When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Mysterious lights, strange manifestations of power, memory loss, unusual scarring which changes shape and size. And that big thing in the sky…could it be an alien spacecraft?

The cover of When the Sky Fell on Splendor absolutely screams Stranger Things—the Netflix original show, or possibly E.T.—the 1982 sci-fi film. The outline of an alien spaceship has a beam spreading down to the ground, filled with lights, hovering over teenagers riding bikes down a country road. I was all set for an exciting read fully imbued with the nostalgia of the 80s. I was (mostly) not disappointed.

Seventeen-year-old Franny and her friends have banded together as misfits who have a lot in common. Five years ago, the steel mill exploded and almost everyone in small town Splendor, Ohio, was affected. Franny and her twin brother Arthur had their family torn apart when their older brother Mark was struck down in the explosion. Remy (or “Handsome Remy”, as he is known) is the son of the local sheriff who is still dealing with his own injuries from that day. Levi, Sofia, and Nick all have their own issues as well. The six teenagers call themselves The Ordinary, and like to make YouTube videos of weird and/or unexplainable things. (Okay, so it’s not actually set in the 80s, but it still has that vibe.)

When The Ordinary goes running after strange lights and sounds one night, they find themselves waking with no memory of what just happened. Could they have truly have had an alien visitation? Scars appear on their skin, and some of them seem to have gained unnatural abilities.

When the Sky Fell on Splendor is one of Emily Henry’s earlier books. While possibly intended for a young adult audience, I enjoyed the spooky/supernatural/extraterrestrial atmosphere behind the plot, as well as the threads of friendships which naturally evolved throughout the story. As soon as I sorted out who was who in this multi-player cast of characters, I found it to be a quick, light piece of entertainment perfect for summer reading.