The Thousand Steps

August 1, 2019

Gr 6-8-This first book in the series sets the stage for a dystopian fantasy based in South Africa in the year 2055. Sixteen-year-old Ebba grows up in an underground bunker, believing that the world outside has been rendered uninhabitable by a cataclysm that destroyed human civilization. When she suddenly reenters the world above, she learns that she is actually an heiress to a great fortune and the subject of interest for a feud between gods. In this new world, Ebba must decide what she values most and who to trust along the way. This novel will draw readers in with its high stakes and well-developed characters. Ebba is an interesting, if frustratingly naive, protagonist who confronts challenging issues-particularly a legacy of apartheid. At times, it may prove difficult for readers to suspend disbelief while following Ebba's journey, as she and others rapidly shift their perspectives and attitudes. Although this book references a deep history of racism, that theme could have been further explored, especially for younger readers who may not grasp the story's full context. VERDICT A strong, character-driven work recommended for readers looking for dystopian fantasy with a social justice bent.-Talea Anderson, Washington State University

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A story of love and sacrifice mixed with politics and magic in an alternate Cape Town. Sixteen-year-old orphan Ebba has only known life in an underground bunker where she and other young people work 12 hours a day. This is life after the Calamity that caused the deaths of all except those in the bunker. Or so Ebba believes. One fateful day she not only escapes death, but is brought aboveground to Table Island, the world she thought was uninhabitable. Ebba learns she is the wealthiest of the Citizens--those chosen by the god Prospiroh, spared from misfortune and blessed with abundance. A caretaker on the vast farm she now owns tells her of her lineage as a descendant of the goddess Theia and her destiny: to save the world from a second Calamity. Ebba struggles to come to terms with her new reality. Thrust from slavery into luxury, she barely has time to adjust before her world is rocked even more and she has to make hard decisions and be braver than she thinks she can be, even with the help of her closest friends, ancestors, and some surprising allies. Mixing mythology with real historical atrocities like apartheid, this is a solid tale featuring diverse characters who reflect the real-world communities of South Africa; race and ethnicity are, however, treated as incidental to the narrative. A dystopian fantasy with all the expected elements of the genre. (map) (Fantasy. 12-adult)

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