I was so obsessed with this book i read it in 4 hours!

This story is largely plot driven, but it is fast and very engaging, once i started reading i couldn’t stop. It follows Louisa, who like all first born children is conscripted upon coming of age. I really enjoyed the internal dilemmas of a girl trying to find out the truth about herself and where she belongs. The story lacks major character developments and backstory for most of the characters, however i believe this is the first book in a series so i am excited to read more and learn about these characters more in future books. There was what i believe to be the start of a found family developing and i’d love to see where it goes!

The ending definitely left me wanting more!!!

4.75 ⭐️

I’ll admit this book drew me in faster than I expected. Even with the first couple chapters of world building, the story hits the ground running. The description intrigued me enough to give it a chance though I initially felt a bit skeptical as to whether I would connect with the main character based solely off the synopsis.

Louisa is described as having a temper and being strong-willed but I liked that this didn’t truly define her (or at least not for long). Her character development from “rebellious teen” to learning to channel her rage into something she can actually use to protect what she cares about progresses in a believable way.

I found her to be very relatable as she’s faced with a multitude of difficult choices, many of which force her to examine, define and redefine her own morality and where it stacks up in her shifting priorities. She wants to be brave but is afraid to die the meaningless death her harsh environment constantly threatens. Louisa doubts herself at times yet really steps up and finds her courage when it comes to things that matter most to her. Although it’s true she can be brash at times, frequently throughout the book she struggles to navigate the complexities of love, loyalty and the cost of both in the unforgiving, militant world she lives in.

Sometimes, books with similar settings/plot, the characters tend to become larger than life which can make for a good story but always kind of pulls me out of the MCs head to where I don’t really feel level with them or connected anymore, becoming more of an observer. I liked that I was able to maintain that feeling of connection with Louisa. Especially in the way she always retained a healthy level of fear regarding the weight of reality behind her decisions…and the consequences if she failed. Not everything goes to plan, not everything is easy. She’s the main character in the story but not the hero.

I have mixed feelings on the other characters in the book and that seems to be the intent in how they are portrayed. There aren’t really any “good guys” which really kept me guessing who she could trust and where the story would go next. The fast paced plot and political intrigue definitely kept the pages turning.

If you enjoy reading strong (but relatable) FMCs in a dystopian setting with political intrigue and a splash of romance I definitely recommend checking this out.


Even with work and multiple things claiming my attention I finished this book in under a week.

Thank you NetGalley for the DRC of this book in exchange for my honest review!