Shawn D. America

This is a post-apocalyptic story, but it doesn’t read like a typical survival novel. The apocalypse is almost the backdrop for a much more interesting exploration of humanity, mercy, love, and what someone might be willing to sacrifice to survive. The opening chapter with Landon immediately establishes a world where the Lumens have seemingly brought order and environmental restoration, but where that “new Eden” comes with some very unsettling questions. The drones, the restrictions on weapons, the Professor, and the gold bars all create the feeling that there is a much bigger story underneath what we're being shown. Then the story shifts dramatically with Chanai. Her description of the cages is brutal and unforgettable. The scale of what she discovers, combined with the sensory detail, makes the scene genuinely difficult to read, but in a way that pulls you deeper into her experience. The distinction between punishment and being “kept” is especially chilling. The pairing of Chanai and Eli, and the way their relationship develops under horrific circumstances, is heartbreaking. The final test, forcing Chanai to choose between her own survival and the person who has shown her genuine kindness, is devastating precisely because Eli isn't simply a disposable character. By the time she has to make that choice, the reader understands exactly what she is losing. I also really liked the idea behind what Sidus sees in Chanai. She isn't chosen because she's simply the strongest or most ruthless. She's chosen because she can love and kill, and because she can carry the weight of both. That makes the concept of the “forged weapon” much more interesting than simply creating another super soldier. The writing is dark, literary, and sometimes almost poetic. There are some genuinely memorable lines and images throughout these chapters, and the story trusts the reader enough to sit with uncomfortable ideas rather than explaining everything immediately. Really enjoyed reading this book.