The Crossing Gate is the first New Adult dystopian book in the Waltz of Sin and Fire series that was sent to me by the author. In the kingdom of Elpax, transitions between stages in life such as reaching adulthood must be done by walking through a Crossing Gate. Whenever seventeen-year-old Lenora (Leen) tries to cross, she experiences extreme dizziness and feels physically ill. Even stranger is that people aren't supposed to be able to experience emotions such as love until they have crossed into adulthood, and Leen can. On the run for her life, she realizes that she has a destiny to fulfill, and that rebelling might be the only way to save herself and her family.
After a future WW3, the world seems to return to habits like its ancient civilizations, ie. the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian empires mentioned. Also interesting is that it weaves in accurate geography and more modern areas like Guatemala. While being a scifi dystopian book, it is clear to see how one day, our world could end up like theirs.
It is a very powerful story with immense potential for the series to be as epic and well-known as The Darkest Minds or Delirium or Shatter Me or The Fifth Wave. I can definitely envision a film adaption; its fast pace and vivid setting already reads like an action movie. One of the things I love about getting books from self-published authors or smaller publishers is finding books that deserve more credit than they'll likely get.The love triangle between Leen, Jason, and Erick was remarkably set up. There is constantly a lot of information thrown at the reader at once, especially with the lapses of time. But who she has feelings for and why change rapidly along with each secret revealed. By the end, Leen, and myself, aren't sure who she should be with. I also have some questions. For one thing, I don't believe in love at first sight. Was that emotion triggering in her when she spotted Erick something manufactured, forced into her mind as part of her destiny, or would she have felt that way regardless even if she didn't have visions of him beforehand?
While it is technically labeled as a Young Adult book, I feel that New Adult would be better suited. While the main character is 17, there are many scenes of violence and discussion of sexual content, along the lines of the mistreatment of women in their society. The forced medical exams, interrogations, and overall use of force by law enforcement were extreme, and it made me angry. It made Leen angry, too, but she struggled with coming to terms with what that emotion meant for her, if she's ready to lead a revolution. Luckily, destiny, along with the pent-up frustration of the citizens, ultimately decided for her. I'm excited to see how Leen takes on her new responsibilities and the emotional decisions she will have to make.
I highly recommend this book!
Title: The Crossing Gate (A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1)
Author: Asiel R. Lavie
Author: Asiel R. Lavie
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