lostinfantasy 's review for:

Fledgling by S.K. Ali

5.0

---

“By our records, shall we resist.
From our past, do we find our future.”

I’m not usually a fan of dystopia, I find it too depressing, which is why I was surprised to feel the opposite reading this book!
I found myself sinking into the pages while, with each chapter, unraveling the layers of an intricately built world and complex but lovingly created characters. And with its honest and bold depiction of themes relevant to the world today, it was a balm to the soul.

Set in the future, after environmental devastation reshaped the world. Society has been divided into: Upper Earth (a supposed utopia in the sky, built for the elite), Lower Earth (people struggling in the remains of a broken planet, ruled by one powerful family), and the Bridge (the land in between, reserved for the useful few).

The story follows characters from all across: the daughter of an Upper Earth leader betrothed to the crown prince of Lower Earth, a princess of Lower Earth pulled into a rebellion, a fugitive prince on the quest for truth, and a boy caught between duty and love.
My heart lifted and sank for these characters with everything they went through together and apart.

And unlike a lot of dystopian books, Fledgling doesn’t treat oppression as an aesthetic or just a backdrop for heroics. Instead, it truthfully reflects the dark realities and raw emotions of living under injustice and inequality, while drawing from a resilient faith in hope and in the power of each individual to create a better world. I found it a gem within its genre.

Threaded with intrigue and unexpected turns, emotional punches, characters that feel real, a romance that will both warm and hurt you, and an inspiring reminder to seek and preserve the truth… I am so grateful to have been given the chance to read an early copy!

Fledgling releases on October 8th!