A review by maiakobabe
Bezkamp by Samuel Sattin

5.0

Nem was raised to believe that everything outside the walls of Bezkamp was poison, that writing and reading were blasphemous and illegal, that humans predated the creatures of the wildlands, that his mother was a traitor, that asking questions was wrong, and that he was too weak to be valued. It is only when Nem gets lost in the wildlands outside Bezkamp's walls does he discover that nearly everything he was taught is wrong. Sam Sattin has skillfully crafted an inventive, action-filled sci-fi adventure that simultaneously wrestles with family trauma, environmental destruction and the danger of destroying history. Nem's ancestors fled Earth as refugees but when they found a new habitable plant they arrived as invading colonizers. Jen Hickman's gorgeous art illuminates a hopeful future in which humans are willing to learn from their mistakes, change their ways, work in partnership with the native beings and save their mutual home. Humorous and deeply moving by turns, I highly recommend it! I was delighted to receive an advanced reader copy of this book, which is one of the best perks of having author friends :)