Review: Dominion: Ascension by D.A. Murray

🔥 Overview
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where women wield absolute control, Dominion: Ascension is a bold dystopian thriller that flips traditional power dynamics on their head. D.A. Murray crafts a visceral narrative exploring survival, rebellion, and the cost of dominance in a fractured society. With its unrelenting pace and stark world-building, this novel grips readers from the first page to its explosive climax.

🔍 Key Strengths
⚔️ Provocative Premise – The matriarchal dystopia is both refreshing and unsettling, challenging gender norms with brutal honesty.
🌍 Immersive World-Building – Murray paints a vivid, gritty landscape where every alliance is fragile and every rule is enforced with iron will.
💥 High-Stakes Conflict – The tension between the ruling elite and underground dissenters drives a plot thick with betrayal and revolution.
🖤 Complex Characters – Protagonists and antagonists alike are layered, their motivations blurring the line between hero and villain.

⚠️ Considerations
📜 Pacing Shifts – Some sections rush pivotal moments, while others linger on atmospheric detail, creating occasional tonal whiplash.
🔮 Thematic Familiarity – Fans of The Handmaid’s Tale or The Power may recognize echoes, though Murray’s execution carves a distinct path.

⭐ Score Breakdown (0–5 Stars)
✍️ Writing Style → ★★★★☆ (4/5)
🎭 Character Depth → ★★★★☆ (4/5)
🌐 World-Building → ★★★★★ (5/5)
⚡ Plot Momentum → ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Overall: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
A scorching rebellion against the status quo—where power doesn’t just corrupt; it consumes.

🎯 Perfect For Readers Who Love
📖 Feminist dystopias with teeth
⚔️ Stories of societal collapse and resistance
🖤 Morally gray characters in impossible choices

🙏 Gratitude
Thank you to NetGalley and D.A. Murray for the advance review copy. Dominion: Ascension is a firebrand of a novel, demanding attention and sparking conversation long after the final page.

(Note: Review based on an uncorrected proof; final publication may vary.)