BOOK REVIEW: Sky High by Christy Breedlove

Sky High

Author: Christy Breedlove
Publication Date: 30 July 2024
Genre: YA Dystopian

Book Description:

In a post apocalypse world, a group of teenage orphans are determined to escape the tortures of a mile-high city government—a literal platform-city in the sky. They seek the refuge of a utopian society they believe is rumored to exist.

However, all is not well when they reach terra firma. They escape a communist dictatorship only to land in a world of rogue tribes and hybrid monsters.

Buy Links:

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SUMMARY

The story is set over 800 years into the future, where humanity’s catastrophic past has led to a world divided between those who live in towering cities above the clouds and those who remain on the devastated earth below. The society within these sky-high cities is rigid, with strict rules, assigned roles and harsh penalties for those who step out of line. Four teenagers—Toby, Maria, Justice and Remy—decide to defy the oppressive system of Cloud’s Rest, their airborne city, by escaping to the ground, a place they’ve only heard about in whispers and rumours. Their journey is fraught with danger as they are relentlessly pursued by the city’s security forces, led by the determined Lieutenant Branson Newman. On the ground, the teens encounter strange creatures, unpredictable tribes and a world vastly different from the one they fled, challenging their perceptions and testing their resolve.

MY THOUGHTS

Sky High presents an intriguing concept of a dystopian future where humanity has split between the skies and the earth. The setting, with its towering city and the desolate ground below, immediately draws readers into a world where survival is dictated by strict societal rules. However, while the escape from Cloud’s Rest is the catalyst for the plot, the majority of the story centres around the teens' struggles and encounters after their descent from the sky-high city.

The plot is engaging, with a well-paced journey that introduces various challenges and adversaries as the teens navigate this unfamiliar terrain. The contrast between the regimented life in Cloud’s Rest and the wild, unpredictable nature of the ground is compelling, though it could have benefited from deeper exploration of both worlds. The tribes and creatures the group encounters are intriguing, but there’s a sense that much more could be uncovered in future installments or with more detailed storytelling.

When it comes to character development, the teens are defined more by their roles and physical descriptions than by distinct personalities or growth throughout the narrative. Toby, as the de facto leader, shows some initiative, but the rest of the group—especially Maria and Justice—could have been fleshed out more fully to create a stronger emotional connection with the reader. Branson, on the other hand, stands out as a character with more depth, particularly as his role evolves towards the end of the story.

Dialogue within the book reflects the formal upbringing of the teens in their rigid society, but at times it felt stilted and could have used more variety to better differentiate the characters. The writing is accessible, with minimal graphic content, making it a suitable read for the YA audience. The action scenes are well-executed, and the inventive use of the teens’ makeshift weapons adds a layer of excitement to their encounters.

Overall, while Sky High delivers a solid dystopian adventure with an interesting premise, it leaves some areas underdeveloped. The world Breedlove has created is rich with potential, but I found myself wanting more—more exploration of the sky-high cities, more insight into the various tribes and more depth in the characters’ personal journeys. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable read that set the stage for what could be a much larger and more complex story in future books.

VERDICT

Rating: 4 Stars

Source: Author