Jennifer Wilson’s New World Rising, the first in a series of dystopian novels, manages the careful balance between honoring the conventions of a genre while still delivering something fresh and readable.
The world she creates is deep and feels lived in, and her vision of a dystopian world where elites live inside a protected bubble while the rest of humanity wars endlessly over scraps in a polluted and devastated wasteland sadly echoes our reality in the contemporary world.
As the story unfolds,Phoenix, a loner who trusts no one and would rather read books than talk to another person, finds herself drawn into a web of politics and intrigue that comes along with attention from a pair of hunky dudes.
Wilson keeps the plot moving as she reveals her world and unravels layers of history and intrigue. Who were Phoenix’ parents? Were they traitors? And who is the mysterious Mouse, and why is she so important?
Sadly, and this is my one complaint, this book answers none of those questions. Not a stand alone story at all, it is just the first part of a longer work, and ends on major cliff hangers with everything unresolved! So, I do say– READ THIS! But you should also be ready to commit to the rest of the series as well.
Thanks for reading! Would love some comments!
T.G. Kadee 