Synopsis:

High above a jungle-planet float the last refuges of humanity—plant-made civilizations held together by tradition, technology, and arcane science. Here, architects are revered deeply, with humanity’s survival reliant on a privileged few. If not for their abilities, the cities would plunge into the devastating earthrage storms below. Charismatic and powerful, Iravan is one such architect. His abilities are his identity, but to Ahilya, his archeologist wife, they are a method to suppress non-architects. Their marriage is thorny and fraught—yet when a jungle expedition goes terribly wrong, jeopardizing their careers, Ahilya and Iravan must work together to save their reputations. But as their city begins to plummet, their discoveries threaten not only their marriage, but their entire civilization.

Review:

The Surviving Sky by Kritika H. Rao was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023. And it did not let me down!

The thing that first drew me to the book was, of course, the words ‘jungle-planet’. I am sure most of you by now know how much I love nature as a horticulturist so I didn’t need much more convincing, but the idea that a floating city above the dangerous planet is the last safe place for humanity sealed the deal. When you then add on the fact that the main characters are an already married couple… well, I knew we were onto a winner.

It’s not that common to have fantasy books with a married couple as protagonists, and I was so happy to read about one that was written so well. Ahilya and Iravan’s relationship was at the heart of this story, and we follow them through so much tension. It was fascinating to see how their relationship worked or didn’t work, thanks to their completely opposing views on the society they live in and the future of their people, with an undercurrent of frustration since the pair still love each other.

The worldbuilding in this book was excellent, it was so intricate and utilised such a unique mixture of nature and technology that I drank up. The descriptions were so detailed and I had no problems at all immersing myself in the jungle, the city, the society… just all of it.

The plot is complex and slow to unfold, which I can understand might put some off. I savoured it though, relishing each layer that was revealed and delighting when my predictions were totally wrong. I could not put this story down, needing always to know what twist was coming next.

I really enjoyed the way the main themes were presented and explored in this book. There is privilege and class discussion, we touch upon the Hindu philosophy of rebirth and we take a deep dive into the importance of community.

This book truly is a highlight of my reading year so far. The themes above, well-developed adult characters and a blending of science, magic and nature combined to make a truly fabulous read. I am very pleased to hear we are getting book 2 next year, and you can bet I’ll be at the front of the line!