The third book in Mohamed’s post-apocalypse series could be read as a standalone because it focuses on Henryk rather than Rain. His trek to find his uncle leads him to answer the universal question how do I fit in. More importantly, he asks — and answers — why he wants to. Mohamed explores a different angle on what it takes to survive a future dystopia, and what’s left after … everything. It’s a hopeful book, in the end, without being at all trite.

It's great to see how Mohamed decided to wrap these characters' stories, while also exploring all the various ways that communities can go wrong, what regime change actually looks like (not great, but frankly, it's all you've got sometimes), and being able to bring a wrap to Reid's individual story. I ended up tearing through this, but that was mainly because Mohamed has become an author I will ready anything I can find from, and there are some absolutely stunning passages here around the feeling of the world falling apart around you. Absolutely pick this up this fall.

Luscious world-building and gorgeous prose, earmarks of a Premee Mohamed book are absolutely on display here. Highly recommended!

I loved this. Reading the trilogy was completely worth it to get to this installment. This novella follows Henryk instead of Reid, and as a result is much more introspective.

I loved Henryk as the protagonist. He is soft and capable but imperfect in ways many protagonists are not allowed to be. He's a really interesting foil to Reid, who is brave and principled despite the Cad that actively works against her. In Henryk we find a character whose actions have been dominated by a fear not imposed by disease like his friend, but inherent to himself and having led to disastrous consequences. Throughout the novella he deals with the shame and ostracization he experiences as the result of his mistakes and explores self worth and community when society places so much emphasis on pulling your own weight.

I felt much more emotionally invested in this story than the previous two, in part because of the way his failures subvert the expectations of the selfless hero we've come to expect. Premee Mohamed's writing is lovely and really shines in the interactions between Henryk and his cousin Dane. If you're a fan of climate or dystopian fiction, definitely give this series a shot.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and ECW Press for an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

"Henryk Mandrusiak, finding nothing left for him in his community following his best friend Reid's departure, travels through the devastated land in search of a new place to call home.

After making a grievous mistake that ended in death, Henryk Mandrusiak feels increasingly ostracized within his own community, and after the passing on of his parents and the departure of his best friend, Reid, there is little left to tie him to the place he calls home. Henryk does something he never expected: he sets out into the harsh wilds alone, in search of far-flung family. He finds his uncle's village, but making a life for himself in this unfriendly new place - rougher and more impoverished than the campus where he grew up - isn't easy. Henryk strives to carve out a place of his own but learns that some corners of his broken world are darker than he could have imagined.

This stunning novella concludes the story Mohamed started in The Annual Migration of Clouds and continued in We Speak Through the Mountain, bleaker than ever but still in search of a spark of hope in the climate apocalypse."

I am obsessed with the work of Premee Mohamed.

The First Thousand Trees is the third installment in Premee Mohamed's novella series that started with The Annual Migration of Clouds. In this installment of the series we catch up with Henryk after the events of the first book. If you haven't read the rest of the series then this is your spoiler warning as I will discuss some elements of books one.

After Reid leaves for the mysterious University Henryk is left alone with the shadows of his mistakes hanging over him. He decides to leave and go searching for his uncle who he last saw at his parents funeral. With only a limited map to follow he ventures alone and is surprised to find that the way is easy and he does find the farm his uncle had invited him to visit, but his welcome there is not a warm one. The tree farm his uncle works at is very warry of outsiders and rely heavily on its members to do their own work and pull their own weight. Henryk struggles to fit in with the larger society of the farm even as he begins to make headway with his Uncle's small circle.

Premee is supremely gifted in making a big story out of only a few pages, and this is no different. Life after an ecological collapse drives people to adapt and not all in the same way. This fresh perspective on how some of the other survivors have learned to live in a harsher symbiosis with their environment is really interesting as the land has shaped the people even as the people act to reshape the desolation around them, one acre at a time. I was also excited when I realized that we would be getting a fresh perspective on the world from Henryk's perspective especially after his tumultuous experience in the first novella.

I really enjoy this series and I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys sci-fi/dystopian stories. I especially enjoy the imagination of how life goes on after a planet wide ecological collapse. Please consider picking up a copy from your local indie bookstore or library, and happy reading.

This whole trilogy feels very special. I love how lyrical and poetic the writing is. Combined with quite science-y bits the books feel very unique and engaging.

I am sad the series is over, I have so many things I want to know. I feel I really got attached to the characters.

In its essence the book is about finding your own path, coming of age in impossible circumstances, leaving things and people behind, growing up.