Dove Exiled by Karen Bao

Series: Dove Chronicles (bk. 2)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Romance

Subjects: moon, space, space colonies, ocean, sea colonies, adventure, war, love

Setting: In Odan, a village on one of the British Isles, floating cities, a moon colony

POV/Tense: 1st person POV, present tense: Phaet Theta

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 297 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: Penguin: Viking

Summary/ product description: “The thrilling follow-up to the groundbreaking debut Dove Arising.

Phaet Theta fled the Moon and has been hiding on Earth with her friend Wes and his family. But Phaet’s past catches up with her when the Lunar Bases attack the community and reveal that Phaet is a fugitive. She’s torn between staying on Earth with Wes—whom she’s just discovered her feelings for—and stowing away on a Moon-bound ship to rescue her siblings from the wrath of the government who killed their mother. But when Phaet makes the agonizing decision to return to the Moon, she finds the rebel movement there has turned her into their “Girl Sage,” a symbol of their struggle. She’s the biggest celebrity on the Moon: half the people worship her, and the other half want her dead.”

My Review:  Dove Exiled is the sequel to Dove Arising. It starts out with Phaet on Earth, in a town called Odan with Wes. Odan is on an island within the Bristish Isles archipelago. The Odans hate technology and chemicals and use only organic stuff. The use bioluminescent bacteria for lights at night. They make their own clothes.

The Odan’s are not sure what to make of Phaet. Wes and her concoct a back-story the she is Fay, and was an engine room slave in Pacifia, a floating city that has a population made primarily of Asian people.  The Odans call Lunars “demons” because their lack of religion, and the Odans a very religious. This is mainly why Phaet could not tell then that she is Lunar.

Wes’s dad discovers her true identity and is not too happy about it. Wes and Phaet are exiled, but decide to help the Odans out and set off for the floating city of Battery Bay to help them because Pacifia is planning to attack Odan. Phaet wants to use Pacifia to get back to Base IV on the moon and save her brother Cygnus who’s being tortured there.

I really thought the idea floating cities was cool. I thought they were going to be just huge ships, but they are actually floating cities. Real cities with roads or cannels, tall towers and homes. One was called Tourmaline, which is this really beautiful long, straight gemstone.

Phaet gets back to the moon, and is a fugitive and trying to save her brother. Phaet get turned into a legend, a symbol of rebellion, kind of like Katniss as the Mockingjay, or even Mare as the Red Queen. They call her the Sage Girl. The rebellion called Dovetail, originally formed by Phaet’s mother, came up with a plan for the council election. Something causes difficulties for their plans.

This sequel was not bad, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book. It was a lot shorter, and also I forgot what happened exactly in the previous book. I think the book begins month later after the first book ended.

I recommend this book series to fans of: Divergent by Veronica Roth, Cinder by Melissa Meyer, The Hunger Games, Matched or Atlantia by Ally Condie, Reboot by Amy Tintera, and other various dystopian series. Also, if you enjoy books set in space, like Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

Cover Art Review: Much better than previous book’s cover. Cool illustrations. Love the city in the background.

Atlantia by Ally Condie

Series: Standalone? Companion Series?

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Fantasy

Subjects: sea colonies, sirens, abilities, secrets

Setting: Atlantia, a sea colony

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, present tense: Rio

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 298 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $18.99

Publisher: Penguin: Dutton Juvenile 

Summary/ product description: “Can you hear Atlantia breathing?

For as long as she can remember, Rio has dreamt of the sand and sky Above—of life beyond her underwater city of Atlantia. But in a single moment, all her plans for the future are thwarted when her twin sister, Bay, makes an unexpected decision, stranding Rio Below. Alone, ripped away from the last person who knew Rio’s true self—and the powerful siren voice she has long hidden—she has nothing left to lose.

Guided by a dangerous and unlikely mentor, Rio formulates a plan that leads to increasingly treacherous questions about her mother’s death, her own destiny, and the complex system constructed to govern the divide between land and sea. Her life and her city depend on Rio to listen to the voices of the past and to speak long-hidden truths.”

My Review:  Atlantia was an interesting and lyrical dystopian-fantasy mash up. It’s almost a dystopian retelling of the Little Mermaid, but very different, and about sirens. There’s some unique world-building. It’s set in a seas colony. There are some people who live there that have abilities to control and manipulate people with their voice and are called sirens. They are not mermaids, but this ability does seem more magical than psychic. Rio herself is a siren, but she hides it. She has an aunt who’s a siren and it’s unusual to have more than one siren in a family line. How they actually do it is never fully explained, but they believe it’s a miracle from the gods. Also, these people have their own religion based off some statues in a temple. Atlantia is more utopia than dystopia, but it’s a secluded world that has it’s own set of rules to follow. Rio and Bay’s mother was the minister and she died. The new minister is a man named Nevio.

Rio is an interesting character. She talks with a dull voice so no one knows her abilities. Rio loves the city but wants to go Above to be with her sister. She does some risky things in this book She’s determined and doesn’t give up. Rio used to work in the temple until she’s given a job repairing drones. Rio does swimming races and performances for money. There’s this guy named True who help her along the way and they have a bit of a romance. True’s friend went Above as well. I like True. He seems sweet.

There’s a lot of secrets and deception within the walls of Atlantia. Who killed Rio’s mother? What could her aunt be hiding? What is the new minister hiding? Atlantia may be on the verge of falling apart. Read and find out. I recommend this book to fans of Cinder, Glitch by Heather Anastasiu, Renegade (The Elysium Chronicles) by J.A. Souders, and Dark Life by Kat Falls. Dystopia retellings of fairytales, or books set in a sea colony or underground colony.

Cover Art Review: Love the semi-metallic cover. Teal green is a lovely color. The shell fits with the story.