I went through most of this book really enjoying it--thinking that it was going to end up as a 4 star rating at the end. I liked Newman's writing, even if it was sometimes difficult to notice the transition into flashbacks with how interwoven they were; sometimes I didn't even realize they were happening until a few lines in and then I'd have to go back and reread more carefully. 
 I also really liked the characters. They were all complex and flawed people and I found them all interesting. There was some really powerful and difficult passages dealing with mental illness as well, and I thought they were handled with great skill. In general the diversity was top notch--people of varying races and sexualities, people with mental illness, references to multiple religions and associated holidays... 
 There was also this really fascinating undercurrent of science and religion, though not necessarily in a way that pitted them against each other. But the theme of spirituality and belief and how that fits together with science is woven throughout. 
 So yeah, I was convinced it was going to be 4 stars until about the last 50 pages. That's when things veered sharply off course. (view spoiler)[I almost think it would've been better to leave Sung-Soo's motives at face value. It's not that I don't appreciate the idea of retribution for him and the other 2nd gen kids I just think it totally threw off the equilibrium of the novel. It would've been more interesting to have Ren and Mack have to face the consequences of their deception and go on trial and resolve things that way. Have the colony try to figure out how to move on and adapt in the face of the truth and betrayal and everything. (hide spoiler)] 
 Despite all that, I was willing to suspend my disbelief and let it happen when we took another sharp turn off course with the last few chapters and that ending. Like... what?? It really felt like I was reading a completely different book at the very end. And okay, I guess after talking about how this book heavily relies on strong themes of spirituality I suppose I can see how you would get there but... 
 That gif is how I felt after finishing the final page of this book. And like, not in a good way at all. I'm still mostly just perplexed. 
 I wonder if it was just an attempt to tie up all the tiny dangling plot threads in some way. Because yes, there was also this pervasive mystery regarding the planet and God's city and all that. But I don't think it needed to be resolved necessarily. I mean, yeah, I definitely would like some answers, but again with the way most of the story was going as a character driven study of this colony... this book didn't have to give us all the answers, I don't think. (Not that it really did anyway, because that ending is still super mystifying to me but.) 
 Anyway. Complicated feelings. But I enjoyed Newman's writing enough that I'll definitely look at picking up the companion After Atlas and be on the look out for other works by her.