Kirkus
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In a distant future, after the Last War when the human population became endangered, a new society formed from the ashes, strictly to optimize procreation. But not procreation between just anyone. This society, ruled by the Illum—a mysterious authoritarian group—assigns mates to select for the best traits and to breed out defects, to grow the Elite population living in the clouds. Protagonist Emeline is a stubborn and bored young woman, working her days away on the ground as a Minor Defect—one of the class of women waiting to be approved for mating with an Elite, and hoping to never be banished further from society. Emeline’s instincts are apparently to reject the rigid decorum of her society, but she spends years trying to follow the rules set out for her, or at least dissociates enough not to challenge her way of life, until one day an elusive and charming man, Hal, walks into her office to talk about art. The same day, she is approved for mating and matched with Collin, the youngest member of the Illum, in the sort of pairing that hasn’t happened in decades. Courtship with Collin is full of luxury—fancy dinners and balls in the clouds—but also lies and days of discovering secrets kept from her, while trying to keep the Elite’s rumors and malicious Press at bay. Caught between these two men, with their own agendas, and so many unanswered questions, Emeline must decide what she wants, if she can want anything at all. With a rebellion rising in secret and the repression of the Illum close at hand, she’ll find what she’s willing to lose for the ability to choose for herself. The dystopian worldbuilding is underdeveloped at best, so get swept up in discovering truth from lies quickly before it starts to fall apart in your hands. For readers of the once-popular dystopian YA novels who are now all grown up. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Library Journal
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DEBUT In the future, the ruling Illum oversee three genetically determined lower classes: the Elite, who are without genetic anomalies; the Minors, who have minor anomalies; and the Majors, who have significant anomalies. Emeline is a Minor who spends her days working a mindless job, hoping to obtain a contract to mate with an Elite. Once successfully mated, she will live amongst the Elite with many benefits. But when Emeline is mated to Collin, a member of the Illum, she is under pressure to perform perfectly for her mate or risk the elimination of her contract or even her life. Complicating matters, Emeline meets Hal, a Major who challenges her perceptions of the status quo. Tension arises when the rebel group Hal is a member of makes waves against the Illum and the Elite, with Emeline stuck between satisfying the higher classes or joining the resistance effort against them. While Emeline falls for Hal, she cannot help reacting when she is near Collin, whom she simultaneously fears. VERDICT Despite easily foreshadowed plot twists and a dangerously naive heroine, Sullivan's debut is a promising series start that will draw in fans of dystopian survival stories who enjoy a love triangle that spans class and caste boundaries between the haves and have-nots.—Eve Stano