THE STRICKEN

Every night during sleep, people’s spirits journey to a parallel universe, but only the Nobles are conscious of their dual lives.

Those from Noble bloodlines can move freely between Khalom, the city located beyond white gates that they’re responsible for protecting, and Desolation, or “everywhere outside of the city.” Seventeen-year-old Clara has been trapped outside Khalom for a decade, her memory of the city lost until a mysterious entity guides her back. Her return incites fear among her new classmates: Like her grandmother before her, Clara has the power of Death. She becomes a formidable student and a critical player in a struggle for Khalom’s survival. In the physical world, Clara strives to protect her brother from a group seeking to utilize her bloodline’s extraordinary abilities. In Khalom, she fights disgraced Nobles who threaten to destroy both worlds in their search for immortality. The original premise stands out, and the worldbuilding is meticulous, but the plot is complex to the point of being convoluted, potentially overwhelming readers before they have the chance to bond with the characters. The interconnected plotlines across the two worlds feel disorienting, though they do ultimately coalesce. Clara’s internal conflicts depict her less as a chosen one and more as a teenager grappling with situations larger than herself. Clara is cued white; there’s racial diversity among secondary characters.

An ambitious story that tries to do too much, but fans of intricate fantasies will find elements to enjoy.