Review Detail

Step into a uniquely lush and sinister world, where monsters and humans do more than pass in the night and the all-powerful regime wields fear and secrets to villainize magic. Shay trains diligently as the midwife’s assistant for the future set before her, one of helping other women and proving her own worth, but when the rumors of her dubious origins enter her life as undeniable reality, her kindness sees her taken advantage of and left among dangerous strangers. But it’s these strangers who can open Shay’s eyes to the power within her and the brewing rebellion that’s worth fighting for.

While it’s easy to say “ah yes, another rebel story”, this book stands out in its delivery of core themes: coming of age in an uncertain world, choosing the hard path, and what it feels like to want to believe someone will be a better person and not let you down again even when they keep doing so over and over. It faces the subject of substance addiction head on, including the effect on an addict’s family and the less-than-noble intentions of the authorities who despise yet enable to suit their own goals. Also, props for the portrayal of childbirth - rigorous and visceral, but without gore.

The message is pointed, the romance is sweet. Shay and her mother and the various people drawn to the rebellion are earnest and complex. Although I generally prefer a subtler approach, the directive and battle cry come through loud and clear, with emotion that is not petty complaints. It’s real and deserved.