A Paradigm of Earth

An emotionally wounded woman finds connection, community, and her own sense of humanity in this powerful and beautifully written novel. Morgan Shelby has lost her parents, her lover, and her joy in life. She has inherited a sprawling old house whose upkeep is beyond her means, and she doesn't notice when the aliens land--she's busy recruiting tenants and fighting depression. Then she's hired to raise Blue, an infant alien sent to learn about Earth. Blue's government watchdogs aren't happy about the unconventional Morgan's influence on Blue, and no one in the household is ready for the ways in which Blue disrupts their lives and questions their assumptions about what it means to be human.

A Paradigm of Earth is a sophisticated and moving study of alienation and humanity, with real characters in complex relationships, full of humor and hope. An excellent book for lovers of literary science fiction. --Roz Genessee