4 Stars

Twelve-year-old Amberley Jain lost her parents and ended up in a wheelchair when their Firehawk crashed. With the Skyfleet base repeatedly attacked by mutabugs and villagers mysteriously disappearing in the colonies, Amberley and her friend, Ricardo Lopez (Ric), must do their bit to help their people, even if it means going against the rules and reviving the damaged Firehawk. 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Amberley and Ric with snippets from other characters as letters, notes, and journal entries. 

My Thoughts:  

I admit I didn’t fully read before requesting to join the tour for this book. I saw the cover with a dashing plane shaped like a bird, noted the names of the kiddos, and jumped to grab a copy. (Also, my friend, Rosh, read a few books by the author and liked them, so I wanted to try this one). 

Dystopian is not my thing. I am cynical but I don’t like the morose undertones in the genre. However, this one is quite refreshing. The story is set in the New World where a group of people (those who left the Old World looking for a better life) live in settlements. With the talk of radiation and how toxic waste has resulted in mutabugs, it’s evident that the timeline is futuristic. 

The book starts slowly as it establishes the setting and the dangerous situation right away. Though the world-building is not detailed, there is enough to imagine the scenario. Also, all the fighter jets (like Firehawk and Dogstar) are clearly described with an illustration and notes (make, model, pros, cons, pilot, etc.). 

Amberley and Ric are easy to like though they have traits one would not want in children – stealing, breaking rules, sneaking out, etc. They do get caught and are reprimanded by elders but that doesn’t stop them. Moreover, we actually empathize with the kids instead of the adults in this case. I could feel their frustration, fear, and grief at how things were being handled. 

Also, the rep is great. Amberley is in a wheelie chair due to paralysis from the accident. Ric cannot see and wears a special eye device with IR vision. However, these limitations are not a hindrance. Amberley was born to be a pilot and trained by her parents since a baby. Similarly, Ric was trained to be a mechanic and is such a smart lad that he can convert any piece of scrap into something useful. 

Of course, the adults aren’t bad. Here, the enemies are mutabugs, cockroaches, and other dangerous creatures that have become near-invisible by absorbing the radiation over the years. A scary situation, right? 

Screwball Sydney is such a fab character. She’s eccentric and the kind of person you would want in your corner, of course, with an assurance that she won’t do something reckless. Rafe is another interesting character. Skipper Maddox was good too but Sydney wins hands down (and so does her pet wombat, Mascot). 

As with most MG fiction, this one too relies on kids putting themselves in risky situations (even if it is for the greater good). We can see both (adults and kids) perspectives and know they did what they did. 

I don’t know much about mechanics and jets so can’t say if the technical details are accurate. But then, this is set in the future with advanced technology, so anything is possible! On this note, I found it cheeky that a certain jet gives Steampunk vibes (no points for guessing who it belongs to). 

The ending is hopeful and positive on different levels. I like how this is presented and balanced with the note at the beginning. 

To summarize, Skyfleet is a pacy adventurous, exciting, dangerous, and heartwarming story about two kids trying to prove their worth and helping their community during adversity. 

Thank you, TheWriteReads, Tiny Tree Books, and author Victoria Williamson, for a copy of the book. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.