Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Dare Mighty Things
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 10/13/1988?
WEBSITE: http://heatherkaczynski.com/
CITY:
STATE: AL
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born October 13, 1988; married; children: daughter.
EDUCATION:University of Alabama, Huntsville, B.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Librarian.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Young adult author Heather Kaczynski writes books for teenagers and reader who like books about teenagers. Truly believing that teenagers can save the world, she writes about space travel even though she says she is not brave enough to go into space herself. Kaczynski lives in Huntsville, Alabama and works in a library near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
In 2017, Kaczynski published her debut novel, Dare Mighty Things, the first in a duology set in 2043. Eighteen-year-old Indian-American Cassandra Gupta is the first generation of genetically engineered baby who’s DNA was manipulated to create athletic and intelligent children. Working as an intern at NASA, she is selected to compete with other young people under age twenty-five to participate in several grueling physical and mental tests, the winner of which will go on a classified space mission. A loner, Cassandra is determined to win, yet finds herself bonding with her team mates. After one participant dies and others mysteriously drop out, Cassandra and her friends realize that the competition and the objective of the mission are not what they seem.
A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that the science-fiction thriller has a smart plot with a twist sure to “entertain readers while highlighting science, the space program, and the importance of empathy and friendship.” However, a writer in Kirkus Reviews said the book offers little new among a plethora of teen novels with similar set ups, Cassandra’s inner monologues are repetitive, and her obsession with winning reduces the character’s complexity. The writer noted: “The slow-moving story leads to a rushed cliffhanger ending that perplexes more than it entices.”
Writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, Elizabeth Norton praised the diverse cast of characters, the exceptional world building, and the seamless explanation of genetic engineering and actual space disasters like the Columbia explosion. Norton added: “The rigors of astronaut training are vividly described, while the competition gives the story a Divergent-type feel.” Booklist reviewer Amanda Shepard noted the fleshed-out characters, asexual protagonist, rushed plot by the end, but also “her detailed portrayal of training for space” and story that will leave readers impatient for the concluding volume. Although racial descriptions like “tall black guy” and “Hijabi girl” seem tacked on, the original plot and competition theme “featuring a unique and flawed heroine, this sci-fi novel blasts off with tons of action balanced with authentic dialogue and characters,” according to Shelley Diaz in School Library Journal.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 15, 2017, Amanda Shepard, review of Dare Mighty Things, p. 50.
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2017, review of Dare Mighty Things.
Publishers Weekly, August 21, 2017, review of Dare Mighty Things, p. 114.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October 2017, Elizabeth Norton, review of Dare Mighty Things, p. 74.
ONLINE
School Library Journal, https://www.slj.com/ (September 21, 2017), Shelley Diaz, review of Dare Mighty Things.
Heather writes books for teenagers and other people who like books about teenagers. They’re usually about teenagers saving the world, because she really believes they can.
Heather never got to go to Space Camp, so she had to settle for writing about it. After graduating cum laude with a degree in biology from University of Alabama in Huntsville, she returned to her first love of books, and now works in a library near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. She lives with her husband, their daughter, and cats named after mythological figures. She’s not nearly brave enough to go into space, but she did twirl a fire baton in high school.
She’s represented by Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency.
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Print Marked Items
Kaczynski, Heather. Dare Mighty Things
Elizabeth Norton
Voice of Youth Advocates.
40.4 (Oct. 2017): p74.
COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 4P * J * S
Kaczynski, Heather. Dare Mighty Things. HarperTeen, October 2017. 384p. $17.99. 978-0-06-247986-0.
In a future world in which genetic engineering is almost always necessary for conception, Cassandra Gupta
is among the first wave of "geneered" babies. Academically gifted and athletic, she lands an internship at
NASA for the summer before her senior year. There, she catches the eye of the man in charge of a new, topsecret
NASA program. He invites her to compete against other gifted young adults from all over the world
to secure a spot as a crewmember on a highly classified mission into deep space. Determined to win--not to
make friends--Cass soon falls for fellow contestant, Luka. All is not as it seems in the training center, and as
the competition gets tougher, Cass finds out that the stakes are much higher than she knew.
This debut novel is the first book in a planned duology is well crafted. Cassandra is a relatable character,
confident without arrogance, and readers will cheer for her as she works her way up from the bottom of the
pack and makes friends in spite of herself. The worldbuilding is exceptional; the author includes a seamless
explanation of the rise of genetic engineering with references to actual space disasters like Apollo I and
Columbia. The rigors of astronaut training are vividly described, while the competition gives the story a
Divergent-type feel. Several plot twists and a diverse cast of characters make for an exciting atmosphere.
This book will be an easy sell to dystopian and science fiction fans.--Elizabeth Norton.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Norton, Elizabeth. "Kaczynski, Heather. Dare Mighty Things." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2017, p. 74.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A511785088/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=cb4bc638. Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A511785088
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Dare Mighty Things
Amanda Shepard
Booklist.
114.2 (Sept. 15, 2017): p50.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Dare Mighty Things.
By Heather Kaczynski.
Oct. 2017. 384p. HarperTeen, $17.99 (9780062479860); e-book, $17.99
(9780062479891). Gr. 8-11.
Cassandra Gupta has spent her whole life preparing for the opportunity to travel into space. It's been years
since NASA had funding for such endeavors--but that's about to change. Now NASA is holding a
competition for people 18 to 25 to secure a spot on a classified space mission. In order to fulfill her dream
of space travel, Cassie must compete against the best and the brightest that the world has to offer, but as the
competition wears on, Cassie realizes the competition might be more dangerous than she originally thought.
Does she have what it takes to get into space? With a diverse cast of strong, fleshed-out characters-including
an asexual protagonist--teens of all sorts will find something to like in Kaczynski's debut. Though the plot
seems a bit rushed by the end, Kaczynski's characters and her detailed portrayal of training for space will
leave readers impatient for the next volume in this duology.--Amanda Shepard
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Shepard, Amanda. "Dare Mighty Things." Booklist, 15 Sept. 2017, p. 50. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A507359953/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=83e0f962.
Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A507359953
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Kaczynski, Heather: DARE MIGHTY
THINGS
Kirkus Reviews.
(Aug. 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Kaczynski, Heather DARE MIGHTY THINGS HarperTeen (Children's Fiction) $17.99 10, 10 ISBN: 978-
0-06-247986-0
Cassandra Gupta, a biracial, Indian-American 17-year-old, has been working a boring intern job at NASA
when she's chosen to go to Houston to compete for a seat on the next space mission. The child of an Indian
dad and a white mom, Cassandra was born in the first generation of designer babies, with DNA that was
altered in vitro to give her optimal traits for athleticism and intelligence. Believing this is why she may have
been selected, she sets off for Houston with one goal in mind: to win. Candidates from around the world, all
under the age of 25, will endure a crash-course space camp that includes astronaut classes along with
physical and psychological endurance testing. As the youngest, the anti-social Cassandra slowly begins to
bond with the other participants. Friendships are made, but suspicions arise after a mysterious accident, and
one by one, candidates drop out. Cassandra's closest friends, Mexican-American Emilio and JapaneseAmerican
Mitsuko, believe this expensive and unlikely government program isn't what it seems. There is
little new here, as this book joins a small plethora of other teen novels with similar setups. Narrator
Cassandra's inner monologue becomes repetitive, as she makes the same observations about her friends over
and over. Her one-note focus on winning obscures any potential complexity the author could have explored
with her genetically engineered character. The slow-moving story leads to a rushed cliffhanger ending that
perplexes more than it entices. (Science fiction. 13-17)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Kaczynski, Heather: DARE MIGHTY THINGS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499572548/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=1e6c14fd.
Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499572548
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Dare Mighty Things
Publishers Weekly.
264.34 (Aug. 21, 2017): p114.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Dare Mighty Things
Heather Kaczynski. HarperTeen, $17.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-06-247986-0
Set in 2043, Kaczynski's gripping debut stars Cassandra Gupta, a genetically engineered high school senior
from Huntsville, Ala., who works as an intern in NASA's legal department. Cassie dreams of becoming an
astronaut, but because NASA no longer sends humans into space, she assumes that will never happen. Then
she learns that the organization is planning a secret, highly experimental mission, and that she will be
competing with 63 exceptional young people for a spot on the crew. Cassie travels to Johnson Space Center
in Houston, where the applicants face a grueling selection process. As the field narrows, the tests grow
stranger and more dangerous, forcing the candidates to wonder about the mission's destination and purpose,
as well as the nature of the winner's role on the ship. First in a duology, this SF thriller uses a diverse, welldrawn
cast and a twisty, cerebral plot to entertain readers while highlighting science, the space program, and
the importance of empathy and friendship. A game-changing cliffhanger paves the way for book two. Ages
13--up. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Dare Mighty Things." Publishers Weekly, 21 Aug. 2017, p. 114. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A501717397/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=26f82d68.
Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A501717397
By Shelley Diaz on September 21, 2017
KACZYNSKI, Heather. Dare Mighty Things. 384p. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. Oct. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062479860.
Gr 9 Up –With her “designer genetics,” Cassandra Gupta has enhanced intelligence and physical stamina. In a future where infertility is an epidemic, “desi” children are not unusual and at barely 18, Cassie qualifies for a unique opportunity to go into deep space. A diverse group of exceptional young adults undergo punishing physical and mental tests that quickly cull the group to a handful, which includes Cassie. Denied contact with the outside world, Cassie relies on outgoing Emilio and roommate Mitsuko, who acts as a big sister to her. Participants are constantly ranked and the mysterious Luka consistently maintains the lead. When Luka is chosen first and Cassie is selected as the alternate, they learn the nature of a seemingly impossible mission. Training intensifies and Cassie realizes she is drawn to Luka, and that her role in the mission will go far beyond what she ever envisioned. An original take on the competition theme featuring a unique and flawed heroine, this sci-fi novel blasts off with tons of action balanced with authentic dialogue and characters. While the diversity is welcome, repeated references to characters as the “skinny white kid,” “tall black guy,” or “Hijabi girl” felt tacked on. In such close quarters, Cassie wonders if she might be asexual, which is realistically explored throughout. The science behind the premise is exciting and accessible. A major plot twist sets up a sequel readers will eagerly await. VERDICT A general purchase especially appropriate for fans of Andy Weir’s The Martian and James Dashner’s The Maze Runner.–Lee De Groft, Jamestown High School, Williamsburg, VA