Amazing. Powerful. Socially aware and vitally important. This book is a must read.

First the story: Excellent writing and storytelling. This dystopian world is vividly detailed—you can feel the desolation and despair that surrounds the society. The characters were beautifully polished. And towards the end of the book I was crying—not just once, but again and again. And the ending... I never saw it coming!

Then the subtext: Beyond the actual story, there is so much to unpack in this book. It is a social commentary on racism, a reminder to question everything (especially the propaganda of those in power), and a warning about the corruption of social infrastructure (those with the most power/money/influence protecting and promoting themselves while actively trying to subvert everyone else). I can see this becoming a classic in the same veins as Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World.

This book is next level.

What worked:
The author skillfully takes the time to describe the oppressive, despondent dystopian setting in the early parts of the book. Leandro and his little sister Gabi harvest potatoes all day in the hot sun only to be paid with a couple of potatoes for themselves. They share a tent-like hut with a frail, old woman but she takes most of their payment for herself and threatens them into submission. Anyone caught stealing or not obeying the rules of Pocatel is taken into custody by the Patrol and banished into the barren Outlands. The wyrms and spores that become active at night almost guarantee the exiles won’t live to see the sunrise. Leo is determined to escape with Gabi and find a safer place to live.
The Old-World refers to Earth as it used to be. Leo and Gabi wonder if the unbelievable tales of abundant wildlife and plants are actually true and they dream of someday living in a place like that. Readers will try to make mental connections between the world we know and the general descriptions of a world long gone. Some familiar technology and building structures are mentioned along with geographical locations and occupations. The term alebrije refers to mythical creatures but in this book, they’re simply animals the characters haven’t seen before. Leo speaks Spanish at times and I confess that I don’t know exactly what he’s saying. Readers can get the gist of the meanings for these phrases and the language enhances the cultural aspect of the story.
The essence of the conflict is based on the governing structure of Pocatel. The Pocatelans lived independently and took care of their own until the Cascabels arrived years ago. The Cascabels are used to ensure the survival of Pocatel but it’s clear the city’s citizens are more valued than the immigrants. The Cascabels living in the Pox are afraid of banishment and probable death so they don’t complain and silently perform the harsh tasks assigned to them. However, the story later reveals there’s more going on behind the scenes than anyone knows. The Directors are planning to take drastic, heartless actions that go well beyond anything done before. The real problem is the Imperator leading all of Pocatel. The repressive, cruel atmosphere has conditioned most of the citizens to have the same attitudes since speaking out against the leaders can lead to Pocatelans being banished too.
What didn’t work as well:
The book’s synopsis tells readers where the plot is headed but it takes a while to get there. There’s a great deal of description. However, the story takes a drastic turn about a fourth of the way into the book when Leo goes through an extreme transformation, and his consciousness is joined with a hummingbird drone.
The Final Verdict:
The book shares an innovative view of a dystopian culture living under a repressive, strict government. The interest level kicks up once Leo is banished as the plot opens up to a new setting, new characters, and significant revelations. Overall, this is a highly entertaining book and I highly recommend you give it a shot.

When I noticed this book was by Donna Barba Higuera I couldn't resist it. The cover and the title are amazing and after her previous work, this author is an auto-buy. I even collect the Spanish version.
This one won't disappoint us again. The author's style is courageous and creative, she's a Frida Khalo of middle grades when it comes to combining symbolism, magic realism, modernism, and surrealism.
We're presented with a future Earth where children are far from being safe and protected in this upper middle-grade dystopian story. Without presenting many spoilers, we have a brother and a sister who want to escape the lies and laws of those ruling Pocatel who punish the citizens for lying, stealing and cheating, but it goes wrong. The book has a slower start, but when we reach chapter 10 about 30% it just picks up in a way that we can't put down because the siblings are facing ordeals that will keep you turning the pages.
All of it is infused with a lot of Latino culture and heritage, including the alebrijes, the dances, the cascabels and that is just the very first chapters. We're in for a physical and spiritual journey.
Explores themes like survival, migration, resources, justice, family, heritage, memory, and history.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this Arc. My opinions are honest and my own.