bedtime tale for me.
Pleasant dreams you Earth 🌍 people ...
More later 💕
I’m BACK.....LONG..BUT NO SPOILERS
Genki Ferguson, ( born in New Brunswick), not only found his way into my heart with his debut novel “Satellite Love”, but he grew up in Calgary— ( where my daughter and her husband live)...
Genki — haha —I first thought was a women (because why?...I had figured only a sweet-tender book about love and outsiders could have been written by a female?- shame on me!)....
Genki, (a he), spent much of his childhood in the subtropical island of
Kyushu, Japan, where his mothers family still resides.
Genki surprises and delights us with this ‘visual-imaginative-thought-provoking-tale’ — balancing scales between light and dark, chaotic and calm, faith and religion, and the different types of loneliness and love.
The writing is filled with beautiful introspective pondering. It’s also at times lovingly poetic.
I absolutely cherished his blending Japanese words...(not often, but often enough to experience the Japanese culture deeper)...
We instantly know what the words mean....( but I looked the words up anyway)...
“Satellite Love” reminded me of what it was like to be young — away from the city — camping — looking up at the sky filled with massive stars....wondering if anybody was looking back at me.
But that’s not all it reminded me of...or....
rather gave me.
This book kept offering valuable wise morsels. In fact...I first gave it 4 stars...and the more I think about it.....
“No way”.... it was ‘more’ than a 5 star experience....
I know it’s a book that I won’t forget — it’s a book I’ll enjoy thinking about for a long time.
Rather than say more...( the blurb explains things nicely)....it was sure enough for me to know I wanted to read it.
I’ll share a few excerpts.....
Grandpa says....
“My daughter, Yoshiko, tells me forgetfulness is a symptom of old age. I barely see her anymore. We live in the same home, yet she’s always gone. I tell her it’s dangerous for a girl her age to be out and about all the time, but she just laughs and tells me she’s nearly fifty years old now. I don’t remember her turning forty, thirty, or even twenty, but here she is, a fully grown adult. When did that happen?
“I seem to recall Yoshiko telling me to watch her daughter sometime ago, but there’s no one else here. I was stunned to hear Yoshiko has a child. She said she’s had one for sixteen years! When I told her how surprised I was, Yoshiko said I need to just try harder with remembering, that it’s important to keep working on the sudoku ( Japanese logic puzzle), she gave me”.
“Tragedy doesn’t exist only in the extremities of life. It doesn’t take a massive blow to knock someone out of orbit. Up in space, I had been blessed with aluminum alloy plating, protecting me from a barrage of space dust at any hour. Yet all it takes is one
micrometeoroid, one microscopic piece of space debris, to find an opening for it all to be over. The smallest intrusion can fry circuits, disrupt navigation, cut power off entirely. Seeing Anna with nothing to protect her soft skin from the orbital debris of the world, I was surprised this melt-down hadn’t happened sooner”.
Anna makes a friend at school > Soki
Satellite (LEO) says:
“Soki was good for her. And I should have been happy. But I could feel this irrational jealousy start bubbling to the surface, a sickeningly human feeling. A fear of being abandoned by my creator”.
“Was I wrong, then, for wanting to keep her to myself?”
Satellite.....
“Surely Anna’s reaction was out of the ordinary. I didn’t understand human courting methods, but from what I had observed hundreds of kilometers away, Anna and Soki were acquaintances at best. What she felt was a childish infatuation, one that I had selfishly been envious of. I wondered if there were equations for love. If some formula based on initial attraction, prolonged contact, or social viability could explain what I was seeing down below”.
Satellite...
“I still felt sympathy for the humans, but I couldn’t bear the thought of being tied to them any longer. Was that wrong of me? The very struggles which had at first drawn me in became too heartbreaking to watch. I couldn’t find an equation to solve their melancholy. Self-actualization multiplied by love, divided by years left on earth? Being alone was unbearable, yet companionship only brought more suffering. Of all the people I observed from space, not one of them could find a solution for this innate pain. Some days, it is hard to make jokes”.
A Japanese prayer - *daijinju* - that no one knows the exact meaning of — nor its origin — [not even the priests can accurately translate all the ancient words]....
But...
“when the words are said sincerely with pure heart and mind, the prayer has power. It lets you create a connection to the kami (divine)”.
Note....I was reminded of why I light candles for my friends who live on the other side of the planet from me — when they tell my they have lost a parent, or close friend, or any painful struggle.
It’s taken me a lifetime (increased acceleration during this pandemic), to appreciate the profound power of prayer for others.
To my friend, Laysee, who recently loss her father.... I thought of you many times while reading this book....and have been sending prayers.
Two last quick things...
....okay three:
1... I love the book title
2...I love the book cover
3...I love the characters...Anna, LEO ( Low Earth Orbit Satellite), Soki, grandpa, and mom.
Yep... 5 stars from me.
June 9, 2021
3.75 stars, but rounded it up to 4.
This was a very strange one…but in a good way? As I was reading I kept teetering between uninterested and extremely intrigued. What left me uninterested was the side stories of the other characters that certain chapters focused on. I realize that these are useful for telling Anna’s story from different perspectives, but some of them flatlined and were uninteresting. I think there are some details of the story could have been fleshed out more
However, the saving grace of the story is the premise. I mean, it’s not very often that I read a story from the perspective of an imaginary friend of an emotionally unstable teen. I think that’s what made this novel so moving. If the reader has had any experience with teenage angst, Anna’s immaturity, her lack of understanding, loneliness, and the “it’s me against the world” attitude will feel like the reader is looking back at their younger self and wishing they could tell them everything they know now - “it gets better” type of thing. I wasn’t cheering for Anna, and she’s not really a protagonist. Rather, you realize the depths of her loneliness and despair and the gradual unraveling of her mind and sense of reason by how elaborate her imagination is and by how complex her relationship with Leo (the satellite/imaginary friend) is. When Leo’s chapters are read, he’s a fully fleshed out “human” with feelings, thoughts, decisions, and opinions. He’s the absolute opposite of Anna - more feeling, more understanding, more concerned for others, and of course concerned for his “creator.” Then it hits you like a ton of bricks that this character is a vestige of Anna. His thoughts are not his own, his actions are not his own. It’s all Anna’s creation. Pity sets in, and the more elaborate Leo is, the further withdrawn Anna becomes.
There are LAYERS in this story that can be further unpacked and analyzed. It’s a tragedy, described as “bittersweet” on the back cover but it’s mostly bitter. I suppose that’s what makes it beautiful though. It’s an honest and raw depiction of what it means to be lonely and how someone, in their isolation, will resort to finding belonging and companionship by any means necessary - even if those means are tinged with self-destruction.
This was a very strange one…but in a good way? As I was reading I kept teetering between uninterested and extremely intrigued. What left me uninterested was the side stories of the other characters that certain chapters focused on. I realize that these are useful for telling Anna’s story from different perspectives, but some of them flatlined and were uninteresting. I think there are some details of the story could have been fleshed out more
However, the saving grace of the story is the premise. I mean, it’s not very often that I read a story from the perspective of an imaginary friend of an emotionally unstable teen. I think that’s what made this novel so moving. If the reader has had any experience with teenage angst, Anna’s immaturity, her lack of understanding, loneliness, and the “it’s me against the world” attitude will feel like the reader is looking back at their younger self and wishing they could tell them everything they know now - “it gets better” type of thing. I wasn’t cheering for Anna, and she’s not really a protagonist. Rather, you realize the depths of her loneliness and despair and the gradual unraveling of her mind and sense of reason by how elaborate her imagination is and by how complex her relationship with Leo (the satellite/imaginary friend) is. When Leo’s chapters are read, he’s a fully fleshed out “human” with feelings, thoughts, decisions, and opinions. He’s the absolute opposite of Anna - more feeling, more understanding, more concerned for others, and of course concerned for his “creator.” Then it hits you like a ton of bricks that this character is a vestige of Anna. His thoughts are not his own, his actions are not his own. It’s all Anna’s creation. Pity sets in, and the more elaborate Leo is, the further withdrawn Anna becomes.
There are LAYERS in this story that can be further unpacked and analyzed. It’s a tragedy, described as “bittersweet” on the back cover but it’s mostly bitter. I suppose that’s what makes it beautiful though. It’s an honest and raw depiction of what it means to be lonely and how someone, in their isolation, will resort to finding belonging and companionship by any means necessary - even if those means are tinged with self-destruction.
January 24, 2021
Lovely. Left sparks in my mind after reading it - it crackles with a sort of bittersweet electricity.
February 7, 2025
حرف زدن راجب این کتاب خیلی سخته حتی نمیدونم از کجا شروع کنم.
بهترین توصیف براش نامتعارفه، یک دختر نوجوان که احساس پوچی میکنه کاملاً طبیعیه اما داستان شروع به عجیبتر شدن کرد و منو ترسوند.
دروغ چرا اگه همچین آدم متوهمی رو توی جامعه میدیدم ازش میترسیدم و زود فاصلهام رو باهاش حفظ میکردم.
حتی دیدگاههای عجیبی داره:
آنا یه دختر منزوی که توی خیالهای خودش زندگی میکنه
ماهواره که توی آسمونه و شاهد تمام اتفاقاته
سوکی آدمی که به کامیها باور داره و جامعه اونو یه طور دیگه عجیب میبینه و البته آنا عاشقشه
پدربزرگ آنا که آلزایمر داره و بیشتر اوقات حتی فراموش میکنه نوهای داره
و بالاخره لئو
آنا چون نمیتونه با سوکی ارتباط بگیره به ماهواره یه جسم انسانی میده که خیلی شبیه سوکیه و لئو رو تبدیل به دوست خیالیاش میکنه اما کمکم میبینیم لئو داره یه شخصیت مستقل میشه چیزی که غیرممکن و ترسناکه اما در نهایت آنا رو نجات میده.
از دید من وجه اشتراک تمام این شخصیتها اینه که همهشون یه حفره توی وجودشون دارن که نمیدونن چطور پرش کنن.
در نهایت یه جورایی احساس خوشبختی میکنم که یه انسان واقعیام.
بهترین توصیف براش نامتعارفه، یک دختر نوجوان که احساس پوچی میکنه کاملاً طبیعیه اما داستان شروع به عجیبتر شدن کرد و منو ترسوند.
دروغ چرا اگه همچین آدم متوهمی رو توی جامعه میدیدم ازش میترسیدم و زود فاصلهام رو باهاش حفظ میکردم.
حتی دیدگاههای عجیبی داره:
آنا یه دختر منزوی که توی خیالهای خودش زندگی میکنه
ماهواره که توی آسمونه و شاهد تمام اتفاقاته
سوکی آدمی که به کامیها باور داره و جامعه اونو یه طور دیگه عجیب میبینه و البته آنا عاشقشه
پدربزرگ آنا که آلزایمر داره و بیشتر اوقات حتی فراموش میکنه نوهای داره
و بالاخره لئو
آنا چون نمیتونه با سوکی ارتباط بگیره به ماهواره یه جسم انسانی میده که خیلی شبیه سوکیه و لئو رو تبدیل به دوست خیالیاش میکنه اما کمکم میبینیم لئو داره یه شخصیت مستقل میشه چیزی که غیرممکن و ترسناکه اما در نهایت آنا رو نجات میده.
از دید من وجه اشتراک تمام این شخصیتها اینه که همهشون یه حفره توی وجودشون دارن که نمیدونن چطور پرش کنن.
در نهایت یه جورایی احساس خوشبختی میکنم که یه انسان واقعیام.
February 23, 2024
عشق ماهوارهای / گنکی فرگوسن
.
تا صد صفحهی اول برام جذابیت زیادی نداشت و نمیتونستم تصمیم بگیرم که حسم بهش چیه. فانتزی داستان عجیب بود و نمیتونستم باهاش زیاد ارتباط بگیرم. نمیفهمیدم نویسنده دقیقا چی میخواد بگه یا چه هدفی داره.
اما بعد از صد و اندی صفحه، کم کم داستان وارد آشوبی شد که تمومی نداشت. خشم و اندوه کاراکتر اصلی، آنا، آدمو حیرتزده میکرد و در عین حال میفهمیدش. شاید همهچی گاهی عجیب یا گنگ میشد، اما همهچیز نشون دهنده این بود که چقدر این آدم تنهاست و چقدر ناخودآگاه طلب کمک میکنه ولی هیچکس متوجه نمیشه.
داستانِ خیلی از ماها توی این دنیای مدرن.
.
تا صد صفحهی اول برام جذابیت زیادی نداشت و نمیتونستم تصمیم بگیرم که حسم بهش چیه. فانتزی داستان عجیب بود و نمیتونستم باهاش زیاد ارتباط بگیرم. نمیفهمیدم نویسنده دقیقا چی میخواد بگه یا چه هدفی داره.
اما بعد از صد و اندی صفحه، کم کم داستان وارد آشوبی شد که تمومی نداشت. خشم و اندوه کاراکتر اصلی، آنا، آدمو حیرتزده میکرد و در عین حال میفهمیدش. شاید همهچی گاهی عجیب یا گنگ میشد، اما همهچیز نشون دهنده این بود که چقدر این آدم تنهاست و چقدر ناخودآگاه طلب کمک میکنه ولی هیچکس متوجه نمیشه.
داستانِ خیلی از ماها توی این دنیای مدرن.
April 22, 2021
This was beautiful, sad, strange and it was so very fitting to see that Ruth Ozeki, author of A Tale for the Time Being blurb this book. It had similarities, but at the same time, Satellite Love is unique and wonderful.
I think I've read my first Giller Longlist nominee? If not, I'll eat my hat in anger and frustration.
I think I've read my first Giller Longlist nominee? If not, I'll eat my hat in anger and frustration.
March 31, 2022
4.5 stars
The title "Satellite Love" suited this debut novel, and I enjoyed the experience reading about Anna, LEO ( Low-Earth-Orbit satellite), Grandfather, The General, and Soki.
Genii Ferguson was born in New Brunswick, grew up in Calgary, Alberta and spent much of his childhood in Kyushu, Japan. His mother's family live in Japan and this story is set in Japan.
"Marvellously inventive and yet grounded by a profound understanding of the human heart, Satellite Love is a brilliant and deeply moving meditation on loneliness, faith and the yearning for meaning and connection. It is an unforgettable story about the indomitable power of the imagination and the mind's ability to heal itself, no matter the odds, no matter the cost."
- Quote from front flap of book cover
The title "Satellite Love" suited this debut novel, and I enjoyed the experience reading about Anna, LEO ( Low-Earth-Orbit satellite), Grandfather, The General, and Soki.
Genii Ferguson was born in New Brunswick, grew up in Calgary, Alberta and spent much of his childhood in Kyushu, Japan. His mother's family live in Japan and this story is set in Japan.
"Marvellously inventive and yet grounded by a profound understanding of the human heart, Satellite Love is a brilliant and deeply moving meditation on loneliness, faith and the yearning for meaning and connection. It is an unforgettable story about the indomitable power of the imagination and the mind's ability to heal itself, no matter the odds, no matter the cost."
- Quote from front flap of book cover
March 4, 2021
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒈𝒐 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐.
When Anna was younger, she spoke to satellites, but now that she’s older, they don’t respond. A lonely satellite herself, she has a lot on her shoulders, caring for her elderly grandfather who is lost in his own confusing world of senility while her mother is gone weeks at a time. In his mind, that is more of a sieve, he forgets he has a granddaughter and it is his ever questioning mind, lost in a maze of time, that is heartbreaking. At school Anna is an outcast, to them, a child who will never grow out of her fantastical daydreams, a target to be mocked and ignored. It seems no one in her universe understands her but one night a Low Earth Orbit satellite, Leo, comes to life under her penetrating gaze. The birth of Leo is a gorgeous meditation on what makes us real, the grace of love and attention, in stark comparison with the erasure of indifference.
Leo learning about humanity, and Anna’s world in particular is both horrifying and exhilarating. That even a satellite turned boy can immediately pick up on the ostracism, the parts of herself that make her stick out and put people off, makes for an emotional study of our intolerance. Anna’s life, he observes, is nothing but a constant test she is bound to fail.
Anna wants Leo to become his own person, to combat becoming her mirror. He is just a ghost of a thing, unseen to all but her. Anna is Leo’s creator, and is ashamed of bringing him to this rotten earth. Anna is many things, but like all of us, she is deeply flawed and Leo isn’t the only being she has brought to life with her hungry need for love, friendship. Soon, Leo spends his time trying to comprehend his creator, but she is just as alien to the world she inhabits as he. Her tragedy slowly unfolds with Leo as her sole witness. Anna realizes her mistake was in bringing Leo to earth and devises a plan, she will build a machine that will put the two of them where they truly belong, and as the millennium comes to a close (it is 1999, Japan where the story takes place) timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Soki has moved with his mother and father to Sakita, dissappointed in this new city that feels like ‘a city filled with ghosts’. A forgotten place left behind by the rest of the world, lacking in progress. His father hails from a long line of Shinto priests in charge of looking after the shrine, one day he left it for good, never explaining why. This has been a great shock to Soki, whose path was to follow in his footsteps. His father now works as an ‘urban planner’, the family of three moving around often, leaving Soki yearning for their life before. In the city mall parking lot Anna happens upon their car where he sits waiting for his mother, and the two strike up a conversation. The two cross paths again at school, and fall into a discussion on religion, and ‘kami’. Will he become her friend or turn out to be just like everyone else?
There are moments the author so perfectly pins what it means to be human, ” I had been so caught up in Anna as an idea, I had forgotten about Anna as a person.” It is an absolute for us all as we are all guilty of loving versions of people, of casting them as we see fit in our own story. We are always projecting our needs and our demons, missing the sum of one another, and we must include ourselves, denying our own parts, sometimes only seeing the edges of who we are. Anna is slipping away, and no one of flesh and blood (beyond her satellite boy Leo) is truly playing witness, caught up in their own life stories. Anna fails Leo too, though, as she has her other imagined creations. There are other characters that make for an interesting read as we journey through Anna’s mind. Anna visits an elderly, deaf and blind man named The General. His life is shrouded in mystery and as they communicate through Morse Code, she is digging for wisdom and missing what is in front of her eyes.
Nothing about life is any clearer for Anna than it is for her senile grandfather, new boy Soki nor Leo. She is struggling and all she wants is to escape into the vastness of space. I ached for each character but Anna most of all. What a gorgeous novel.
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Available Now
McClelland & Stewart
𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒈𝒐 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐.
When Anna was younger, she spoke to satellites, but now that she’s older, they don’t respond. A lonely satellite herself, she has a lot on her shoulders, caring for her elderly grandfather who is lost in his own confusing world of senility while her mother is gone weeks at a time. In his mind, that is more of a sieve, he forgets he has a granddaughter and it is his ever questioning mind, lost in a maze of time, that is heartbreaking. At school Anna is an outcast, to them, a child who will never grow out of her fantastical daydreams, a target to be mocked and ignored. It seems no one in her universe understands her but one night a Low Earth Orbit satellite, Leo, comes to life under her penetrating gaze. The birth of Leo is a gorgeous meditation on what makes us real, the grace of love and attention, in stark comparison with the erasure of indifference.
Leo learning about humanity, and Anna’s world in particular is both horrifying and exhilarating. That even a satellite turned boy can immediately pick up on the ostracism, the parts of herself that make her stick out and put people off, makes for an emotional study of our intolerance. Anna’s life, he observes, is nothing but a constant test she is bound to fail.
Anna wants Leo to become his own person, to combat becoming her mirror. He is just a ghost of a thing, unseen to all but her. Anna is Leo’s creator, and is ashamed of bringing him to this rotten earth. Anna is many things, but like all of us, she is deeply flawed and Leo isn’t the only being she has brought to life with her hungry need for love, friendship. Soon, Leo spends his time trying to comprehend his creator, but she is just as alien to the world she inhabits as he. Her tragedy slowly unfolds with Leo as her sole witness. Anna realizes her mistake was in bringing Leo to earth and devises a plan, she will build a machine that will put the two of them where they truly belong, and as the millennium comes to a close (it is 1999, Japan where the story takes place) timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Soki has moved with his mother and father to Sakita, dissappointed in this new city that feels like ‘a city filled with ghosts’. A forgotten place left behind by the rest of the world, lacking in progress. His father hails from a long line of Shinto priests in charge of looking after the shrine, one day he left it for good, never explaining why. This has been a great shock to Soki, whose path was to follow in his footsteps. His father now works as an ‘urban planner’, the family of three moving around often, leaving Soki yearning for their life before. In the city mall parking lot Anna happens upon their car where he sits waiting for his mother, and the two strike up a conversation. The two cross paths again at school, and fall into a discussion on religion, and ‘kami’. Will he become her friend or turn out to be just like everyone else?
There are moments the author so perfectly pins what it means to be human, ” I had been so caught up in Anna as an idea, I had forgotten about Anna as a person.” It is an absolute for us all as we are all guilty of loving versions of people, of casting them as we see fit in our own story. We are always projecting our needs and our demons, missing the sum of one another, and we must include ourselves, denying our own parts, sometimes only seeing the edges of who we are. Anna is slipping away, and no one of flesh and blood (beyond her satellite boy Leo) is truly playing witness, caught up in their own life stories. Anna fails Leo too, though, as she has her other imagined creations. There are other characters that make for an interesting read as we journey through Anna’s mind. Anna visits an elderly, deaf and blind man named The General. His life is shrouded in mystery and as they communicate through Morse Code, she is digging for wisdom and missing what is in front of her eyes.
Nothing about life is any clearer for Anna than it is for her senile grandfather, new boy Soki nor Leo. She is struggling and all she wants is to escape into the vastness of space. I ached for each character but Anna most of all. What a gorgeous novel.
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
Available Now
McClelland & Stewart
July 14, 2021
net neįsivaizduoju, kaip įvertint. Ką tik baigiau ir niekaip neapsisprendžiu, nes knyga balansuoja ant tooookios plonytės ribos tarp nuostabumo ir absoliutaus "ką aš čia perskaičiau dabar??" keistumo.
Apie vienatvę ir kaip ji veikia žmones. Įpinta daug Japonijos kultūros, dievų ir mitologijos. Tas labai patiko, bet visa kita - nežinau, nežinau.
Gal rytoj galvoje bus aiškiau.
Apie vienatvę ir kaip ji veikia žmones. Įpinta daug Japonijos kultūros, dievų ir mitologijos. Tas labai patiko, bet visa kita - nežinau, nežinau.
Gal rytoj galvoje bus aiškiau.
January 13, 2021
2.5 stars
RTC
RTC
March 15, 2024
"Satellite Love" is a 4-star rated novel that offers readers a unique and imaginative story of a young girl named Anna Obata, who finds solace in the night sky and the stars above. Anna is a sixteen-year-old girl who feels isolated and disconnected from those around her, and her life takes a turn when a Low Earth Orbit satellite, named LEO, returns her gaze and sees her in a way no one else has before. What follows is a deeply moving meditation on loneliness, faith, and the yearning for meaning and connection.
The book explores themes such as loneliness, alienation, the human desire for connection, and the healing power of the imagination. "Satellite Love" tells the story from four different perspectives, with Anna being the main protagonist. Her Grandpa, who has amnesia and can't recognize his granddaughter, provides a unique perspective. A boy named Soki, who has recently moved to Sakita, also adds a new dimension to the story. And, of course, LEO, the satellite, embarks on a journey to understand his humanity and the fragile mind of Anna, who called him into existence.
The novel presents a unique and imaginative story of a girl who forms a connection with a satellite, exploring the intersection of technology and human emotion. It delves into profound themes such as loneliness, the need for connection, and the human condition, resonating with readers who have experienced similar feelings. Set in Japan, the book offers a glimpse into the country's culture and the universal aspects of youth and isolation.
Ferguson's writing style is praised for its beauty and clarity, making it a satisfying experience for those who appreciate literary fiction. The narrative invites readers to ponder the nature of existence, love, and what it means to be truly alive. If you are looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel to add to your reading list, "Satellite Love" is a compelling read that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
The book explores themes such as loneliness, alienation, the human desire for connection, and the healing power of the imagination. "Satellite Love" tells the story from four different perspectives, with Anna being the main protagonist. Her Grandpa, who has amnesia and can't recognize his granddaughter, provides a unique perspective. A boy named Soki, who has recently moved to Sakita, also adds a new dimension to the story. And, of course, LEO, the satellite, embarks on a journey to understand his humanity and the fragile mind of Anna, who called him into existence.
The novel presents a unique and imaginative story of a girl who forms a connection with a satellite, exploring the intersection of technology and human emotion. It delves into profound themes such as loneliness, the need for connection, and the human condition, resonating with readers who have experienced similar feelings. Set in Japan, the book offers a glimpse into the country's culture and the universal aspects of youth and isolation.
Ferguson's writing style is praised for its beauty and clarity, making it a satisfying experience for those who appreciate literary fiction. The narrative invites readers to ponder the nature of existence, love, and what it means to be truly alive. If you are looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant novel to add to your reading list, "Satellite Love" is a compelling read that is sure to leave a lasting impression.
April 23, 2021
Before I get into the review, let's talk about how beautiful this cover is. I saw Satellite Love on Goodreads's new releases page, fell in love with the cover, and within the week, picked it up at a bookstore. I had absolutely no idea what the book was about, but the cover art was too good not to experience it. 😂
Satellite Love is a novel about a young girl's descent into loneliness and how she deals with isolation from her peers, family, and friends. When I first started the book, I thought it was just about some angsty teen who had an "it's not a phase, mom!" type of attitude. However, the further I read, the more meaningful the story became, and some aspects were quite moving. I find that I liked it even more because, on some levels, I relate to the main character Anna. Unlike Anna, however, I recognize when I am potentially leading myself down a self-destructive path. Even so, this novel serves as a good reminder of what can happen if you don't stop yourself from going in that direction and encourages one to seek out the light at the end of the tunnel.
If I had one criticism, it would be that there are some lulls in the book where I wasn't as engaged. However, sections like that only lasted for a handful of pages, and then the story would go back to reeling me in. Additionally, this is a character-driven story and not so much a plot-driven story. So if you are not a fan of that, this may not be the novel for you.
Overall, I'm impressed by the story and even more so that it is a debut novel. I am definitely going to be checking out any future works this author puts out. Satellite Love gets 4 out of 5 stars from me! 💜
Satellite Love is a novel about a young girl's descent into loneliness and how she deals with isolation from her peers, family, and friends. When I first started the book, I thought it was just about some angsty teen who had an "it's not a phase, mom!" type of attitude. However, the further I read, the more meaningful the story became, and some aspects were quite moving. I find that I liked it even more because, on some levels, I relate to the main character Anna. Unlike Anna, however, I recognize when I am potentially leading myself down a self-destructive path. Even so, this novel serves as a good reminder of what can happen if you don't stop yourself from going in that direction and encourages one to seek out the light at the end of the tunnel.
If I had one criticism, it would be that there are some lulls in the book where I wasn't as engaged. However, sections like that only lasted for a handful of pages, and then the story would go back to reeling me in. Additionally, this is a character-driven story and not so much a plot-driven story. So if you are not a fan of that, this may not be the novel for you.
Overall, I'm impressed by the story and even more so that it is a debut novel. I am definitely going to be checking out any future works this author puts out. Satellite Love gets 4 out of 5 stars from me! 💜
February 27, 2021
“I quietly said my goodbyes to this world, a psalm lost in a sea of noise.”
Anna is a painfully lonely teenage girl, trapped in a depressing city whose development was abandoned long ago, given up on, jarringly half-built. Anna is subjected to ruthless bullying by her peers, and her home life is arguably even more depressing: essentially having been abandoned by her mom, left to care for her grandfather who doesn’t remember who she is. She describes herself as having a hole inside her, like a five yen coin, an inescapable melancholy. Anna yearns for nothing more than to leave Earth and launch into space to be with the satellite she sees orbiting above her every night. The satellite, though, is also achingly alone: all-seeing, yet separate from humanity, doomed to an existence of eternal free-fall. Fascinating in its sentience, we see the satellite yearn to join the human race, to drown in a sea of emotions & vulnerabilities. Anna and the low-orbiting satellite develop an inextricable bond, and this relationship spirals into terrific tragedy. This book really struck me in the way every line felt imbued with tremendous significance & beautifully intentional diction. So much of the Shinto & Buddhist philosophies were sprinkled into the story too which gave it a feeling of being deeply informed by the culture it depicted. The overarching themes of unbearable loneliness and the desire to believe in something greater were woven together exquisitely throughout. I felt as if the rug was yanked from underneath me as we reached the end of the narrative, a product of my own unshakable desire to cling to some illogical faith. The slow, incremental reveal of this disparity between Anna’s self-perception & the self she presents to the outside world was honestly heartbreaking. This book will leave me thinking about it for quite some time yet.
Anna is a painfully lonely teenage girl, trapped in a depressing city whose development was abandoned long ago, given up on, jarringly half-built. Anna is subjected to ruthless bullying by her peers, and her home life is arguably even more depressing: essentially having been abandoned by her mom, left to care for her grandfather who doesn’t remember who she is. She describes herself as having a hole inside her, like a five yen coin, an inescapable melancholy. Anna yearns for nothing more than to leave Earth and launch into space to be with the satellite she sees orbiting above her every night. The satellite, though, is also achingly alone: all-seeing, yet separate from humanity, doomed to an existence of eternal free-fall. Fascinating in its sentience, we see the satellite yearn to join the human race, to drown in a sea of emotions & vulnerabilities. Anna and the low-orbiting satellite develop an inextricable bond, and this relationship spirals into terrific tragedy. This book really struck me in the way every line felt imbued with tremendous significance & beautifully intentional diction. So much of the Shinto & Buddhist philosophies were sprinkled into the story too which gave it a feeling of being deeply informed by the culture it depicted. The overarching themes of unbearable loneliness and the desire to believe in something greater were woven together exquisitely throughout. I felt as if the rug was yanked from underneath me as we reached the end of the narrative, a product of my own unshakable desire to cling to some illogical faith. The slow, incremental reveal of this disparity between Anna’s self-perception & the self she presents to the outside world was honestly heartbreaking. This book will leave me thinking about it for quite some time yet.
February 28, 2021
Satellite Love is a unique book! Set in Japan, this is the story of a Japanese-American girl who is struggling with her reality. She has imaginary friends that help her cope but there is still a lot to process and make the world a better place. I love the different point of views in the story - Soki, Anna, the grandfather and Satellite gave a holistic view of Anna's life. The storytelling is visual and calming.
LEO comes down from the sky and becomes an important part of Anna's life. As an outcast, it is important for Anna that LEO think well of her and like her without any obligation. The only book that comes close to a similar narrative and relationship is Cecelia Ahern’s A Place Called Here and it has been a long time since I have read that. I enjoyed the relationship, even though it is based on a rough past.
This was an engaging read with lots to think about! Thank you so much to the publisher for proving me a review copy. Discussion on Armed with A Book blog on the 2nd!
LEO comes down from the sky and becomes an important part of Anna's life. As an outcast, it is important for Anna that LEO think well of her and like her without any obligation. The only book that comes close to a similar narrative and relationship is Cecelia Ahern’s A Place Called Here and it has been a long time since I have read that. I enjoyed the relationship, even though it is based on a rough past.
This was an engaging read with lots to think about! Thank you so much to the publisher for proving me a review copy. Discussion on Armed with A Book blog on the 2nd!
April 16, 2021
This was so lovely and tragic.
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Isa S
In Sakita, a small city left behind by the modern world, we meet Anna Ogata, a lonely sixteen-year-old who mostly lives in her own head. Outcast from her peers and loved ones, Anna finds a far more exciting existence in her imagination, where the friends she creates help her make sense of the world around her. Orbiting Anna is LEO, a satellite whose meditations on humanity add an interesting layer to the book's themes of loneliness as he yearns to join the people he watches from above. In Satellite Love, Genki Ferguson shares with us a tender tragedy that highlights the values of connection and being present while asking what it means to truly exist and be real.
----
Isa S
In Sakita, a small city left behind by the modern world, we meet Anna Ogata, a lonely sixteen-year-old who mostly lives in her own head. Outcast from her peers and loved ones, Anna finds a far more exciting existence in her imagination, where the friends she creates help her make sense of the world around her. Orbiting Anna is LEO, a satellite whose meditations on humanity add an interesting layer to the book's themes of loneliness as he yearns to join the people he watches from above. In Satellite Love, Genki Ferguson shares with us a tender tragedy that highlights the values of connection and being present while asking what it means to truly exist and be real.
January 11, 2022
Very strange tale of loneliness, and the fantasies we craft for ourselves to get by.
A little intense at times in terms of where the plot goes, but overall I found the book quite intriguing.
A little intense at times in terms of where the plot goes, but overall I found the book quite intriguing.
March 12, 2022
Now, this book goes into a lot of mental health issues I know nothing about, so mileage may vary here. I can’t speak to the representation there, and it’s a huge component of the story. But I think the conceit around it is interesting and makes for compelling reading, and feels well handled?
It is also bleak. Boy is it ever, sometimes. The mental health of the protagonist improves and degrades with her interactions with other people. A rich inner life is basically the only thing keeping her together as she suffers ostracizing and has much more responsibility placed on her by her family than most young adults her age. Talking about the central conceit of the book I would consider to be a spoiler. It’s also the most interesting aspect of the story; something I found very relatable at times. Suffice it to say the surrealistic aspects are not something I’ve come across quite like this.
It’s brutal and honest, very human in its depiction of humanity. Nuanced enough that characters all felt fleshed out. Heartbreakingly sad at times, coupled with mental health components and self-harm, I’d caution readers to consider their own headspace going into the story. If in the right place to contemplate the questions, and how they’re raised, I think this could range from very meaningful to at least fairly unique. In the wrong headspace, I expect this could feel crushing.
The audiobook, by the way, has multiple narrators and were all absolutely excellent. Great production values. Standout.
It is also bleak. Boy is it ever, sometimes. The mental health of the protagonist improves and degrades with her interactions with other people. A rich inner life is basically the only thing keeping her together as she suffers ostracizing and has much more responsibility placed on her by her family than most young adults her age. Talking about the central conceit of the book I would consider to be a spoiler. It’s also the most interesting aspect of the story; something I found very relatable at times. Suffice it to say the surrealistic aspects are not something I’ve come across quite like this.
It’s brutal and honest, very human in its depiction of humanity. Nuanced enough that characters all felt fleshed out. Heartbreakingly sad at times, coupled with mental health components and self-harm, I’d caution readers to consider their own headspace going into the story. If in the right place to contemplate the questions, and how they’re raised, I think this could range from very meaningful to at least fairly unique. In the wrong headspace, I expect this could feel crushing.
The audiobook, by the way, has multiple narrators and were all absolutely excellent. Great production values. Standout.
September 16, 2024
2.75/5
this book was a little hard to get through at some points but i think it did a wonderful job painting a picture of how loneliness can be hard to handle for some people and how much someone can truly effect our lives. this was another book that touched on religion and believing in gods and i enjoyed how different characters either believed, were struggling/wanted to believe or didn’t believe at all. each of these characters interacted with each other in some way and did a great job of leaving each other questioning whether there is more power in believing or want to believe. overall this book had an interesting concept but i don’t think id be able to reread this again.
this book was a little hard to get through at some points but i think it did a wonderful job painting a picture of how loneliness can be hard to handle for some people and how much someone can truly effect our lives. this was another book that touched on religion and believing in gods and i enjoyed how different characters either believed, were struggling/wanted to believe or didn’t believe at all. each of these characters interacted with each other in some way and did a great job of leaving each other questioning whether there is more power in believing or want to believe. overall this book had an interesting concept but i don’t think id be able to reread this again.
April 25, 2021
At first, I didn’t know what to make of this strangely imaginative story. But the more I read, the more entranced I became. There is much here about the Japanese culture, the Japanese gods, faith versus religion, and a young teenager’s fragile mind. I was gently pulled into the story and found myself continuing to read to find out what would happen to Anna. There are some sentences and paragraphs that are wisely poetic, or poetically wise… I can’t decide which! I have a feeling that this novel will remain in my thoughts and my heart for a long time to come.
April 30, 2022
Really loved the set up of this novel and the atmospheric descriptions, but the conclusion was a little disappointing :( The multiple perspective structure really worked for me with this plot though, which I don't always love.
My feelings on this one are definitely subject to change once I stew on it a little more, but I think my star rating is more like a 3.5/5. The physical book in terms of cover design, typeface, font, feel, etc. are an easy 5/5 though... immaculate reading experience!!!
My feelings on this one are definitely subject to change once I stew on it a little more, but I think my star rating is more like a 3.5/5. The physical book in terms of cover design, typeface, font, feel, etc. are an easy 5/5 though... immaculate reading experience!!!
August 11, 2021
strange, sweet, sad. looks at how we deal with loneliness, abandonment, suffering, being a teenager, and the desire to believe in a greater power. i cried at the end. i think this one might stay with me for a while. (also ruth ozeki blurbed this so of course i liked it)
January 14, 2023
In some ways, satellite love shows us what it’s like if you let your imagination run wild, what happens when you’re too alone. Anna curates imaginary friends, and ends up falling for a satellite. To meet her love and to leave this cruel world behind, she makes all the wrong decisions.
Soki is introduced as a potential friend to Anna and it felt like he had the ability to pull Anna out of her destructive tendencies. Ironically, he acts as the catalyst for her doom. Mind you, this book isn’t a romance.
Also, it’s hard to figure out what this satellite really is. Is he entirely a product of Anna’s imagination or does he also exist beyond Anna’s mind? The line between reality and imagination isn’t demarcated when it comes to Leo, the satellite.
I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the read but it had some interesting concepts and it did make me think. Safe to say, it was thought-provoking.
Soki is introduced as a potential friend to Anna and it felt like he had the ability to pull Anna out of her destructive tendencies. Ironically, he acts as the catalyst for her doom. Mind you, this book isn’t a romance.
Also, it’s hard to figure out what this satellite really is. Is he entirely a product of Anna’s imagination or does he also exist beyond Anna’s mind? The line between reality and imagination isn’t demarcated when it comes to Leo, the satellite.
I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the read but it had some interesting concepts and it did make me think. Safe to say, it was thought-provoking.
April 16, 2021
Wow. I loved this book. Genki writes a unique story about loneliness, imagination, and the human condition. He managed to make it feel both uplifting and tragic, and I enjoyed holding these gentle contradictions within me as I read.
February 4, 2025
I feel like Satellite Love might appeal to readers who enjoyed Bone Gap.
I was very excited about this book! The Y2k era is nostalgic for me; a world on the brink of a new age, a new technological era, a time where the internet and social media had not yet taken over. Anna, a lonely sixteen-year-old girl in Japan, is going through her own painful transformation as 1999 moves into 2000.
Satellite Love is and is not what I expected it to be. I was hoping for a magic realist love story between Anna and LEO, but the "love story" is not a love story in the romantic sense; it is an unbalanced creator-creation relationship, and the book is much more about Anna's internal struggles, which stem from failing to form meaningful connections with the outside world. Satellite Love is an introspective, character-driven narrative with themes of isolation, sadness, and regrets. I especially love how the city Anna lives in, Sakita, (a fictional city...?) is a character and, like every other character in the book, it's a reflection of Anna. She is the sun around which everything orbits, for better or worse.
Anna is a complicated, unstable, unlikeable, pitiable character, who I could relate to in the sense that I too went through a period of my life where I isolated myself from my school peers and delved into my own inner world. Anna's took me by surprise as much as it took LEO by surprise. I love how LEO evolved from a satellite to a human character through physical and mental changes. I was not overly interested in Soki--I would have preferred chapters told from the perspectives of The Prince or The General--but I would have liked it if he had more direct interactions with Anna. I found myself wishing for more interactions between all the characters in general--it would have helped me feel more attached to the characters and the story--but I suppose that was the point; this book is about loneliness and disconnect.
The magic realism really picked up in the last quarter of the book, to the point where it's difficult to know what is real and what is imagined. Loved that. I liked the segments about The Prince, and how his life tied into Anna and LEO's
I suppose my biggest complaints are: the lack of character interactions, the amount of showing vs telling, and the overlap (the same moments told from different characters' perspectives), but I know the latter two points are difficult to avoid when writing back and forth in first person. Although I understood the characters and found them intriguing, I wasn't deeply emotionally invested, and I found my attention wandering at times. I liked the bittersweet ending, and it left me with many unanswered questions about the unwritten story that happens after the book ends.
All in all, if you are looking for a slow-burn, character-driven, introspective story rooted in magic realism with space as a motif, then I would consider checking this out.
I was very excited about this book! The Y2k era is nostalgic for me; a world on the brink of a new age, a new technological era, a time where the internet and social media had not yet taken over. Anna, a lonely sixteen-year-old girl in Japan, is going through her own painful transformation as 1999 moves into 2000.
Satellite Love is and is not what I expected it to be. I was hoping for a magic realist love story between Anna and LEO, but the "love story" is not a love story in the romantic sense; it is an unbalanced creator-creation relationship, and the book is much more about Anna's internal struggles, which stem from failing to form meaningful connections with the outside world. Satellite Love is an introspective, character-driven narrative with themes of isolation, sadness, and regrets. I especially love how the city Anna lives in, Sakita, (a fictional city...?) is a character and, like every other character in the book, it's a reflection of Anna. She is the sun around which everything orbits, for better or worse.
Anna is a complicated, unstable, unlikeable, pitiable character, who I could relate to in the sense that I too went through a period of my life where I isolated myself from my school peers and delved into my own inner world. Anna's took me by surprise as much as it took LEO by surprise. I love how LEO evolved from a satellite to a human character through physical and mental changes. I was not overly interested in Soki--I would have preferred chapters told from the perspectives of The Prince or The General--but I would have liked it if he had more direct interactions with Anna. I found myself wishing for more interactions between all the characters in general--it would have helped me feel more attached to the characters and the story--but I suppose that was the point; this book is about loneliness and disconnect.
The magic realism really picked up in the last quarter of the book, to the point where it's difficult to know what is real and what is imagined. Loved that. I liked the segments about The Prince, and how his life tied into Anna and LEO's
I suppose my biggest complaints are: the lack of character interactions, the amount of showing vs telling, and the overlap (the same moments told from different characters' perspectives), but I know the latter two points are difficult to avoid when writing back and forth in first person. Although I understood the characters and found them intriguing, I wasn't deeply emotionally invested, and I found my attention wandering at times. I liked the bittersweet ending, and it left me with many unanswered questions about the unwritten story that happens after the book ends.
All in all, if you are looking for a slow-burn, character-driven, introspective story rooted in magic realism with space as a motif, then I would consider checking this out.
July 22, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up. This book was a fairly quick read in terms of writing and chapter length but I struggled with it quite a bit. While there were a few succinct points that resonated with me, I definitely struggled to relate to Anna or justify her actions a lot of the time. Soki and the satellite’s chapters became much more interesting to me by the end. Overall, I have very lukewarm feelings towards this book and it teeters towards depressing rather than sad much more than I wanted.
April 15, 2021
3.75 stars rounded up because RESPECT for this being Genki Ferguson's first novel**
This book brought a lot of heaviness inside me to the surface, for all the girls who feel weird, unable to fit in, rejected, isolated, and hopelessly lonely because of it.
Oh, my heart ached for Anna's pain. To feel that alone and isolated from the people around her, to being so hungry for connection outside her own little world. Ahh, I can relate in my own ways. It's not a stretch to see how those feelings can lead someone to do the desperate, bizarre, and even violent things Anna did.
I enjoyed this book. Genki Ferguson writes with a soothing cadence that made it a good reading experience. And what a unique story to tell! I liked the blend of folklore, imagination, and reality. I do think it was a lovely story, well written.
Maybe I'm greedy, but I wanted more. More closure? A better look into how it would turn out for Anna? More about Leo's fate? The end was sad, sweet, and somewhat hopeful though. Overall a very interesting experience.
This book brought a lot of heaviness inside me to the surface, for all the girls who feel weird, unable to fit in, rejected, isolated, and hopelessly lonely because of it.
Oh, my heart ached for Anna's pain. To feel that alone and isolated from the people around her, to being so hungry for connection outside her own little world. Ahh, I can relate in my own ways. It's not a stretch to see how those feelings can lead someone to do the desperate, bizarre, and even violent things Anna did.
I enjoyed this book. Genki Ferguson writes with a soothing cadence that made it a good reading experience. And what a unique story to tell! I liked the blend of folklore, imagination, and reality. I do think it was a lovely story, well written.
Maybe I'm greedy, but I wanted more. More closure? A better look into how it would turn out for Anna? More about Leo's fate? The end was sad, sweet, and somewhat hopeful though. Overall a very interesting experience.
September 24, 2021
One of the oddest books I've ever read but also beautifully poignant.
October 23, 2021
I have not read something so tragically mesmerizing in my entire life. Wow. I won't forget this book for a long time.
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