Abandoned in a lifepod in the vastness of space, Evey is left for dead. When the bookish freight hauler Shirr rescues her, the two form a connection over tea and unspoken trauma. Just when things feel safe again, their peace is threatened by a relic of their past, and they’re forced to embark on a mission across the stars to protect themselves and others from the threat of violence.
THE FORGETTING NAVIGATIONS is a brutally honest exploration of what it means to be a survivor, set against the brilliant backdrop of the cosmos.
Coming 26th May 2026 | Sci-Fi | Australia | Novella | 92 pages
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
First things first, we need to fix the above synopsis. Evey is not abandoned in a lifepod, she deliberately runs for, jumps into and launches a lifepod in an attempt to escape the cruel and dangerous situation she finds herself in. Yes, she is facing the potentiality of no one coming to rescue her, at which point she will die, but I don’t think this situation can be considered “abandoned” or “left for dead”…
That’s pretty much the only significant issue with this whole book though, so if we just make this minor tweak to the synopsis so that it’s accurate to the book then the rest of this review will be pretty much all sparkly stars and pretty gas clouds. (I was going to say all roses, but I don’t think roses grow in space.)
This is a brief book – but it’s definitely not a light book. There are definitely some trigger warnings to be considered if entering into this book, although it mostly occurs off page before the start of the novella and it’s not 100% clear what occurred. The book mostly focuses on the healing journey that the main character goes on after escaping the grasp of her kidnapper (of sorts). The plot is well balanced with a good amount of action and intrigue, as well as some lovely found family moments and rumination about books that I think book lovers in general will very much enjoy. The pacing is also very well done and I remained engaged throughout the book.
There is some worldbuilding as the characters move through space on a spaceship and disembark at various different stations, although the focus is very much on the experience of the main character rather than a greater plot externally – which is good, since this is a novella and to attempt to focus on too many things would definitely have weakened the main plot line. Therefore, I think this book can be suitable for both space-based sci-fi lovers who appreciate a more character-driven story and don’t necessarily need a significant amount of worldbuilding and politics, but it could also appeal to readers who typically don’t read sci-fi but to whom stories about surviving abuse or traumatic situations and the subsequent healing process appeal.
Perhaps what stood out to me most from this book is the writing style. In general, it’s definitely not a ‘unique’ writing style or one where every single sentence is going to pop out at you – and that is almost my preference for this sort of genre. However, apart from general good writing and editing throughout, there are some gems sprinkled through just the right amount to make me find a couple of passages to highlight and remember. I won’t share much here since this was an ARC and any quotes are subject to change, but the quote below was perhaps my favourite from the book – I really love how Ward describes the character’s memories.
…it’s just me and my memories, floating in the harsh-lit pod. The good ones I can lose myself in. My collection is small, and precious. The bad memories I try to keep in boxes, wrapped up tight. They pile up, spill over. I wish I could blast them out of an airlock, let the universe have them.
Verdict
This is a brief, engaging novella that balances some dark themes with moments of recovery and comfort. I definitely recommend checking it out if the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, as it’s well-crafted and well-written (and short – it actually helped me get out of a bit of a reading slump)!
This isn’t a super super high four stars, but it’s definitely a very solid four stars – I very much enjoyed this book and I hope it gets a nice physical edition at some point so I can add it to my collection.
See my star ratings page for a full breakdown of how I award star ratings to books).
Buy this book!
I am very passionate about supporting authors, libraries, independent bookshops and generally any bookshop that isn’t Amazon! Therefore, I will always try and make it as easy as possible to buy books from sources that aren’t Amazon by providing links. Bookshop.org UK links are affiliate links that help support indie bookshops as well as myself without affecting the price you pay. Delivery is UK-only, but US-based customers can also check out Bookshop.org US. All other links offer international shipping, but please also consider supporting your local bookshop or library!
The ebook is going to be released on the 4th of May 2026, and you can already preorder it on Bookshop.org UK here (I imagine it’s also available on Bookshop.org US). I will come back to add more updated purchase links closer to the release date.
Does this sound like a book you might enjoy?
Keira x
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