I'm always interested in books about revolutions against oppressive systems, so this held my attention. The plot twist near the end did indeed surprise me, and took care of some of my earlier objections -- the smallness of the population, for example, and the unlikelihood of the feats the main character pulls off. I think we needed more development / the plot reveal to occur sooner.

Thank you to HypIn Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Neuen!

Neuen is a gripping, thoughtful sci-fi mystery with depth and heart, ideal for readers who appreciate substance over speed. It unfolds on a slow-turning planet where extremes of heat and cold dictate not only how people live, but who gets to survive.

Singerling constructs a society in which genetic “GLEtch” determines exile. The privileged remain in climate-controlled cities; the rest are forced into nomadic life as Reisende, wandering the margins of habitable space. It’s a brutal, slow-moving system of segregation that doesn’t need violence to sustain itself, just silence and routine compliance.

The world-building is rich with subtlety. Rather than sweeping exposition, Singerling allows the landscape, the climate, and the unspoken rules to tell us everything we need to know.

Lyn and Levi, the two central characters, reflect the novel’s deeper tensions. Lyn is a monitor of genetic compliance, sent to investigate a settlement that’s begun to fail. Levi, a Reisende and plant pathologist, is both a guide and skeptic; of Lyn's mission, her institution, and everything she represents.

Their interactions are compelling but never romanticised. Where Lyn is analytical and distanced, Levi is grounded and wary. Their relationship feels like a negotiation between two worldviews, shaped by the environments that made them. However, at times, their individual arcs feel slightly underexplored, especially Levi’s, whose emotional depth deserves more attention than the plot sometimes grants him.

The science is well-integrated and engaging, especially for readers interested in genetics, plant pathology, and climate. But its integration into the mystery isn’t always seamless. There are moments when the pacing slows to accommodate dense commentary, which may frustrate readers looking for immediacy or action.

Still, Neuen succeeds in what it sets out to do: it asks uncomfortable questions and lets them breathe. For readers drawn to political undertones, quiet resistance, and speculative worlds that feel eerily plausible, this one will linger.