Honestly, I had no idea what to expect when I started this. I hadn’t previously read any of Mead’s YA fiction – so was pleasantly surprised, and then became addicted. I love the way she builds out this world and reveals depths to her characters, Mae and Justin. The back-story to this futuristic world, how society collapsed and then came to be rebuilt, is fascinating.It felt like an interesting combination of His Dark Materials, Terry Prachett and Hunger Games.
The plot of the first novel in what I am assuming will be a series, rolls out inexorably – turning this into one of those books that I hated to break away from to work, sleep or eat. When I finished, I couldn’t wait for the next installment – loving these characters, including the sassy provincial teen Tessa, and the set-up for their on-going stories. Highly recommend!

Tags: action adventure, fantasy, futuristic, gods, religion, Richelle Mead, scifi