I know I'm not the target audience for this YA Dystopian, and I going to admit I did struggle with the first half but boy, once I hit the second half of the book I was so immersed and invested in the characters Moira Buffini has created I couldn't put it down.

I was hooked from the start by Moira Buffini’s latest novel, Songlight. Set in a dystopian world, the book follows multiple POVs as the characters navigate their war-torn lives in search of peace and freedom. Lark and Nightingale, the two main characters, have a deep connection with another but can only communicate telepathically- but if anyone discovers their abilities as Songlights, they will meet a fate worse than death. These characters are incredibly well written and are strong female leads. I adored each of them and especially their relationship with one another.

I also really enjoyed the world building that took place throughout the novel. Everything felt expansive without being overwhelming, and I was able to connect to the characters and community to truly feel the desperation and perseverance of everyone involved.

I wasn’t a fan of the number of POVs, however. I had trouble remembering each character and found myself wanting to skip ahead to Lark and Nightingale’s chapters. I think 5 POVs was a few too many and the story would have been better served with less character shifts.

Overall, however, this was a captivating story and I can’t wait to see it continue in the following books.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Songlight is a novel set in a post-apocalyptic world - a world where the people who came before them destroyed the world, and themselves, with power, and the quest for power, in a world very like our own, except that Torches, people with telepathy and sometimes additional powers, are relatively common. Those powers manifest as sound and light for the sensitive person, often sounding like music; in fact, many Torches take, or are given, nicknames related to birds.

In Aylish, Torches are held in high esteem; unfortunately for Elsa, she doesn't live in Aylish; she lives in the neighboring country, which is at war with Aylish - and in her country, Torches are considered Unhuman by the Brethren, the patriarchal rulers of her country, not just different than humans, but less than human. Elsa has hidden her songlight since she became aware of it, knowing that being discovered could mean her death, or worse, being turned in a Chrysalid, a lobotomized drone trained to complete the tasks no one else wants to do, tasks involving drudgery, danger, or both. But her life as a woman in her society won't be much better; to support the war effort, all women are required to be married - as First Wife, assigned by the town to returning veterans, Second Wife, chosen by the veterans for themselves, or Third Wives, women who are not chosen as First or Second Wives, who are sterilized and sent to Pink Houses, available to meet the needs of any member of the military. Those who attempt to refuse their placement as a wife are considered traitors, and are often accused of being Torches, whether they are or not, and treated accordingly; Torches who admit their abilities and plead for their lives are turned into Sirens, who hunt other Torches; those who lack the power, or refuse to beg, are turned into mindless drones.

Many in this world want change, and peace with the Aylish. But others, especially those who hold power in the current structure, want things to remain just as they are. This is an interesting story, told from multiple points of view. I enjoyed it right up to the end, when it just... stopped. Rather than having a plot piece that leads into the next novel, this book feels unfinished - more of a serial than a volume within a series. Recommended for teens and adults.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.