A review by effy
Sargassa by Sophie Burnham

5.0

 
Set in a contemporary North America where the Roman Empire never fell, Sargassa follows five very different characters. Selah is 22-years-old and following the assassination of her father, she is now the head of her family and one of the most important people in Roma. Her father leaves express instructions for two items - a mysterious item known as the Iveroa Stone and an atlas which bears no resemblance to the known geography - to make their way into Selah’s hands and little does she know how much it will completely change her life. She will need the help of friends new and old to unravel the mystery.

This was one of those books that I didn’t realise was a 5 star read as I was reading it but the more that I thought about it, the more I realised just how smart and unique it was. I was utterly blown away by the attention to detail that Burnham has brought to bringing this story to life as well as crafting believable characters that don’t necessarily fit neatly into genre archetypes. I really appreciated that these characters messed-up and there was no deus ex machina that made things okay, they just had to live with the consequences of those mistakes. Selah likes to believe that she is enlightened and witnessing the injustices that her brother and her childhood crush experienced has changed her but ultimately the place that she is in the start of the book is someone who has a lot of privilege and sees a truth that is convenient and comfortable for her. 
As much as I hated Darius, I recognised how authentic he was in his outlook to the world. Beyond being necessary to the plot as his actions had a direct impact upon the other four POVs, he perspective provided much-needed insight into the thought processes of a pleb who is doing what they can to have the best life for themselves within the restraints of society. Darius is somewhat holier-than-thou and he holds some really disgusting views but he was a fascinating perspective and I kinda hope that his habit of having nine lives continues and this isn’t the last that we see from him.

My jaw was on the floor as we got to the end of the book and the reveals occurred. I was actually astounded at the sleight of hand that Burnham carried-out. Whilst I did get the vibe that the Iveroa Stone was a phone, I thought it was an independently developed technology in this alternative history as opposed to actually being future tech. I loved the fact that Sargassa actually takes place in 2892 A.D. and the Great Quiet was actually a catastrophic event and the society that is Roma is so much more insidious than at first glance.

I am so excited to see where this story goes. Also, Griff is Arran's mother, right?