5 ⭐

I received an advance review copy for free via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author, illustrator, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.

“Scientia potential est.” Knowledge is power.

While this quote is powerful in itself, so are a few others we find in this stunning debut novel from Mike Colapietro.
“…to fully appreciate order, you need to see chaos.”

“We are increasingly becoming a society without safety, community, or identity, yet we push forward, boats against the current.”

"For too long, this has been a country of exclusive individualism when its promise demands inclusive equality."

“…machines are only as good or bad as the people who wield them.”

What is happening???
Throughout this story, we follow Mencken Barnes as she wakes up from her “prison world,” only knowing gray, tasteless, porridge-like food, Chaplain Davis, and fleeting memories of her parents. Upon waking up and realizing she is alone, she ventures out to into the unknown to find her parents. As she does so, she never forgets what her parents instilled in her – Scientia potential est – Knowledge is power. She learns about and navigates this strange new world around her, but it is not what she was expecting. All the while, she carries a book that was stowed away in her cell – Where Gods Whisper – which tells the story of the “before,” and what led to the ultimate collapse of the world as they knew it.

The Vibes:
This harrowing, dystopian story is set in a time now so far from our own – beginning in 2049 or so. It’s technological, political, economic, and sociological parallels to today’s timeline show what COULD happen in the future with the massive uptick in use and reliance of artificial intelligence (AI), unfair labor practices of large corporations, and a government that stops working for its people, but works for itself.

What did I love?
I quite enjoyed the style of prose in this book. Not only to we get Mencken (and other character’s) stories, but we also get the supplemental materials from Where Gods Whisper and learn the backstory that led to the collapse. This kept me engaged through the entirety of the story, so much so that I didn’t want to put this book down, thinking: “BUT WHAT HAPPENS NOW?!” This kept the slower pace more exciting, in my opinion.

The ending also opens up to more books in the future following Mencken and her journey “after.” Especially since we have two letters from her as follow up materials on the author’s website.
As someone who loves a good dystopian novel, I loved being able to connect the happenings of today to something in the book. It made me feel more connected to the story itself.

What was not my favorite:
Due to the author being a journalist, some of the writing is pretty dry. I had to reread some passages to fully grasp some concepts. The ending also seemed a little bit rushed for the last few chapters, especially from the point where we get an unexpected visitor. This did not take away from the overall love of this story for me and I would definitely continue if this were made into a series.

So who would love this book?
This is great for people who love dystopian settings, unexpected twists, and stories that are added in sections rather that right up front. It makes you scratch your head the entire time thinking, “Could this be our future?” and “How can we prevent this?” It makes the reader think of the deeper meanings rather than what is first revealed.

Overall, Where Gods Whisper is a speculative story that provides depth and makes the reader feel a little uncomfortable at times, while still pulling the reader in for more.