The Sky Woman, aka Car-En, is an anthropologist sent down to Earth to observe and provide data on a particular village of survivors after specific events reduce the population and send a remaining collection of humans up into space.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, its strength being the novelty of some of the evolutionary aspects along with the yet to be fully understood Crucible, but (and it may be because I’m currently binge watching The 100) some of the apocalyptic aspects felt unoriginal and overplayed.

Only complaint and it’s not something I’d need out of every book, but I just didn’t feel like I connected with any of the characters. Adrian and Katja who were secondary characters for the most part were both pretty intolerable and everyone else was just... there. Not unlikeable but also not someone I was routing for. Would I read more? Absolutely, and that’s the basis for my rating, but maybe flesh out the characters a bit more.

Thanks as always to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review. ( )

This is an intriguing and absorbing book. The past is pulled convincingly through to the future, set against a backdrop of Earth history that hasn't yet happened, but plausibly could.
It's clear an enormous amount of thought and research went into this book. In some places it felt a little too detail heavy, but with a sequel in the works, it might have been necessary. In the end, it all does help paint a vivid picture of the future the humans dwell in. The fantasy elements nicely offset the science fiction, emphasising the differences between the populations.
The love interest factor could have been developed more, it almost feels like an afterthought, but it's appropriate that romance takes a back seat in this book. ( )