THE DIVIDING SKY takes place in a hyper-capitalist world where productivity controls everything and everyone. everyone is too busy being productive to enjoy anything— even the food is streamlined (and gross).

liv is a proxy who uses a neurochip in her brain to transmit memories and feelings to others. when she starts transmitting extra memories on the side for some more money, the government needs to immediately put an end to it and sends their handsome rookie to stop her.

THIS BOOK YALL. it had all the dystopian vibes we know and love (aka the world hitting a little too close to home) plus a super cute slow-burn subplot. i loved tew’s commentary on hyper-productivity, the use of short-form content as a dopamine boost to keep going, and how everything is not always as it seems in two-sided conflicts.

the world is fully fleshed out, and the idea of proxies, those who do the *actually important* things in life for others so they can continue to work themselves to death is unique and innovative (b*zos and el*n pls don’t get any ideas).

i was hooked from the beginning and couldn’t turn my pages fast enough, there is a countdown element which is something i love in books because the lead up to disaster is *chefs kiss*

the dual pov consists of liv, our empathetic reader FMC and adrian, our boy who is so down bad for her (but doesn’t want to admit it)

ALSO, a micro-trope i never knew i needed: HE ANNOTATES HER BOOK SO THAT HE CAN FEEL CLOSER TO HER 😭 — like ?!!??!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

thank you to @netgalley, @joyrevbooks, @jtewwrites for a free ARC in exchange for a review. all opinions are my own.