Maggie Lee Raven

I find his theories lean a little too far on the environment side of the "nature vs nurture" debate. His background in trauma and addiction really shows through but altogether its not a terrible book and we are constantly learning more about ADHD. I would read with a critical lens and with the understanding that this book is not based on the authors experimental research but rather his experience as a medical doctor.

The book has some unique dystopian world building. It ends on a cliffhanger and I am excited for the next book to come out.

The book has some common tropes but they were popular well before booktok and they will be around long after it. It doesn't inherently detract from the story. I think the romance aspect of the book was unique.

The protagonists weren't particularly "special" and I think that is what makes it interesting. They don't have innate magic or strength that allows them to perform amazing feats. They are kind, resilient, and determined people who rise to the challenges they were faced with. The characters, both human and deity show complexity and nuance. No one is 100% good or evil. They are motivated by conflicting things, sometimes selfish, sometimes they do good things for selfish reasons, aren't always what you expect, etc.

The book didn't go in the direction that I expected it to and I am excited to read the second one.

The setting and world-building are very unique. It is a slow burn, both in terms of romance and story development but I enjoyed that.