If you want a sci fi dystopian novel that balances worldbuilding with plot and character so flawlessly that it feels real, then this is the book for you.

This is going to be a shorter review, because there isn’t much to say. I genuinely enjoyed it.

This book was dual POV, plus excerpts of fifteen year old Emi’s research project. I loved the style and formatting of this book, but the dad’s POV started to get a bit tiring after a while. Emi’s chapters were worth it, though, which might just be because I’ve lived as a fifteen year old girl but not as an older man, so her parts were more relatable and easy to follow.

The story felt full of adventure and emotional ups and downs, and now that it's done, I feel so invested in this little fictional family's fictional life that I don't know what to do with my own. I thought the story was super interesting and the world so complex and real it was honestly a little scary. I'm itching for an adventure, though. I'm inspired.

Thank you to Atria Books for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for a review.