Synopsis:
Forbidden children. Forgotten History. A power no one has witnessed in living memory.
In the pyramid city of El-Pelusium, all second-born children are banished to an island of madmen for fear of a power they are rumored to possess.
But Miki isn’t just a Second, she is a Fifth.
Nineteen years of hiding behind false identities and away from the public eye has left her with unmatched anxiety. But when a chance encounter throws her in the path of the new young ruler of the Pyramid who is hunting for answers—and a friend, Miki must dodge the very person with the power to banish her. On top of it all, a madman from the island claims being a fifth-born means something. But listening to him would make Miki as mad as him. Unless he is right. If so, the system Miki’s fragile world is built upon, and her very life, are in the balance.
Favorite Lines:
“Living isn’t the same as life.”
My Opinion:
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
I will be honest, this book had kind of a slow start. I thought it was going in one direction and then it went in a completely different one. But I am happy I stuck with it because it was an interesting concept. The story follows Miki, a fifth child born in a world where families are only permitted to have one child. Banished from her home, she has to learn to survive on an island of other banished seconds and keep her birth order a secret. The one thing I didn’t like about this book is while I thought the start was a bit slow, there were some parts that I thought went too fast and could have been slowed down and elaborated on. Perhaps this is because I liked the concept and wanted it to be more drawn out for my enjoyment.
I liked that there were PoV changes so we could see perspectives from other characters, especially from the romantic interest (I totally shipped Miki and Atsu). I won’t give any spoilers away on it though.
As I had mentioned above, this was an interesting concept with a unique setting and Wilke has a unique storytelling voice.
Summary:
Overall, this was a really interesting concept and a decent read. If you like action, fiction, fantasy, and romance then this book may be for you. Happy reading!
Likely Story 