Mary Weber, author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, dives into the YA Fiction world again with “The Evaporation of Sofi Snow” — a dystopian tale that takes place sometime after Earth’s Fourth World War.
Ice-Planet Delon and its very humanlike beings arrived 11 years ago, helping to bring an end to the catastrophic war, as well as improve conditions on Earth. Now comprised of 30 corporate nations, life on Earth is all about technology, medical improvements and entertainment — including the extremely popular FanFight Games.
Gamer Sofi, 17, and Shilo Snow, 12, the children of Corp 30’s CEO, are very popular and talented participants in the games, which are half-virtual and half-real scenarios. As they lead the pack in the most recent games, a bomb explodes, leading to death and destruction.
As the world is led to believe both Sofi and Shilo have been killed, Sofi fights to figure out what happened to her brother. After seeing him with a Delonese medic after the bombing, and through a series of dreams and visions featuring Shilo, Sofi is convinced her brother is still alive and has been taken to the planet located just past the moon.
Miguel is a human ambassador to the Delonese people who had a past relationship with Sofi 18 months ago, one that ended bitterly. But with his connection to the foreign planet and its people, Sofi must turn to him for help to search for Shilo. She must also figure out who else she can trust, and how her own past is connected to these visions of Shilo she is having.
Told alternatively from the perspectives of both Sofi and Miguel, “The Evaporation of Sofi Snow” is an exhilarating, intense futuristic, sci-fi book that both teens and adults will enjoy. Fans of “The Hunger Games,” “The Maze Runner” and “Ender’s Game” will love this story.
With no real religious theming, it does offer a few life lessons, like learning to trust, and a real relationship means showing vulnerability and dying to shallowness. A small warning — it does contain some mild sensual and sexual innuendos.
It did take me a little while to get into the story, as I felt a little lost at first. But hang in there! The story does end abruptly with no final resolution, so I’m assuming this won’t be just a standalone novel. I’m interested to see how Sofi’s and Miguel’s story will continue, and if they will be able to escape the dangerous situation in which they find themselves.
Four stars out of five.
Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.