by Victoria Williamson
Cover Art/Design by Anna Morrison
Published by Neem Tree Press
We definitely have some members of the reading MiniClub (junior chemo patients) looking forward to this one. It's a first step into the YA book world for Victoria Williamson & we're ready!
We have to take some time to admire this cover artwork & design by Anna Morrison. It's amazing how artists manage to create such stunning & original cover images to tempt us. It worked Anna Morrison. Again!
Set in 2123 - Can you imagine living in a HUGE bioDome & never seeing the real outside world or feeling fresh air on your face again? Everything you need still exists but it's SO different. The ecosystems are so carefully balanced. If your blood isn't pure you're too much of a risk.
Living with biosuits, essential filters & high-risk threats from biopoisins - is that a life? Almost everything people need can be 3D printed there.
Canteen credits & videpods, artificial sun & constant awareness of potential contamination... how will everyone manage? They do, somehow.
Until things go wrong.
Will anyone try, or have to venture *outside*? They soon discover that the outside isn’t as deserted as they were made to believe.
Adina has a natural aptitude for her tech work but is also distracted. Sometimes by creating plans & sneaking to different levels of the dome to relax briefly, away from others.
Sometimes to check out tempting, fresh fruit & escape the watchful eye of a grumpy, strict foreman.
Sometimes her distraction is attraction-related but does her boy crush know?
The mechanical, sterile visual of the architectural feat that is the Dome is extraordinary. A multi-level underground part of the structure provides a stark, essentials-only type of existence. A barrier providing safety & survival. LIFE.
But in contrast, people inside still have basic, natural human emotions, needs & feelings.
Even in this unfamiliar habitat, we are fully immersed in the entirely functional lives of these characters, experiencing their challenges & routines. Readers might wonder if they're reading about the actual future.
The unusual format & clever use of a countdown is an unexpected but unique way to keep the reader hooked.
As ever, the world-building in this Victoria Williamson story is incredible. Creating an entirely encapsulated environment, run & structured so carefully makes us believe it is absolutely essential to survival.
One of several key threads involves a half-sister desperate to connect with Adina & the mixed feelings this activates.
We also see multiple layers of Adina's personality including her kind heart as she chooses to look out for Baba Weseka. His struggles are created by the outside & others ignore & actively avoid him.
With several twists along the way, readers will be intrigued right through to the very end.
This is quite a departure from the style of other books we've read from this talented & real-world-aware author. That's part of what's amazing about writing.
Thank you for having me on this tour 🌱
20% of the author royalties for this novel will be donated to CharChar Literacy.
We can all look forward to the next Victoria Williamson reading adventure.
Our middle-grade age group members are especially hoping for a new book soon!