AD* | Margo is on a train to a new boarding school when she slips into another dimension, passing from the height of Irish summer into the chill of an alien winter, from a 24-hour day to one that begins and ends in just six hours. From a stranger on the train – a travelling salesman by the name of Moon – she learns that New Davia is part of a world scarred by uprisings, travel bans and world sealings. Power is determined by time – who has it, who doesn’t, and who has the freedom to travel between time zones.
Can Margo find a way to get back home – or will she choose to stay in a world where her teenagehood is slipping away faster than ever before, but where she may have found the only person with whom she would choose to spend eternity?
Skipshock is a genre-bending, richly imaginative novel that delivers on every promise of its tantalising premise. Having previously enjoyed Caroline O'Donoghue's All Our Hidden Gifts series, I started this new book with high expectations – and it exceeded them all!
Skipshock is the story of Margo, a teenager who finds herself thrown into an alternate world after a strange encounter on a train bound for her new boarding school. The shift from a balmy Irish summer to a world of alien winters and six-hour days is both disorienting and utterly enthralling. From the first page, you are drawn into a dazzlingly strange and complex realm, where time is currency, travel is power, and secrets lie around every corner.
The world-building is extraordinary. Every detail is layered with care, making the entire experience feel immersive and eerily real. The idea of time being the most valuable resource is a thought-provoking concept, raising questions that linger long after the final page. How would our lives change if we had less than twenty-four hours in a day?
Margo is a standout protagonist; brave, curious, and vulnerable in equal measure. Her journey feels urgent and emotional, particularly as she begins to connect with Moon, the enigmatic travelling salesman. Their dynamic is brilliantly handled, building tension and tenderness in equal measure. Moon himself is a captivating character, full of secrets, charisma, and complexity. Together, they form a duo you can’t help but root for.
It’s a fast-moving story that still allows room for reflection and character development. The genre-blending – sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and more – is deftly handled, creating a rich, layered novel that feels entirely original.
And then there’s the ending. Skipshock leaves us on a cliffhanger that is both thrilling and excruciating. I need to know what happens next! Skipshock is my favourite book of the year so far, and here’s hoping this is just the beginning of Margo and Moon’s story.
Rating: 5 stars
Skipshock is available to buy now (paid link; commission earned).
If you like the sound of this book, you might also enjoy...
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Will you be reading Skipshock? Let me know in the comments below!
No comments:
Post a Comment