This was a solid read that took off right away and was very strong in the beginning. I was incredibly interested in the dystopian atmosphere. However, things started to slow as the read progressed and had some issues gelling with the characters. To be frank, the kids annoyed me. A lot. And May just didn't seem like a strong enough character, in fact, it felt like her flaws just accumulated as the story went on.

Now...if I struggled with those issues, why do I still consider it a solid read? Because the intrigue is peak. There are a lot of bits that parallel with current political climates and pieces that make sense given the world around us and concerns about AI, climate change, overpopulation, etc. There is a lot of introspection for May about her worth as a woman, a wife, a mother. Those pieces of the narrative spoke to me and I felt like it just made sense.

Remember how I mentioned May not being a strong enough character who had a lot of flaws? Turns out that's a double-edged sword. Because while it made me not root for her as much as a character, it also made her more human...and more relatable as a mother. As much as I wanted to dislike her, her flaws and failures simply made me be a little more introspective about my own life and role as a mother. The focus on electronics and connectivity also hit home as screen time is both a comfort and a conflict for most parents.

All in all, not my favorite dystopian read and not what I expected, but an incredibly strong think piece that I could identify with.