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The Girl who Fell to Earth
Written by the newly-appointed Laureate na nÓg (Ireland’s Children’s Literature Laureate)
A gripping high-concept speculative middle-grade novel from the award-winning author of Bumpfizzle, the Best on Planet Earth and The List
Aria lives on a well-ordered planet whose people have eradicated illness and even death. Earth is their ‘shadow planet’ which they populated with humans centuries ago so they could study them and learn from their experiences.
Now the experiment is coming to an end and Aria must go to Earth with her scientist father to set off a train of events which will destroy its people. Brought up to believe that humans are inferior, Aria is shocked to discover that she is herself half human, and amazed to find that Earth-dwellers live life to the full and feel love for each other, even though they are mortal.
But once she understands this, how can she save them, and herself, from destruction?
A gripping high-concept speculative middle-grade novel from the award-winning author of Bumpfizzle, the Best on Planet Earth and The List
Aria lives on a well-ordered planet whose people have eradicated illness and even death. Earth is their ‘shadow planet’ which they populated with humans centuries ago so they could study them and learn from their experiences.
Now the experiment is coming to an end and Aria must go to Earth with her scientist father to set off a train of events which will destroy its people. Brought up to believe that humans are inferior, Aria is shocked to discover that she is herself half human, and amazed to find that Earth-dwellers live life to the full and feel love for each other, even though they are mortal.
But once she understands this, how can she save them, and herself, from destruction?
195 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 10, 2023
11 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Forde
58 books177 followersPatricia Forde lives in Galway, in the west of Ireland, with her husband Padraic and two teenage children. She has previously published Picture
Books and Early Readers for children in Irish and in English. She has written two plays and several television drama series for children and
teenagers. In an earlier life, she was a primary school teacher and the artistic director of the Galway International Arts Festival.
The List ( The Wordsmith in the UK and Ireland) is her first novel.
Books and Early Readers for children in Irish and in English. She has written two plays and several television drama series for children and
teenagers. In an earlier life, she was a primary school teacher and the artistic director of the Galway International Arts Festival.
The List ( The Wordsmith in the UK and Ireland) is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 6, 2023
A wonderful introduction to science fiction for kids, The Girl Who Fell to Earth takes the reader on an adventure that goes from the stars to Earth and back. Contemplating philosophy, sustainability and the moral value of human life it still manages to be a story of a girl in an unfamiliar place, not knowing what she’s mean to do next. Readers are in safe hands and will want to go back again and again.
June 1, 2023
Wow! Just…wow! With a concise, well-developed storyline, we are pulled through at a strong pace with no stone left unturned. Aria is a wonder, thoroughly and easily relatable, hungry for the truth and understandably troubled when she finds it. All of the characters are intriguing, each with a genuine voice; their relationships, complex and very recognisable from our own lives. And the emotional content is haunting. The Girl Who Fell To Earth begs many questions; what does it mean to be human; does it lie in our flaws or in the moments when we rise, the relationships we hold dear; is this how we are seen, is it who we are? There is even a lingering feeling, maybe one that should or will be left unspoken…what if we are just an experiment? And, what are those pigeons doing exactly?(a bit of a teaser) While asking these questions and others, it gives us a cracking, gripping tale that will take your breath away…in just 186 pages. I don’t want to say too much. It might give the game away. It must be read. It must be felt and will last long in your memory, without a memory disc. (another teaser.) A compelling, high impact, speculative novel that presents many current issues with a grace and subtlety; a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat-type adventure; thought-provoking, heartfelt, oddly beautiful and very timely. Simply amazing.
April 18, 2024
I struggled alot to like this book. It felt like it was trying to squeeze too many heavy handed topics in. Parts in Dublin and about Teens were at a disconnect with reality that broke the disbelief. Still think it was an odd choice to make Terros people dark skinned if the key lessons were around othering and racism, even if things aren't 100% what they seem. However the mystery around the dna was pretty good, the character arc was well done and the tech was interesting. This is an upvote from 2.5 tbh
June 22, 2023
Stunning storytelling – a whole universe of emotions condensed into a sharp, intoxicating and thrilling adventure. Patricia Forde has a way with words and an extraordinary ability to persuade a shift in perspective and feed her readers with food for thought – she has done it before with The Wordsmith and Mother Tongue. This work of speculative fiction will be firmly implanted in my memory as a solid, superbly written imagining that casts a light on how we live our lives. In contrast to Aria’s falling to Earth, her journey made me take a step away from it, and the view was awakening. Arresting, thought provoking and fresh. Bravo!
October 26, 2024
Only just three stars.
I'll caveat this review by stating that I was expecting to love this book. There's so little middle grade science fiction out there, that I read every title I can find. I thought this book would be an easy five stars for me, sadly not.
It's not that I believe that everyone who writes science fiction should be a scientist, but it certainly helps. At the very least, they need to be science-smart. I don't believe that Forde is. There were too many errors that, to me, felt jarring and meant she lost credibility as a writer. For a start, earth is in a different galaxy to Terrors and the spaceship goes 10000 times the speed of light. True, that's fast, but Andromeda, our closest galaxy, is over 2 million ly away, which means it would take over 200 years at 10,000 times the speed of light - not a few days. These are simple things and a few minutes on Google would have fixed them.
There are other science issues too, but I won't go into those (can send text messages but not voice calls, really? Unencrypted, really? A beacon is the only way they can find earth and not the predictable motion of celestial bodies, really?)
Aria, our protagonist, is also pretty unlikable. She keeps going on about how much better her home planet is than earth. She's like that kid that goes to private school and has to tell her state school friends about how much better her school is every time they meet ("we have horses in our school", "our french teacher has actually been to France"). You know the type.
Ultimately, I found the whole book lacking. There were no real surprises, no decent character relationships. It felt like very little thought or love went into writing this book. Getting children in science is something I feel is very important and must be done correctly; this book missed the mark.
On the up side, it was well written, easy to read, no errors. Forde is clearly a very competent writer, just doesn't possess the scientific nous for a story like this one.
I'll caveat this review by stating that I was expecting to love this book. There's so little middle grade science fiction out there, that I read every title I can find. I thought this book would be an easy five stars for me, sadly not.
It's not that I believe that everyone who writes science fiction should be a scientist, but it certainly helps. At the very least, they need to be science-smart. I don't believe that Forde is. There were too many errors that, to me, felt jarring and meant she lost credibility as a writer. For a start, earth is in a different galaxy to Terrors and the spaceship goes 10000 times the speed of light. True, that's fast, but Andromeda, our closest galaxy, is over 2 million ly away, which means it would take over 200 years at 10,000 times the speed of light - not a few days. These are simple things and a few minutes on Google would have fixed them.
There are other science issues too, but I won't go into those (can send text messages but not voice calls, really? Unencrypted, really? A beacon is the only way they can find earth and not the predictable motion of celestial bodies, really?)
Aria, our protagonist, is also pretty unlikable. She keeps going on about how much better her home planet is than earth. She's like that kid that goes to private school and has to tell her state school friends about how much better her school is every time they meet ("we have horses in our school", "our french teacher has actually been to France"). You know the type.
Ultimately, I found the whole book lacking. There were no real surprises, no decent character relationships. It felt like very little thought or love went into writing this book. Getting children in science is something I feel is very important and must be done correctly; this book missed the mark.
On the up side, it was well written, easy to read, no errors. Forde is clearly a very competent writer, just doesn't possess the scientific nous for a story like this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2025
If your middle grade reader is seeking a gripping tale to read for Earth month this year, I can not recommend this brilliant book enough! I absolutely loved 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 and could hardly put it down. This story was such a page turner, I literally stayed up an hour later just to finish reading it. It was so captivating.
The story begins on the planet Terros. Aria and her father are sent on a mission to visit planet Earth to release a virus that will annihilate all human life. Earth has been a shadow planet for Terros, an experiment of sorts, used to teach them everything they need to know about survival. Humans are viewed as barbaric and careless creatures. As the climate crisis rages on, while people continue to starve, and wars continuously break out, Earth has become a failed experiment in the eyes of the Terros people, and therefore, humanity must be eliminated.
When Aria discovers that she carries human DNA, she worries that she, too, will be eliminated. When she falls ill after the first outbreak of the virus her father tends to her for as much as possible before he returns to Terros, leaving her behind to fend on her own until he can return to her rescue. But there is no rescue, and Aria has no choice but to rely on the caring and thoughtful assistance of the human friends she has made. Friendships and connections that help her to realize that the people of Terros were sorely mistaken about the people of earth, that they do make meaningful connections, and that they deserve a chance to rectify their situation on earth.
What I most enjoyed about this story:
🌎 It’s brilliant commentary on society and how far too relatable this story feels (minus the aliens)
🌏 It reads like a cautionary tale with an important message
🌍 The steady pace of the story, every chapter so engaging
🌎 The twist and turns in the story.
The story begins on the planet Terros. Aria and her father are sent on a mission to visit planet Earth to release a virus that will annihilate all human life. Earth has been a shadow planet for Terros, an experiment of sorts, used to teach them everything they need to know about survival. Humans are viewed as barbaric and careless creatures. As the climate crisis rages on, while people continue to starve, and wars continuously break out, Earth has become a failed experiment in the eyes of the Terros people, and therefore, humanity must be eliminated.
When Aria discovers that she carries human DNA, she worries that she, too, will be eliminated. When she falls ill after the first outbreak of the virus her father tends to her for as much as possible before he returns to Terros, leaving her behind to fend on her own until he can return to her rescue. But there is no rescue, and Aria has no choice but to rely on the caring and thoughtful assistance of the human friends she has made. Friendships and connections that help her to realize that the people of Terros were sorely mistaken about the people of earth, that they do make meaningful connections, and that they deserve a chance to rectify their situation on earth.
What I most enjoyed about this story:
🌎 It’s brilliant commentary on society and how far too relatable this story feels (minus the aliens)
🌏 It reads like a cautionary tale with an important message
🌍 The steady pace of the story, every chapter so engaging
🌎 The twist and turns in the story.
March 7, 2024
This engaging and accessible science fiction novel focuses on Aria, a girl who was reared on Planet Terros where there is no longer any of the problems that plague Earth, which is regarded as a Shadow Planet, filled with violence and humans who lack emotion or reason. She and her father are sent to Earth for a secret mission, but once she learns that they are supposed to release a virus that will strike down its inhabitants, Aria becomes concerned since she also falls ill. As various individuals, including Megan, a teen neighbor, reach out to help, she realizes that nothing she has been taught about the planet and Earthlings is true. This prompts her to question other aspects of what she has believed to be true. This short, fast read is a good introduction to science fiction for readers who aren't familiar with the genre or who like their sci fi without too much technological jargon. Aria is likeable and impressionable, and it's interesting to follow her growth and change in mindset.
October 20, 2024
"The Girl Who Fell To Earth" is an inspiring short novel about Aria, a teenage girl from a planet called Terros, who uncovers a life-altering secret that will transform her world and ours. Set on a mission to release a deadly virus to wipe out humanity on Earth, things go differently than expected…
Addressing important themes like racism, discrimination, climate change, and social prejudice, this book offers profound insights and resonates deeply. The ideations about technology are also superb! The characters are well-crafted with distinct voices, and the plot continually presents new challenges, making it a very compelling read.
Patricia Forde is a master storyteller and "The Girl Who Fell To Earth” is proof of that, creating a captivating narrative that inspires hope and reflection.
Highly recommended for readers ages 9+
Addressing important themes like racism, discrimination, climate change, and social prejudice, this book offers profound insights and resonates deeply. The ideations about technology are also superb! The characters are well-crafted with distinct voices, and the plot continually presents new challenges, making it a very compelling read.
Patricia Forde is a master storyteller and "The Girl Who Fell To Earth” is proof of that, creating a captivating narrative that inspires hope and reflection.
Highly recommended for readers ages 9+
November 20, 2023
Aria lives on Terros with her parents in a society that has evolved to extend life and maintain their planet. Earth is their “shadow” planet – an experiment set up by Terros to see how life would evolve without interference from the “superior” lifeform. Aria is sent on a mission to Earth with her father where she learns he is to release a serious flu-like virus that will weaken human’s immune systems. The plan is for a second, more deadly virus to be released that will wipe out the population of Earth. Aria quickly realizes that this plan has been orchestrated by someone trying to gain power on Terros and she is the only one who can save the Earth. Readers will stay up late to finish this fast-paced sci-fi adventure/mystery.
November 14, 2023
Aria lives on a highly developed planet where war, disease and death have been eliminated - unlike on the 'Shadow Planet' (Earth) which they use to study humans and learn from their mistakes. But when Aria makes a horrifying discovery about her own DNA and is sent to earth for a research project, she learns that it is not at all like she expected it would be. Aria has always been told that humans live such brief and fractious lives that they don't form attachments or feel real love for each other, but she learns that this is not true and that humans are worth fighting for.
This is a fun, fast-paced dystopian sci-fi story, perfect for the teen category. An engaging read.
This is a fun, fast-paced dystopian sci-fi story, perfect for the teen category. An engaging read.
September 16, 2024
Aria lives on Terros with her parents in a evolved society with extended lives for its residents. Earth is their “shadow” planet – an experiment to see how life would evolve without their advances. Aria is sent on a mission to Earth with her father, who is charged with releasing a virus to weaken humanity’s immune systems, with an even more deadly virus to follow (to exterminate life on Earth.) Aria realizes that everything she has been taught about humans is wrong, and that she is the only one who can save the Earth. 2.5 stars rounded up.
June 13, 2023
A brilliant science fiction book that manages to bring adventure and mystery while highlighting issues such as climate change and the destructive nature of humans. Thrilling and suspenseful, we follow Aria’s journey as she discovers the heritage that divides her from her peers. Aria is an empathetic and relatable narrator, easy to connect with. The fast paced and engaging writing of this book makes it an easy read, and i throughly enjoyed it!
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August 4, 2023The premise and the overall plot are interesting enough to hook a middle school reader and the actions of the character are relatable. Aria, Megan and Duke make rash decisions like a group 13-year-olds would, and adult intervention is generally negative. This is a great book for students who enjoy a little science fiction, action, and some drama thrown into the mix.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.
August 20, 2024
i mostly liked this book as it felt like it was struggling a bit in places. there were tons of mysteries that came about but most of them were so predictable. it was like the characters took so long to figure them out but i knew the answer as soon as it was brought up. other than that, really good concept.
August 18, 2024
3.5 Stars...The ending of this story was extremely abrupt, but overall, it was a solid Middle-Grade Sci-Fi. It was a little heavy-handed, with the vegetarian/Global Warming ideals being beaten over my head throughout the entire book, but it had a good overall message.
April 17, 2025
This book was very good and interesting, it has a slow beginning, but once you get into the book, the book picks up pace, and gets really good! I enjoyed the book, and the style of writing that the author uses. Overall, 4 out of 5 ⭐️!
July 2, 2023
A stunning sci-fi tale, split across far-away universes and Ireland, that deserves every bit of praise.
December 16, 2023
The writing is very engaging. Ultimately, the story wasn't that fresh for me but I enjoyed the book.
January 7, 2024
A brilliant short sci-fi novel with astute observations about humanity. Action-packed with a plucky protagonist, it comes highly recommended from me. 5 🌟
May 10, 2024
I was hooked from the first page until the very end! Loved it so much!!
May 31, 2025
I enjoyed this, quick YA read, it really made me think.
January 20, 2024
Great beginning and story but sadly the ending left a bit to be desired. At least for me. Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and plot.
June 21, 2023
What might happen if there really is life on other planets, but that life has been taught to hate humans and the destruction they cause? Have you ever wondered this? I imagine possibly not though we do all love to think about what it would be like to meet those from other planets and there are plenty of sci-fi stories which imagine many different scenarios. Patricia Forde’s latest novel, The Girl Who Fell To Earth does however take this possibility and examine it to great effect. The end result is a fascinating story full of so many questions, some with answers, and a lot of thought-provoking material. This is a topical and gripping thriller.
Aria has been raised on the planet Terros where she has been taught that humans with their destructive ways, habits, are not to be trusted. She is chosen to be sent to earth to release a deadly virus, to destroy. There is a problem though for Aria has just discovered she has human DNA. Coming to earth nonetheless, with her father, the two land in Dublin where they release the virus and quickly need to flee - they are being chased by police who believe them to be terrorists. Only Aria has caught the virus so her father has to leave her behind and return home. Now Aria is alone, on a strange planet and soon running not only from the police but also from a scientist because she holds the key to a secret of his. A highly topical, very readable, accessible thriller, gripping readers with every page.
Aria has been raised on the planet Terros where she has been taught that humans with their destructive ways, habits, are not to be trusted. She is chosen to be sent to earth to release a deadly virus, to destroy. There is a problem though for Aria has just discovered she has human DNA. Coming to earth nonetheless, with her father, the two land in Dublin where they release the virus and quickly need to flee - they are being chased by police who believe them to be terrorists. Only Aria has caught the virus so her father has to leave her behind and return home. Now Aria is alone, on a strange planet and soon running not only from the police but also from a scientist because she holds the key to a secret of his. A highly topical, very readable, accessible thriller, gripping readers with every page.
August 22, 2023
An absolutely amazing story and great first introduction for children into science fiction books!
The plot was so thought provoking showing the ways of humanity and a whole new perspective and story on history and humans. It is science fiction but uses real life and history to show issues such as climate change and world problems in a subtle way for kids.
An beautiful story about friendship, discovery and adventure a lovely children's book!
The plot was so thought provoking showing the ways of humanity and a whole new perspective and story on history and humans. It is science fiction but uses real life and history to show issues such as climate change and world problems in a subtle way for kids.
An beautiful story about friendship, discovery and adventure a lovely children's book!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews