Sunrise on the Reaping

There are no black and white characters in the book – the cold ruler was once an idealist, the meek mother secretly hides forbidden books, and even the main character’s ‘betrayal’ is full of struggle and remorse. This depiction of shades of grey gives the story tension and maps the reality of our vacillating between profit, fear and morality.

This book won’t give you cheap comfort, but it will plant a seed in your mind to resist nihilism. As you close the pages, perhaps you will look out the window at the sunrise and remember a line from the book:

They try to douse the day with blood, but they forget – with every harvest, they plant the roots of new life deep in the earth.