Summary
Astrid is an indentured servant – a surrogate for the Princess. When Princess Rayna is disobedient, Astrid takes the punishment. She has scars upon scars. But all of the brutality might be worthwhile because Reyna has finally gotten what Astrid has been asking for. The king has granted Astrid’s father access to the Enchanted hospital where he can get real treatment. But things don’t go the way Astrid planned.
In her despair, Astrid signs up for the Race of Oblivion. Racers’ memories are stripped away, and they are given an initial clue to a puzzle they have to solve as the race progresses. The winner of the race gets full citizenship for themselves and their entire family. Losers get extra years tacked onto their years of service – if they even survive the race.
Armed only with her name and her wits, Astrid competes against strangers who aren’t really strangers, and other desperate Outsiders longing for citizenship and the benefits that would secure a better future for them. And when her memories start to return, Astrid will discover what exactly she’s been running from.
Review
This is a solid YA fantasy with dystopian and Hunger Games-ish tones. Astrid is competing for a prize only one person can win. The contest itself is oppressive, but a chance at a different life seems better than enduring your current life with no hope for something else.
The memory loss piece adds an interesting wrinkle to the story. In fact, I got so caught up in the race and trying to figure out who was whom, I forgot that Astrid had seen/heard something important right before the race had started. But in other ways I feel like it cut into some character depth and some of the story telling. The rebellion group wasn’t a strong piece nor were Astrid’s family connections in part because of her memory wipe.
The race was suspenseful, but not as engaging as something like The Hunger Games. Maybe that was because I didn’t feel as connected to Astrid as I did to Katniss. I didn’t feel like the world building was as strong in this. I would have liked more information on the magic systems and the history of the Enchanteds vs the Outsiders.
Readers who enjoy stories with a contest to win and a dystopian society to rebel against should check this one out. (Violence, abuse)