Although Solitaire Townsend's "Godstorm" can be seen as a dystopian fantasy...after all, the Roman Empire doesn't fall but evolves into an oil worshipping super power, run on pollution, domination and greed; where the lower classes are slaves or worse and pseudo science and misinformation rules the day...or it can be seen as a story of love and sacrifice. Either way, it is an engaging, and thrilling story, with thinly veiled references to the predicament we find ourselves in our own reality with the world falling into more conflict, totalitarian rule and the ravages of climate change. The main character, Arrow is conflicted, fierce and sometimes infuriatingly naive but her dedication and love for her young charge, Livy is the glue that ties the entire story together.
I thought the book started out rather slow and sometimes the prose became confusing and could have used a bit more polishing, but it kept my attention and into the second quarter it really picks up. By midway it became a page turner and I found the action and plot exciting and the last few chapters well worth the effort of reading through the first couple of chapters and the occasional odd turn of phrase.
Solitaire Townsend has vision and a real gift for storytelling. Look forward to reading more of her work in the future.