The history was rich, the imagery captivating and the characters enthralling. Noam was sympathetic as the protagonist, but he slowly slips in to morally grey territory, as he learns just what he is willing to do for his cause. He is also naive, self doubting and self deprecating. His childhood has developed him into the perfect weapon, whether for good or evil is to be seen. Dara, first seen as cruel and indifferent, begins to develop into a strong, caring, and determined character. I ended up loving him and feeling rage when I found out his tragic history. The heat between Noam and Dara crackles, burning up the page. The side characters were also fantastic. They added depth, emotion and pushed moments of the plot forward. Ames was especially purposeful in her role, as a shoulder for Dara, a foil for Noam when he first arrived at Level IV, a good friend, and a tortured soul who often has to escape into alcohol. Taye and Bethany were also wonderful and I hope they have more of a presence in the next novel, as I would like to know more of their back story. I love this rag tag bunch, they make for a great team which will hopefully become a found family powerhouse in book 2. This book pushes readers to think of our own world, an imperfect mirror of the futuristic world in The Fever King. We can sadly understand how the refugees are treated, how Governments can easily become corrupt, that citizens often think of themselves before considering how we can help each other and improve everyone's situation. It shows that there are groups intent on hating others, and others who are willing to take risks to help those who are less fortunate than themselves. There is both love and hate within this book, and it was thrilling and distressful to read. I savored this book, taking my time enjoying the dense material. From the science behind magic (an intriguing take on how magic works and how our knowledge of certain sciences helps us to wield it), to illusions to real historic atrocities, to politics and how they can change a nation for better or worse, to philosophy, religion and even existentialism. This book had a little bit of everything, all wrapped up in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian sweater. Add in LGBTQ characters and it hit every single high note, shocking me with the twists and cruelty these young characters had to face. I am at once eager for the next novel and dreading what new horrors are awaiting Noam and Dara.
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