Goodreads Synopsis

A thousand years in the future, the last of humanity live inside the walls of the totalitarian Kingdom of Cutta. The rich live in Anais, the capital city of Cutta, sheltered from the famine and disease which ravage the rest of the Kingdom. Yet riches and power only go so far, and even Anaitians can be executed. It is only by the will of the King that Nate Anteros, son of the King’s favourite, is spared from the gallows after openly dissenting. But when he’s released from prison, Nate disappears.

A stark contrast, Catherine Taenia has spent her entire life comfortable and content. The daughter of the King’s Hangman and in love with Thom, Nate’s younger brother, her life has always been easy, ordered and comfortable. That is, where it doesn’t concern Nate. His actions sullied not only his future, but theirs. And unlike Thom, Catherine has never forgiven him.

Two years pass without a word, and then one night Nate returns. But things with Nate are never simple, and when one wrong move turns their lives upside down, the only thing left to do is run where the King’s guards cannot find them – the Outlands. Those wild, untamed lands which stretch around the great walls of the Kingdom, filled with mutants and rabids.

My Mini Review

Just because our world is wrong doesn’t mean people don’t enjoy the binds which are holding them in. At least their binds are safe.

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From the beginning of the introduction/prologue, I was hooked on this book and didn’t want to put it down. The writing was vivid, fast-paced, and completely enthralling. The politics and world-building were fascinating, and the author did an excellent job of bringing this dystopian future to life filled with mutants, rabids, and crippling oppression. The characters, especially Catherine and Nate, were expertly crafted into believable people who dealt with significant emotional baggage as the story progressed. The book tackled some heavy themes, including grief, privilege and oppression, the importance of learning history, and the value/cost of freedom. The plot surprised me in several places, and the book did not end the way I initially thought it would. However, the ending was still satisfying and managed to make this story feel mostly complete despite being the first of a five book series. Needless to say, I will definitely be continuing with this series because I want to know what is in store for this world and these characters next. Therefore, I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to all fans of dystopian stories.

You could focus on how terrible the events of recent history are, and you could focus on how cruel the world can be and suffocate under its pressures and twist, but that would lead only to a lifetime of suffering for you…There is nothing in this life that can’t be lived through save death, so do not allow the darkness to cripple you. It’s not worth it. You have your whole life ahead of you…

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Have you read A Touch of Death? If not, I can’t recommend it enough! Does it sound like something you might enjoy? Let me know in the comments.

***Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book. The review contains my honest reactions and opinions about the story.***