A well written, fast-paced and interesting story of Alana, a teenager living on Gaia, under the control of the Avalon, who begins to question the strict rules, divided society, compliance and conformity she has grown up with.
When her life is flipped upside down, the questions multiply and she finds herself in more strife than she’s sure she can handle. Gaining the attention of not just one, but two young men only adds to the complications. One of them happens to be her Mirror Soul, but she has little idea of what it means and the effects it will have on her young life.
With a dystopian world set on Earth in the hopefully distant future, the story races headlong towards increasing danger and so many twists and turns the reader has to watch out for whiplash.
It is well-crafted with strong characters whose personalities stand out and have real depth. The world building is complex with teleportation devices, space ships, and a strict class system, which creates a new existence while remembering the old with references to well known places (The Poisoned Apple — New York). If you have any interest in sci-fi, then it’s a future not too hard to imagine.
Although YA, it is an easy and engaging read for any age. At no point did it become too young or too farfetched. Everything is thought out to take you from what we know to what we can imagine will be in the future.
From a personal point of view, although I enjoyed the story, it didn't quite leave me immediately wanting more. It is not a criticism, just my personal opinion, but it is why I haven't given it five stars. Will I read the next instalment? Possibly, but maybe not just yet. Regardless, it is well written with a rich language and vivid settings, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys both sci-fi and dystopian worlds. Don’t let the YA rating put you off, it is in no way ‘dumbed down’ for younger readers.