As most avid readers already know, reading provides numerous benefits, a list that runs the gamut from mental stimulation to pure entertainment. But above all else, books have the ability to alter our perception of the world. This is why diversity and representation in literature are so important. After all, who better to show us another way to look at the world than someone with a different point of view? With SAILING IN THE SKY, author Starr Green has done just that, penning a female-driven YA urban fantasy featuring an autistic protagonist.
As a fantastical adventure featuring a wayward soul in search of a new home, SAILING IN THE SKY is built squarely upon a tried and true template. The story opens with Piper, an autistic teen girl who’s decided to run away. Her first destination is a nearby beach, her only refuge from an unpleasant home life. While she only meant to bid the familiar shore a final farewell, Piper’s plan is interrupted when she hears a voice calling to her from the waves. Piper soon discovers that the voice belongs to none other than a dragon, complete with purple scales and a pair of intimidating fangs. Following a bout of small talk (satisfying Piper’s curiosity regarding the creature’s intentions), the dragon introduces itself as Fia. Faced with the ultimate dilemma, Piper decides to forgo her plans for escape and instead offers to help Fia unravel a mystery. The ensuing adventure finds Piper teaming up with members of the magical community in a quest of mythic proportions, one that involves a magical Pirate Ship (the Wave Sleeper) and a Peter Pan-esque ally.
Taken at face value, SAILING IN THE SKY is an excellent introduction to a planned YA fantasy trilogy. Of course, it’s impossible to avoid discussing the choice to place an autistic protagonist at the heart of this story. In regard to representation, Green’s decision goes a long way toward reframing the decades of unflattering and woefully reductive depictions of autism pedaled by Hollywood and television. Yes, Piper is autistic, but Green refuses to render the protagonist’s diagnosis as some sort of disadvantage. Instead, she offers readers a fully-formed character who simply views the world in her own unique way. In fact, save for a couple of paragraphs, there is little to no mention of ‘autism’ throughout the story. Diagnosed with autism as an adult, Green understands firsthand that Piper is more than a diagnosis.
Still, none of the above works without a compelling plot or a fully-realized world. Fortunately, Green’s writing is equal parts proficient and imaginative, and the author is more than up to the task. Not unlike the most cherished YA titles, SAILING IN THE SKY sports a perfect mix of pace and tone. And Green’s enthusiasm for fantasy, and more specifically, Irish mythology, is on full display throughout. Add to that a blossoming romance and an unforgettable cast of characters, and you have all the makings of an enduring YA series.
A shining example of representation in literature, Starr Green’s SAILING IN THE SKY pairs an autistic teen protagonist with a whimsical plot that makes for a stunning urban-fantasy debut.
~James Weiskittel for IndieReader