Review by Joshua Jay
You know when a book keeps you up late at night? Has you thinking about it all day trying to figure out what’s going to happen? That is the kind of book I love to read, and that’s how reading Awake in Olaiya was for me.
Nat-5 doesn’t know who she is or how she became a part of the community she now lives in. On the outside, this community seems like a pretty decent place, but Nat is constantly having nightmares that convince her otherwise, and Building 8 is kept in check by guards. One of Nat’s unit brothers goes missing, and Nat starts really questioning what’s going on in the community.
This book is dystopian, but less hopeless or grungy than might be typical for that genre. It’s a story about identity. It’s a first-person story following Nat as she tries to figure out who she is and what is worth taking risks for. The more aware she becomes, the harder it is for her to stay out of trouble.
There are strong found-family vibes. Nat makes new friends and joins a group called the Rebs. Even within this group, she finds herself searching for the truth about Olaiya’s past and her own. Most of her friends are loyal, but it seems like there’s a lot they aren’t telling her. She finds herself wishing she could escape Olaiya while being afraid to lose the only family she’s known—her unit brothers.
As the stakes get higher, Nat finds herself in the middle of a conflict between the Rebs, who can remember what’s happening, and the Olaiya Masters, who seem to want full control and are trying to make sure the whole community has forgotten who they are.
The beginning is a bit of a whirlwind, as you figure out what’s going on and keep track of all the different characters. By a few chapters in I was absolutely sold. This is an intriguing book that’s a pretty quick read. The characters felt so real to me, and I could relate to their struggles and joys even though they live in a place that’s nothing like my life. If you give it a reread, there are so many details that will stand out in a new way, making you appreciate the characters and story even more.
Rated: Mild. This is clean fiction: no language and no spice (sexual content). There are a few scenes with slight violence, though nothing gruesome or extensive.
Learn more about Awake in Olaiya and author M.E. Duffield on her website, www.meduffield.com.
