A review by bibliovino
The Freedom Race by Lucinda Roy

4.0

The first third of this book had me clutching my stomach and reading through my fingers. The dystopia Roy creates is gut-wrenching and one of the most horrifying pieces of speculative fiction I have ever encountered. Imagining a separated United States where racism and nationalism have taken root to a institutional degree was a stroke of genius that I pray is in no way prescient.

Jiji is such a strong character, her family and found family such a force, you will root for them at every turn. I wasn’t completely sold on the magical elements and felt the story’s raw beauty was undermined a bit by the fantastical possibilities, but I’m still excited to see where it goes from here.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.