I liked this story a lot. I would describe it as a survival sci-fi with some interesting twists, with questions about the nature of family, love, and humanity itself at it's surprisingly tender core.
There is action and drama, even some heartache, without super graphic or gratuitous violence. I like the world and society that the author builds. I could feel the climate and the harshness of the landscape, the author did well there. I believed the characters and didn't have a hard time understanding what motivated them.
I will read the next book....my only real problem with this book was how aware I was of the next book while reading this one. It really does read, especially toward the end, like the first of three or four books. It's a clear setup for a trilogy.
Overall this was exactly what I needed and I'm glad I picked it up. I was in a bit of a reading slump. I do this thing at the beginning of summer, where I want a "beach read! fun!" but then everything I pick up that is "in that category" feels vapid and I hate it.
I love a deep sci-fi read, with winding, sprawling, endless world-building and detail that almost feels tedious....but this time I just wanted a lighter-feeling page turner with characters I wanted to know more about and a story that made me turn the page. B-I-N-G-O.
TLDR; This really is a beach read for people who super dig sci-fi.
