This compelling novel takes place in an alternate future rife with smoky air from wildfires, rising tides, and ever-present wind. Twenty-seven-year-old Silvia and her mom are refugees living in Island City. Silvia loves hearing stories about her family and about their past as told by her aunt because Sylvia’s mom never talks about the past. They are part of the Repopulation Program and live in Morningside, where her aunt is superintendent. Morningside used to be the nicest building in a once-upper-class neighborhood. On the thirty-third floor of the Morningside lives a mysterious woman who has her own entrance which she only uses at night to walk her massive dogs. Sylvia and this woman’s lives are enmeshed in unexpected ways that Sylvia unravels throughout the course of the novel. This is a book filled with rich descriptions and a compelling plot that explores climate change, family relationships, secrets and the power of storytelling. Thank you to Random House and To Netgalley for the advanced Review copy.

In a future dystopian world, an eleven year old whip smart girl named Silvia, and her mother, are “Repopulated” from what is described like a Slavic or Balkan homeland to a city that sounds very much like a climate disaster remnant of New York City. In their post apocalyptic new world , mother and child live in the Morningside, an old, once glorious high rise building , where Aunt Ena is the superintendent. Ena and Silvia strike up a warm relationship, filled with many stories of former country , that have been well guarded secrets by Silvia’s mom.

Flooding and a fairly recent war have changed the physical landscape, political climate and life style of the survivors. Silvia, ever curious , examines every detail and every individual she sees or encounters. Of prime interest is Bezi Duras, a neighbor living on a top floor, with three dogs and a private elevator to her apartment. Is Bezi a Vila? Does she have magical powers to cast spells ? Are her dogs really young men or wolves who can shape shift? Reality and fantasy live side by side and often commingle in Silvia’s mind. It’s difficult to differentiate where the worlds separate and what is imaginary.

I’m not always a fan of magical thinking as a theme In this case, Tea Obreht writes so beautifully and clearly, that the descriptive possibility of fantasy worlds are altogether believable. Silvia’s journey is to a new land makes for a compelling read. So many questions along the way. Some are answered and some dwell in the reader’s imagination and are subject to personal interpretation.

Morningside is not a simple tale and I suspect that it’s not meant for every reader. Those who enjoy a thought ,provoking story that is multi layered and written in lyrical beautiful language will find it an extraordinary read. Five stars for a book that captured my heart. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Morningside will be released tomorrow, March 19,2024. Get your copy !

In a dystopian future where climate change has turned much of the coasts into wetlands and people have turned into climate refugees constantly on the move, Silvia and her mother Ena arrive via a repopulation program at a run-down, mostly flooded Island City one assumes is New York.

As true impoverished immigrants, they take a job maintaining a former glamorous high-rise for menial pay and board. Ena speaks only broken English and constantly admonishes Silvia to hide their original country of origin out of fear of reprisals or recrimination. No school has room for Silvia as a student, so she both assists her mom in the constant fixes the crumbling building and attends to its former uppity residents’ needs, all the while being swept into Old World folklore and stories shared by her mother’s sister.

Silvia obsesses about one of these stories involving an all-powerful and vengeful female spirit Vila, whom she’s convinced has come to life in the building’s penthouse resident, the mysterious Bezi. She’s also convinced that the woman’s three huge dogs are actually men magically imprisoned by her and let free to assume their human forms at night. You just have to just accept this magic realism as the story unfurls, as a way that Silvia copes with their displacement and her mother’s refusal to talk at all about their past.

As Ena undertakes dangerous underwater salvage work, and Silvia befriends Mila the only other teen in the building, danger presents on all fronts. Silvia ultimately seeks a way to reconcile their past with the future she wants to create for herself.


Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

I adored this book. The Morningside is a dystopian story set in an apartment building in a city that has been flooded. The prose was wonderful, I loved the magical realism elements, and I really enjoyed all the characters. Even the minor characters were so interesting and well developed. Tea Obreht is definitely an author I want to read more from; I immediately added The Tiger's Wife to my TBR. I don't think this book will appeal to everyone, but I really enjoyed it. You won't get all the answers you want and I sometimes have a hard time with that! But, I really feel like it worked with this book. If you like dystopian climate crisis books and enjoy magical realism, definitely give it a chance.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for providing an ARC.

THe morning side is one of the must hyped books of the season, as it is marking a return for obreht. The novel tells the story of a mother and daughter who lose their lives and move in with an aunt who lives in a famous building that is fast disappearing under water. Silive, the young girl, knows nothing of the outside world and has to rely on stories to piece together her past, all while becoming fixated with a mysterious tenant in the building who holds secrets of her own past. Silvia must rely on the stories of others to delve into the tenant’s past and solve the mysteries surrounding her.

The novel is part dystopian/part suspense/part magical realism. While the premise is intriguing and the prose is beautiful, something fell short for me. I found it difficult to connect with the plot and to follow at times. I think this may be a me problem though more so than anything-so i encourage readers who loved her previous works to try it! It’s still worth the read! 3.5 stars would be more accurate than the 3-4.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm torn about this story, so my rating has gone back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, so I guess 3.5 stars. Is the book beautifully written? Absolutely so. I've been dying to read The Tiger's Wife for years, and I will eventually read it because the author is an amazing genius with words. The story itself is intriguing to some degree. It is dystopian to be sure with a touch of fantasy or magical realism. And I generally love stories like that. I think where this one fails for me is that I don't feel like I got the closure that "I" needed, and I found myself ruminating as to what the author wanted us to get from the story. Like I said, I'm not sure where I stand right now. Tomorrow, I may feel differently.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

When the only life she has ever known is taken from her, Silvia and her mother have moved in with her aunt. They now live in a hotel that was once famous and is now falling into the sea as the coasts disappear. Silvia knows nothing of her family outside her mother and is unaware of anything outside the home that is now lost to her. She must listen and learn to find how she and her mother came to be here and how she will fit here. Full of unique characters that will provide clues, Silvia's story is a twisted view of how a life torn apart can be a blessing.

Set in a post apocalyptic future in a once great but now flooded city, Silvia and her mother move into an apartment with a great set of characters including her mysterious aunt Ena. Haunting and well written, the stage is set for magical folktales and hidden secrets. Recommended reading.

A dystopian tale of a young stranger in a strange land. Silvia, an 11 year old, and her mother, have moved in with her aunt Ena (really?) in the luxury apartment building Ena manages because the flood has sent them fleeing. Silvia sees this as an opportunity to learn about her family's past but she also expands her world with other residents. There's good world building, the mother-daughter relationship is strong but there are time when the allusions to other tales felt heavy handed. That said it's an interesting read that might appeal more to the YA crowd, not only because Silivia is 11 but also because they might not be burdened by drawing parallels to world events and so on.

This is a medium paced climfii/mystery/fantasy novel about displacement from climate change, and political upheaval from war.
Obreht’s beautiful writing makes a disconnected character driven story about a displaced teen trying to find herself through a mysterious past and an even more mysterious future an engaging read.
Perfect for bookclub discussions as there are multiple topics to discuss including displacement and war, climate changes, family relationships and ancient folktales,
If you enjoyed Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel or Khan Shubnum’s The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years then you will enjoy this book.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this advance readers copy.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Random House, for my free digital copy for review.

"The Morningside" by Tea Obreht presents a compelling narrative set in a dystopian and post-apocalyptic environment. The story centers around Silvia (Sil), a resilient young girl, and her mother, who undergo displacement and are relocated to the Morningside, an old luxury tower situated in a flood-prone area.

The characters are intricately intertwined, contributing to the rich tapestry of themes and experiences within the dystopian backdrop. Notably, the complex relationship between Silvia and her mother takes center stage, portraying a closeness tempered by the mother's reluctance to address questions about their shared history and past. This dynamic unfolds as a poignant exploration of love, resentment, and the quest for understanding.

Silvia grapples with curiosity, loneliness, and the complexities of growing up amid uncertainty and change. The narrative effectively captures her quest to uncover her origins and family history, reflecting the theme of self-discovery and the search for personal identity.

While the novel demands close attention due to its rapid scene transitions and non-linear storytelling, it enriches the reading experience by infusing the narrative with mystery, unpredictability, and emotional resonance.

"The Morningside" offers a thought-provoking exploration of themes such as identity, origins, climate change, and displacement, providing readers with a compelling and immersive reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Morningside follows an eleven year old girl refugee of a dystopian war and world. Because of a child's viewpoint, the scope is limited to what she sees, believes, and understands. There were lulls in the story that were just a child/children hiding and spying. It reminds me of a grown-up edition of Harriet the Spy. I would have enjoyed seeing and understanding more about the world, but I understand the message the author was trying to express. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.

11-year-old Sylvia and her mom go to live with her aunt Bazeel and a fancy abandon apartment in a re-population program hoping that if they move to the area others will come. Except her mother young Sylvia has never met another member of her family and when she finds her aunt more outgoing and quicker to tell Sylvia things about her family she thinks it may be OK The new place still be a live however also has its secrets and since she spends most of her time alone it is left up to her to figure out the world around her. Let me just say head this been a children’s book or even a young adult book it may have been a bit better but it took me forever to read this book and a lot of times when I put it down I really didn’t want to pick it back up. This book is that in a world where the environment is reaping payback with an ever growing ocean but this is just a minor point to the book an a plot point I found pointless. This book could’ve been set an a two bedroom house or an apartment building in the city today and I don’t see how the narrative would’ve went any other way. It really look like a book I was going to love but sadly I did not. Because I loved the Tigers wife and have In Land on my TBR list. I couldn’t wait to read this and now I know In Land has a 50-50 chance of being great. I still appreciate being given this book by Net Galley and the publisher please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

"The Morningside" by Téa Obreht is a moving dystopian novel set in a future where Silvia, a young girl, and her mother relocate to a new city on an island as part of a Repopulation Program. They move into a high-rise building overseen by Silvia's Aunt Ena, the superintendent. Unable to attend school, Silvia spends her days exploring the building and observing its inhabitants, including a mysterious wealthy woman in the penthouse.

Enamored by the woman's presence, Silvia becomes convinced that there is something mythical about her. With the help of her friend Mila and a local man named May, Silvia embarks on a quest to uncover the truth, despite her mother's warnings to keep a low profile.

"The Morningside" explores themes of family history, seeking truth, and the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. Obreht's imaginative storytelling and vivid world-building make for an engaging read, and the only thing that didn’t work for me was that the pacing felt uneven at times. Overall, I recommend "The Morningside" to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction with mystical elements or magical realism.

I really, really wanted to dig into this and love it but after many attempts I have to admit it just does not grab my attention. I love the little bits of world building and references to a setting that sounds vaguely dystopian, but they are too few and far between to keep me engaged. Wish it was faster paced and more overt.

Emotionally wrecked and filled with adoration for this odd gem of a novel. It grabbed me, took me by surprise and never let me go. Silvia is one of my favorite MC’s in a long while. Her search for meaning and understanding in her history was so beautifully woven with Balkan folklore. I have Inland on my shelf, guess it’s time to pick it up.

I believe that this book should be reclassified as Young Adult and then my review would be much more favorable. As it is now I was disappointed and uninterested in the story and plot. I've reached a saturation level on the post-apocalyptic settings that so many novels seem to embrace now. Been there, done that. Worse though is that I don't see that it was necessary for the story, it added nothing to the plot that any contemporary setting couldn't achieve.
Tea Obreht's writing and prose is beautiful as always. If you enjoy just reading a writer who is a master of her craft then give The Morningside a try, but the story left me bored and cold. I felt no attachment to the characters, they were flat and unremarkable except for one character, May, who had a little depth but could have been developed much further.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A refuge mother and daughter find themselves caretakers of a once ornate apartment building. There are hidden secrets behind the doors of the residents.

⭐️: 3.5/5

In the not so distant future, Silvia and her mother are expelled from their home and eventually settle at the Morningside, a crumbling, luxury residence where Silvia’s aunt Eva works as the superintendent. Silvia knows almost nothing about her previous life, as her mother will not speak of it, so she drinks in Ena’s magical stories and becomes obsessed with a mysterious older woman and her three dogs. As she tries to find out the woman’s secrets, she unknowingly puts everything else she knows in jeopardy.

I was honestly pretty confused about this book throughout the majority of it. I was definitely…interested? But I couldn’t figure out if it was going to have a plot, or was more of a vibe. It did end up having a plot, but still was not exactly what I expected, based on the blurb I read about this one. I couldn’t figure out for the longest time what genre this book was either, which kept me from being able to classify it in my head and form an opinion on it. The most interesting part of this one was the speculative nature of the near-future elements. The reality of the decline of our planet is brought into stark relief in this one, and the repercussions of the necessary migration that would occur from coastal areas felt really real. I found the characters a little unbearable in this one, since none were particularly likable or even unlikable in an interesting way. The choice to have most of this book from a very young Silvia’s POV was interesting, since she is so naive and just…young. This was a pretty short book, and thus a pretty quick read, and the themes were interesting enough that I’d still recommend this one, even if it was a little…odd.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for this free eARC!!

3.5 to 4 stars

"The Morningside" is a captivating coming-of-age tale amidst the backdrop of a not-so-distant, dystopian future. At its core, is the universal quest to find belonging.

Sil and her mother, displaced by the ravages of war and climate change, find refuge in Island City through the Repopulation efforts. Their residence in the enigmatic Morningside, overseen by Sil's Aunt Ena, becomes a catalyst for discovery. Through Ena's revelations about their past and the rich tapestry of folklore from their homeland, Sil begins to unearth her identity and forge connections long yearned for.

Inventive and imaginative, Sil drives the narrative finding herself on an adventure as she straddles the world she sees and the one that lies just beneath looking for connection and understanding that could jeopardize her everything she holds dear.

"The Morningside" is a testament to the power of storytelling, offering readers an inventive and compelling exploration of identity, community, and the sacrifices demanded by the pursuit of truth.

Thank you NetGalley Tea Obreht and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced e-copy of this book. Grab your copy March 19th, 2024!