Following a cataclysmic event known as The Wipe Out (which is never fully explained beyond its viral origins), society undergoes a seismic shift that sees the government assume control over procreation. The family unit is no more and friendships are discouraged. Within this grim, dystopian setting, our protagonist Helen operates as a military driver for arcs (archeologists) exploring the wastelands of this world. But the suicide of a young soldier sends Helen on a state-sanctioned op to discover the truth behind the mysterious photograph she found in the dead man’s hand. The ensuing unlayering of a deep-rooted conspiracy offers surprisingly little in the way of world-building. The emphasis, instead, is on the machinations of the manipulative government, which ends up feeling tedious without the deeper contextual grounding of this world and how it all came to be. There’s scheming and action and, of course, social commentary, but the characters are flat so its hard to get too emotionally invested. The book offers an interesting premise, but then fails to fully follow-through.

Hazel is a productive citizen within a new society that was created after a virus known as "The Wipeout" changed the way of life - specifically the government control over procreation. She is thrust into a whirlwind of conspiracy theories that causes her to second guess everything she has ever known.

I had high hopes for this one - I love a good biological dystopian story - however it just lacked depth. This book had an interesting premise but everything felt rushed. There was no detailed background information about the world prior to, during, or after "The Wipeout" event. There was so much jargon specific to this new government that was undefined - the reader is mainly left to infer the way this new society functions. The protagonist's main mission was interesting but the resolution and ending of the book were unsurprising and abrupt.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I love the dystopian and post-apocalyptic genres. Based on the synopsis I was expecting to be sucked in immediately and while the premise is good, I feel like it wasn't quite enough to captivate me and keep me engaged. It definitely has potential and I did finish reading quite quickly but I was left feeling like it was a blur. The ending itself was a bit flat and sudden after the build up to a climax that sort of fizzled out abruptly. Personally I would've liked more details/world building about what the Wipe Out actually was and what happened.

I can see how some readers would enjoy this book but I wouldn't put it on my "read again" list.

*Thank you to @netgalley and the publishers @sunburypress for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I’m the first person to rate and review this for GR. A privilege, but then there’s that pressure, especially when the book isn’t quite your thing.
It should be…it’s a dystopian tale with an exotic (for anyone but Australians) locale, a mystery to solve and some heavy Brane New World undertones. Not just that either, basically any dystopia with heavy concentration of breeding and eugenics.
So, honestly, I’m not sure why this story didn’t engage me as it should have…it featured all the right ingredients – suspense, social commentary, terrifying conspiracies. More.
I’m going to go with the tone, maybe something about the tone didn’t quite land. It was interesting enough and reads quickly enough, but it just didn’t make me care enough about it. Maybe it’s the characters, I didn’t care enough about them.
It’s a busy novel with a lot going on and you’re mostly experiencing it through the perspective of the main protagonist – a devout daughter of her state who begins to get hip to what’s really going on around her, sheds her conditioned unquestioning devotion and asks some questions. Innocence lost, reason gained.
I don't know if it was the most original of dystopian novels, more like a mix and match of many well known ones with a fresh spin or two.
All in all, an objectively credible and decently written tale. User mileage may vary. Thanks Netgalley.