Looking for something to get you out of a reading slump? Look no further than the first of an epic trilogy from award-winning screenwriter, Moira Buffini. This book is set in a dystopian future where the world is at war and ‘unhumans’ with the gift of telepathy (songlight) are being used as pawns. Enslaved or used as a ‘siren’ to catch their fellow kind, those with songlight are hunted mercilessly and it is this that has torn young Elsa and Rye apart. Elsa must choose between a cruel fate of forced marriage, a life as a ‘comfort woman’ in an army Pink House or revealing herself as an ‘unhuman’ and facing capture. Or, can she risk running away?
This debut has been recommended by the likes of Michael Grant, author of the Gone series and it did absolutely take me back to what I loved about dystopian literature as a young adult. Whilst it is YA, it reads as sophisticated and complex as literature aimed at adults, and the world-building was so immersive that I devoured this story so quickly and can’t wait for more! Moira is a master of the screen and the page as this was a very cinematic read that played like a movie in my head. With harrowing plot twists and excellent character development, this book will have you gripped from the very first pages. There’s exploration of war and life under totalitarian rule as well as the importance of empathy and communication. This is a must-read for fans of the genre and I can see Songlight fast becoming a modern classic among fans of Gone and The Hunger Games.
Review by Abi.
Songlight was published on 29/08/24 by Faber & Faber.
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