I went into this dystopian not knowing what to expect. Set in an increasingly tense London, we follow multiple characters facing their own struggles, all ultimately united by one thing: dancing.

Dancing, in this story, is freedom. It’s release. It’s letting go. When these characters gather to dance, they’re escaping everything happening around them, whether it’s the government, the rules, or the hell that London is slowly becoming. It becomes something that holds them together and keeps them sane enough to face what’s coming. By the time hell actually does break loose, they remember what dancing gave them, and it strengthens them to fight back.

As someone who loves dancing and dystopian fiction, I thought this was such an intricate and unique perspective. Taking something as joyful as dancing and turning it into a form of expression against oppression and destruction was such an interesting choice. It also isn’t dystopian to the core. In many ways, it actually reads more like literary fiction, which I’m also a fan of. It tied those elements together beautifully, felt incredibly reflective, and had so many quotes and passages that stuck with me.

I wouldn’t give it a full five stars because I wanted more from the dystopian elements and the world itself. At the same time, I almost feel like that was the point. The world is horrible, and everyday stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and that constant ominous feeling become their own kind of dystopia. Sometimes we just need to gather as a community, unwind, let go, and dance. There was something so poetic about that, and it really resonated with me.

I’d recommend Ecstatic to literary fiction lovers, dystopian readers looking for something different, and anyone wanting a fresh perspective that feels eerily on par with the world we’re living in today.

4.25⭐️