Goliath

First, thank you to the publisher and Goodreads for sending me this ARC in a giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

This book, set in the near future, explores what the world would be like if humanity decided to colonize space. It explores the class and race divisions that are sure to be created. The people with the money and the means are the ones that abandon a dying Earth to go live in space with clean air and water. What's left of Earth is a radiation filled planet, where only the wealthiest of cities are able to afford a dome for protection. Many POC are left behind to live on this planet to eke out a life with little resources.

This book was a harrowing read, mostly for it's reality. A lot of this book has real life references in it, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. It talks about how these things changed society and led to space colonization. This created a book that felt like all too real of a possibility. It talks about the BLM protests, and how many white people became educated, but that didn't mean things changed. The Colonies in space learn all about white privilege, but are still the ones in space.

A lot of this book was very confusing. The story telling isn't linear, and there are many POVs. I found myself not knowing what was going on a lot of the time, and I'm sure even by the end I missed things. However, that didn't really bother me. I thought that the story telling made the reader feel how dark and chaotic this life was for these people.

All in all, I think this book is incredible. It is a beautifully crafted exploration of classism, racism, and how the two dictate the kind of life you're allowed to live.

TW: alcohol, alcoholism, amputation, assault, attempted murder, blood, bones, cancer, cannibalism, child death, death, depression, drugs, famine, fire, gore, gun violence, hallucinations, hospitalization, hostages, murder, poisoning, police brutality, racism, slavery, terminal illness, violence