“Every social impediment prevented perpetual cash flow. The idea was that this would be beneficial to free enterprise for all, but anyone paying attention would see that the cash was flowing only one way.”
Two AI stand in the middle of an empty office bullpen. It’s not a punchline… it’s part of the dystopian future dreamed up by Amy Marie Ayres. And what a Wilda ride it was! In Star Lost, Ayres plunges us into a hauntingly plausible future where memory itself is a commodity to be stolen, books are outlawed, and sunrise is the best time to walk since the rest of the day is too damn hot. And trees? Those are a mere failed experiment. At the center of the plot is Luccee Winterscott, who taps into fragmented memories that lead to a broader search for identity in a world that’s growing increasingly homogenized and commoditized.
I found this book to be a particularly unique read, and I loved seeing the novel alternate between timelines (2058-2082) and perspectives without losing its footing. Each time shift is thoughtful rather than disorienting, bringing in a fascinating cast of characters that make up the web of this broken world. Even smaller plot beats, like what happened to Rex, are poised to linger in the back of your mind. And yet, amid the bleakness of this dystopian world, Ayres also gives us hope in the form of Wilda Parsons and her cause.
What I really loved about this book was the way it dares to believe in the power of remembering, guiding us to see that reclaiming one’s story can be the most radical act of all. If you’re drawn to dystopian stories that ask big questions, Star Lost belongs on your TBR. And if you need more convincing, let me leave you with one more beautiful piece of prose:
“Scientists had fully determined, without a shadow of a doubt, that we were made of the same light that travels through space. That we were all, in fact, made of Stardust.”
Read if you love: Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change Fiction, Layered Storytelling