The Story: 16-year-old Saffron makes a split-second decision
and finds herself leaving Australia via a portal to another world, where she
quickly gets mixed up in a tense political situation. Taking shelter with a
group of rebels who hope to overthrow a corrupt ruler, Saffron joins them on
their urgent quest to stop a potential war, and finds herself growing closer to
them as she learns more about their world.
The Characters: Characterisation is definitely one of the
author’s strong suits, and I loved all of the characters in this unreservedly.
Viya, a spoiled but smart young woman thrown in at the deep end of the
situation via an arranged marriage, was incredibly compelling. Zech, a preteen
girl who helps Saffron to understand her new surroundings, was lovable. Gwen
was fascinating, and Saffron herself took my heart along with her as she
struggled to adapt to her new surroundings and be there for her new friends.
The Representation: Most of the story takes place in a world
with its own ethnic and cultural groups unlike the ones on Earth, several of
which are represented in the main cast. One of the main characters is an older,
Black woman from England, who is aromantic (but not asexual). Another main
character is bisexual. Same-gender attraction is considered usual, and polyamorous
marriages are the norm. One character is transgender. One character has a
chronic illness which is likened to fibromyalgia. Many characters have impairments
sustained through injury in battle. One character has unusual skin markings, another
is recovering from stroke-like symptoms after poisoning, and another
experiences PTSD-like symptoms.
Why I Loved It: This story did so many things that ticked
all of my boxes! It delved into the difficulties of magically learning a
language without necessarily having the cultural context for it, which was
fascinating. It showed communities of women of all ages, working together – and
sometimes against each other – and getting stuff done. It spent time thoughtfully
exploring the impact of trauma has, particularly on young people – characters are
given lots of space to deal with and begin to recover from their experiences.
The worldbuilding was magical. The characters were wonderful. The book explored
the complexity and bittersweetness of a life lived between worlds. I’m waiting
impatiently for the next book in the series.
iampeopletoo said:
Hi Foz, I would like to purchase your book. Do you have a preference in where/how I purchase it? Such as a paperback from a particular bookstore, kindle version, off amazon etc.? Thanks!