HEARTS OF A VANISHING CITY Book Review

Hearts of a Vanishing City (Prequel to The Kara Mason Story series) by Jill N Davies, eBook, 462 pages

Synopsis from NetGalley: One hundred years after outbreak nearly destroyed humanity, society is changing again as a new disease spreads. Four different couples navigate impossible choices, pitting their own survival against a dangerous future.

The governing DDC has designed a society to keep people safe: the clinics, the rules, the curfews, even the education system. In this dystopian world, choice is gone before anyone knows it's missing, and danger lurks for anyone who questions the system. People like Mora with her old-world tablet and supposedly extinct pet raven, Zayd is a factory worker out to make a better life for his growing family, or Park who is a promising student and just washed out of the prestigious Institute system. Others, like dissenter loyalist Simons, are already standing up to the DDC’s overreach.

The curious and courageous must make heartbreaking decisions to shape a more humane world. What would you sacrifice for the ones you love?

BOOK REVIEW: I have been following this author on TikTok for awhile now and when I found out that her prequel to her series (which is on my constantly growing TBR) was available on NetGalley for ARC readers, I jumped at the chance. I was extremely excited when the email came through that said I was selected to read this! I feel like knowing the beginning of the story might help me in the long run understand some of the characters I might meet in the series. Kind of like when I read A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes even though I had already read The Hunger Games Series.

Anyway, this author was a chemist before she was a writer and it shows with the science that is eluded to in this story. We're talking about a disease that had spread, was being studied, and was found to be mutating. The world that she has created feels very cold and uninviting which is evident by the people avoiding human contact at all times and sometimes even among family members. It's sad but the characters and the drive that they bring, all different, and all amazing! I don't know if I can pick a favorite part except maybe finding out that Mora's old-world tablet has books on it! She loves to read!

This is a solid 5 star read for me. Like I already said, the world she has built is amazing. The way the author describes the cities, I see it kind of like how they turned Chicago for Divergent (the movie) and the outside just being empty. Like people just packed up and left one day never to return. It feels sad but in a way that helped me feel more connected to the characters. I already have the audiobook for Due North downloaded to my phone so I can roll right into that next so I can see how the story continues!

This book comes out on Friday 5.23.2025 and I know will be available as an eBook and physical copy. I saw the author is reviewing the audiobook so if that isn't also out on publication day, it will follow shortly after!

5/5 Stars

2025 Reading Challenge: 30/50 complete

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