This book grew on me. Our protagonists (Jem and her son, Fosse) both come across as continually sullen and petty, a pet peeve of mine. I give the son a pass because he appears to have some sort of autism spectrum issues, but Jem is just annoyingly sulky, whiney, and contrarian for most of the book. This character type annoys me so much that I almost quit about a quarter of the way through, but I’m glad that I didn’t.

The worldbuilding and slowly dawning realization of what is really going on make this a fascinating book. I can’t say too much without ruining the joy of discovery, but here’s the very basic setting: Some sort of interstellar gate has allowed humans to travel to another resource-rich planet, Qita, which they quickly gain control of due to the passivity of its monocultural inhabitants. Most of our story is set in a part of earth that has chosen to largely withdraw from modern society (very little technology, no space travel, etc.). There, Jem and her Qitan partner run the Skyward Inn, serving a Qitan brew that allows people to experience and share intense memories. The slowly unfolding story explores themes of identity, relationship, memory, and more.

The narration takes some getting used to as it jumps between first, second, and third person. Normally, I’d find this obnoxiously pretentious, but it makes sense in the overall framework of the book. Overall, if you don’t mind thoughtful, low-action sci-fi, this is definitely worth your time.

Welcome to the Skyward Inn ... not just a pub but really a meeting hall for locals to commiserate while imbibing the "alien brew" . The brew actually is addictive and warps time and space for its user. The pub is located in the Western Protectorate, an area that has succeeded from England and prefers to live without modern technology. The proprietors are Jem and Isley, an alien from Qita. Jem returned from the Quitan encounter with her "soul mate" Isley in tow. She abandoned her son Fosse to be raised by her brother, while she explored the stars with the "invading" Earth contingency. Rather than conquer the Qitans, they apparently reached an accord to share the resource-rich world. Even though Jem and her son Fosse now share the same small area they remain distant and aloof .... apparently this is the prevailing emotion of a large swath of the locals. A foreboding uneasiness and uncertainty pervades the narrative. In the background, there is talk of an expanding plague that leads to ever increasing size and necessity for quarantines.
Whiteley proves to astound with her masterful and lyrical prose. However, the pacing is extremely languid and is magnified due to lack of character development and growth. Although multiple themes (friendship, relationships, colonization, and coexistence ) are explored this is certainly not a compelling page-turner. Perhaps future novels will benefit from brisker pacing and richer character development.
Thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion & Solaris Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

As others indicated, reading about the inner thoughts of some of the characters was a little too detailed, and made this a challenging read. Simultaneously, I can give the author some props for going there. I think this could be an enjoyable read for folks that like maybe an edgier sort of sci-fi.

Whiteley has written a novel with a certain undercurrent of vagueness with a weird patina that coalesced at the conclusion.

Even with characters as the propelling force of this narrative there remains a certain obscurity in this novel. The reader is never sure of the motivation for each character and has to piece together a history based on the little that is revealed

What is known is the establishment of contact with an alien species, of founding a space outpost on said planet, trading and cataloguing the histories of the Qitan, and what appears to be the fragmentation of the connectivity that once permeated Earth.

The reader however is exposed to strained familial relationships: mother/son and sister/brother; the perception that is held of the Qitan, and an undefined and yearning between Jem and Isley, who own and run the Skyward Inn.

Memories are related in fragmented, piecemeal prose and even when details are given, there is a lack of emotion and cohesiveness that leaves the reader on the outside of the narrative.

Whiteley is able to keep her readers' barely satisfied and it is only at the end that the truth of this exchange is revealed and what a revelation it is.

I can honestly say I have no idea what I just read, this has been like no other book that has crossed my path. I felt like I was reading someone's Delirium Tremens and also a great book about a harsh social criticism. I was trying to explain my husband this book and was only able to say: it is a book that will make you see the human nature at is rawness.

The protagonist are crude and in someways sort of monotone, but that actually work wonders with the book, since they are truly so different in nature and therefore you, the reader, are exposed to very distinctive character traits , and with them being just so purely one thing, at least from my opinion, it doesn't allows you to fully connect or reject one or the other.

An interesting part of this book was the environment, in both worlds, it was lacking of so much, but even like that it evoque deep somewhat positive feelings from their inhabitants,

I do recommend this book at the end, although if you had ask me this in the middle I would have said no way!, but it is a book that is meant to leave you thinking, and afterwards you can try to understand what was behind the author's intentions or even the character's decisions, but for me also made me think about human nature and emotions.

My rating is 3,5 of 5, and it is based on the weirdness of the book and how it prevented me from reading other books hehe.

Thanks so much NetGalley and Solaris Books for the eBook.

Skyward Inn is set in England's rural southwest, roughly(Devon). Now called the Protectorate, which has annexed itself from the coalition of world powers. Jem, a veteran of the interplanetary war with the Qitans, runs the Skyward Inn, alongside Isley, both of them from different sides of the war between the humans and Qitans.

Most of the story is set in this western Protectorate, the Skyward Inn is the Protectorates community hub, much like the majority of pubs were in the ’70s and ’80s. One day another Qitan named Won shows up and the situation for both Jem and Isley changes.

Many characters in Skyward have an idealised, nostalgic view of the Protectorate. A bit like having a nostalgic view of the 1980’s – a time and place that no longer exits, except in our own minds and through cultural references. Skyward is very much a character-driven story with lots of metaphorical thinking, which for me made the characters more realised and thus more relatable. However, this means we get lots of seemly irrelevant detail. This slow pace with lots of deep thinking and conversation and very little action, won’t be for everyone.

The prose is often evocative and contrasts against the starkness of the alien world of Qita and the familiarity of The Protectorate (once known as Devon). Stylistically this is a very different book from anything I’ve previously read. The world-building is almost as sparse as the synopsis and you have to work hard to put plot points together. There is a surrealist nature to the story, which is where the comparison comes in. I can definitely see influences from Jeff VanderMeer.

The themes about colonialism and the exploitation of land, resources and indigenous people, will readily resonate with many people. It won’t be everyone’s favourite read especially as the plot and pace can be languorous.

Thanks o NetGalley and Solaris for a free ebook. All opinions expressed are my own.

Aliya Whitely has served up a delicious dose of weird cosmic ooze in this novel. It is a an alluringly bizarre experience- a book of paradoxes: intimate yet detached in its characterisation, nostalgic and familiar yet unnervingly alien in its landscapes. For fans of Jeff VanderMeer or even that old stinking racist Lovecraft, this book may well appeal, but for those of you not tempted by a bit of sci-fi strangeness, you may want to give this a hard pass.

It all starts off relatively normal though: Jem and Isley run a quaint pub in the bucolic West Country, selling their finest 'brew' to their close-knit village community. Jem is estranged from her son, Fosse, who lives with his Uncle Dom, a respected leader in the village. Life is darts matches, village meetings and drinking brew late into the evening. However, when an unexpected guest turns up from Isley’s past, and when three outsiders arrive to occupy a local farm, things start to pivot slowly, inexorably towards an unsettling conclusion.

Oh but did I also mention that Isley is an alien? And that the West Country is actually the “Western Protectorate”, a (Brexit-inspired?) area that has broken away from the technologically-advanced UK? Yes, we are in a speculative future here: there has been a peacefully-resolved conflict between Earth and the Qitans, a planet that humans, in all their humanness, decided to peacefully colonise. Peacefully. Jem’s husband is a Qitan who has settled down on Earth to join his wife in selling the mysterious ‘brew’.

First of all, I loved reading sci-fi set in the south of England, a place I have spent many fond years of my life. It’s so refreshing to read genre pieces like this set outside of the ubiquitous US. I also really enjoyed the gentle, disquieting prose and the grand ideas it conceals. This is a novel about many things- both the small (familial sacrifice, loneliness, togetherness and community) and the large (the forces of colonisation, globalisation and isolationism). Like all good science-fiction, the weirdness serves to offer some provocative navel-gazing about the human condition and our fundamental need to come together as social animals, despite our other increasingly divergent and incompatible needs and identities. I don’t always do too well with ambiguous abstraction and surreality, and I didn’t love this book: but I did like it, and I imagine its imagery will haunt for some time yet.

Thanks to Rebellion and NetGalley for my ARC copy of this book.

This book was suspense, sci-fi and dystopian all mixed into one thrilling book. I loved the cover. This book had all the elements of these genres that fit seamlessly for this book. Dystopian England, a rare disease, secret/lies and so much more. I am also glad it was not predictable and better than I thought it was going to be. Another different kind of suspense book but one a reader will not forget. Creepy AF and believable. Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, ALya Whiteley and Rebellion Solaris for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 3/16/21

5 stars - unique and compelling

Well, where to start? As other reviewers have noted, this novel is not easy to describe.

The story revolves around Jem and her estranged son Fosse, who both live in the Western Protectorate, a separate society on Earth that has decided to live without technology, just like people did in the olden days. But the rest of Earth is a highly developed society that has discovered a gate to another planet, Qita, and its inhabitants, the Qitans, who never put up a fight when humans came. One of the Qitans, Isley, came to Earth and is running the local Inn with Jem, selling the popular Qitan brew. And while they love each other it is also clear that some cultural gaps cannot ever be crossed.

For the longest time I was not sure at all where the story was actually going, but I really did not mind whatsoever. I was too invested in the characters, their need for beloning, their pain, their hopes, their frustrations. The prose is beautiful, gentle and caring, yet eerie. You always feel like maybe you are missing something that lies JUST beyond your reach. I enjoyed this kind of storytelling a great lot and I had a hard time putting this down, but it most probably won't be for everyone.

I found the conclusion to the story quite satisfying in that it refused to be simple. It touches on many complex, intertwined issues and it would not do to wrap it up all nice and neat.

For me this will surely be a highlight this year and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of literary sci-fi who like to read outside of the box.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are unbiased.

Have you ever watched a historical reality show, where people have to live as if they were in a past era? Ruth Goodman is in in tons of them. They are mostly set in Shropshire or Devon. This novel made me think that the author might enjoy these shows as much as I do, as the Western Protectorate, a historically preserved zone, is in Devon.

The Western Protectorate is set apart from the high tech outside world, which has developed space travel and encountered aliens. The novel focuses on Jemima who had returned from her time on the alien planet, Qita, with an alien named Isley. Jemima and Isley run the local inn, eponymous to the novel. The author did a great job with the slow reveal, as more and more pieces of the situation became clear. She has created a fascinating world and I enjoyed every moment.

One of the strangest and most intriguing books I think I have ever read, Skyward Inn was a fantastic read. I was so compelled to read on, find out more, see more of these wonderful characters. There were parts that I sometimes had to read them twice for the information to register and there were points where I was slightly confused, but my god this book is so beautifully written. So evocative. I would highly recommend and cannot wait to see what Aliya writes next!

What a ride this book was! For the first quarter, I was a bit confused and not entirely engaged, but then it absolutely grabbed me. By the end I was left with questions about loneliness, choices, the nature of humanity, and the meaning of life that will stay with me for a long time. This is the first book by Aliya Whitely I've ever read, and it won't be the last.

Thanks to NetGalley and Solaris (Rebellion) for providing an ARC!

Skyward Inn by Aliya Whiteley is a really trippy science fiction novel about the aftermath of a war on another planet, called Qita. The Inn serves as a gathering place for residents: a place where they can imbibe and connect with others; that is, until a new face disturbs the peace. It is correct to compare it to the work of Vandermeer as i drew so many paralells from his books and the way he writes sci-fi.

Skyward Inn follows Jem and her son, in a near-future Earth, where humanity has made contact with alien life. Jem's community has reacted to the changing world by shutting itself off from most of humanity, forgoing advancement and integration with the larger universe in favour of clinging desperately to the nostalgic version of life they've long embraced.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Skyward Inn. Its slow-paced story that gently revealed itself may seem underwhelming at first, but the direction of of the plot took the narrative to a surprising and satisfying place. This book is not for everyone, though. If you are looking for a book that does not fit into any tropes or boxes and are willing to keep an open mind, I recommend it.

This book is strange in a good way. I’m not sure if I can rate it because I don’t want to read it again but I also really enjoyed it. I have so many questions!


I love the way the assumptions humans make about Qitans are turned around in the book. Disturbing but lovely.

This is brimming with ideas, but overall, I unfortunately found that these ideas were let down by the execution of the novel.

It's quite busy, with many characters and elements to the story, and there was little in this that drew me to it or engaged me. The writing, characters, plot, and structural choices all seemed to be there to serve the author's ideas, rather than create a coherent and cohesive story. I am fully prepared to concede that this novel just went straight over my head, but in general I was left bewildered by this.

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
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<p>In some ways this is a very centrally science fiction story. It is about humans and aliens learning to live with each other, and the central question of the book seems to be: can there be a middle ground between their ways of relating? This book is middle-term future--much of how humanity is living now has been revised, though not wholly rejected, and alien influence is not the only or even the main reason.</p>
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<p>But in other ways the tone, the voice of this book are not at all typical of the genre. There is an intimacy of voice that I have been dearly wanting in science fiction novels, a focus on the relationships Jem and her son Fosse have with each other but also with the rest of their world. Worlds. That tight focus shares a lot with some literary novels and with some of my favorite SF of the past. Whiteley shares a science fiction more with Marta Randall than with Isaac Asimov, and this book is all the better for it.</p>
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<p>I don't want to give away the details of the cultural and biological differences at stake here, because watching them unfold gently and naturally is part of the great fun of the book. It's a lovely meditation on how humans relate, though, and I'm so glad to see something like this coming out at a time when being thoughtful of our own humanity is incredibly important. (And really...when isn't it.)</p>
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3.5 stars / This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com today.


Skyward Inn is a locals bar run by Jem, a local Protectorate born, and Isley, a Qitan. Jem met Isley when she was enlisted and stationed on Qita to spread a message of peace. When Jem’s time served had ended, Isley returned home with her to the Protectorate. The Protectorate is technology free. Living by the “old rules.” The Protectorate locals learn to accept Isley as one of their own.

Some time later, an infection is taking over the Protectorate in all regions. Quarantines and no-cross borders are set up to contain the infection, but it just keeps spreading. Jem’s region appears to be infection free. Until strangers appear on an isolated and abandoned farm that Jem’s son Fosse often visits. Fosse is told that these strangers can perform “magic.” Fosse is prevented from seeing the “magic” until it’s far too late.

A fascinating concept and novel. I don’t know whether to classify as dystopian or fantasy or a little of both. Whiteley does a fine job of creating this Qitan world and immersing us in it through Jem’s memories. While I enjoyed the book, at times I felt a bit lost and confused by what was happening. Not sure if this was intended or not. Regardless, it is very well written and a good read.

“Alone is not a place I can go to, but the place that’s left behind after everyone else has gone.”

“What did I just read?” -me after finishing this book. 😂

So, I had mixed feelings on this book.

I found it hard to get into—the beginning was confusing and I didn’t know what was happening. After a while (maybe 1/4 into the book), that got better and then I started to enjoy the book more. Also, the last 1/4 or so was way more engaging.

It was very well written and creative. But also the way it was written made me feel a bit disconnected from the story at times. But, by the end, this piece had improved some as well.

It was intriguing and confusing and weird. This is a novel I will likely think about a lot because it was so weird and engaging while also having large sections I didn’t love? Wording my thoughts on such an odd and unique book is HARD. But it was engaging because I always had so many questions about what was going to happen and it felt unpredictable. I’d say as long as the writing style is a good fit for you, you’ll love it. Specifically, the way I’ve seen it phrased in other reviews, is this book may be for you if you are a fan of literary sci-fi, books full of surrealism, and books using philosophical writing.

I had a lot of difficulty rating this book. I wanted to be aware that I really didn’t like the first 1/4, but it got better, and the last 1/4 was so weird and interesting. I ended up deciding to go 3/5 overall, though I had initially debated a lower rating, because maybe parts of it weren’t for me, but others may LOVE this. Also, I feel like I am going to be thinking about this book for a long time and after finishing it I had this immediate “wtf” response that I think the author needed a lot of skill to create. Have I mentioned this book is weird? 😂

The book starts in the Protectorate, a stretch of land that has seceded from England to form an area that lives without technology. But they will trade jam and other goods for necessities like a water feed and medical care. It's like a future Vermont - the name "Protectorate" brings a special cachet to their products. The Skyward Inn of the title is a bar run by local Jem and the alien Isley she met when she escaped her home to explore the alien world Qita.

I'd give the first 60% of this book two or three stars, but the last 40% four or five stars. At the beginning of the book I thought the writing flowed nicely, but there was so much of it - the plot moved slowly along, but whenever action came along that made the story a little exciting, the story was slowed down again with lots of prose from the perspective of either of the two main characters.

Then at around the 60% point, the book changed into something totally different. The first 60% I read in fits and starts, but the last 40% I read almost in one sitting. That final part of the book was mind blowing almost to a Hugo or Nebula award winning level, but the book is hampered by the slow early pages. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I hadn't taken so much time off while reading this book, but I wish the writer and editors had met me half way and tightened up the early part of the book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley and Solaris for the Arc
DNF'd this book @26 percent. The book is written very beautifully but I had a hard time getting used to the writing style and I was not liking the characters. It was unfortunately not for me. Not only this, I was a little confused. Maybe I'll give it a try in the future. But for now, this book is not doing it for me.
Although not for me, this book will appeal to a lot of literary sci-fi readers.