The novel’s 12-year-old protagonist, Nova, is a dynamic character who learns to trust herself and her own abilities after her sister, Bridget, dies. Because the two sisters were removed from their mother’s home when Nova was only five, she came to rely almost exclusively on Bridget, who was five years older.

For a long time, Bridget alone recognized Nova’s intelligence and capabilities as someone with autism, prompting Nova to believe that Bridget was “never wrong,” unlike the adults who consistently underestimate her and misunderstand her attempts to communicate. Bridget became Nova’s safe space, frequently creating pretend space shuttle missions with Nova to distract her from the difficult realities of their life. This activity led Nova to associate space travel with her sister and the feelings of security and comfort. These associations made Nova especially excited when NASA announced the inclusion of Christa McAuliffe, a social studies teacher from the girls’ home state, on the Challenger space mission. Bridget told her that their emotional connection to the Challenger was “fate” after NASA announced McAuliffe as the winner of their First Teacher in Space Contest on Nova’s 12th birthday.

Nova must learn to rely on herself rather than Bridget to understand that Bridget was fallible, and Nova does so; this is what characterizes her dynamism.