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This is my second book by Premee Mohamed, and it is every bit as dense and devastating as The Butcher of the Forest was, but with its’ own unique qualities. I had not read the previous story that connects to this one, but I was still able to jump right into this story and world and not feel any sense of loss or confusion. I loved being dropped into the world in the middle of the action, getting pieces of the world in fragments, and seeing the scope of Reid’s journey as it unfolded without any preconceptions.

This is a world after devastation. Dealing with an infection that has a scope no one truly knows, but is devastating in every sense of the word. But there is this beacon of hope in the form of the domed city that is Howse. Where those from outside the dome are invited to come and learn, with the possibility of taking back knowledge to their towns to help them deal with the climate disasters plaguing the world.

But, as with many things that seem too good to be true, Howse is more than it seems. Those who live there hide more than they share with those they carefully select to let in. Reid, torn between her ties to family and friends back on the outside, has to decide what she is willing to risk to try and make life better for herself and those she loves.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Publication date is June 18th, 2024.