Genres: Young Adult, YA Fantasy, Science Fiction | Release Date: 9 October 2021 | Series: Bewilderness | Series Book: #1 | Pages: 294 | Indie Author | Review
“This world is beginning to wake up.”
Kevin Cox
Overview:
Bewilderness by Kevin Cox is an unforgettable YA fantasy/sci-fi mashup, and I was lucky enough to be given a copy thanks to the generosity of the author!
Bewilderness begins with a teenage girl who has lost her memory. She doesn’t know where she is, and there’s a terrifying message nearby that says “BEWARE THE HOLLOW”. When Ambrielle dives deep into the water to escape a menacing presence, she soon finds herself in another new world and caught up in a feud between two factions of the forest. Food is getting scarce, and starving monsters are coming out to play. When a massive betrayal occurs, it is left up to Ambrielle to fix what’s been broken… But can a teenager fix a world? Will she have any allies? And will Ambrielle find her way home, or is she stuck amongst alien races forever?
Happiness Boost:
I enjoyed this YA fantasy the longer it went on! Kevin kept adding to the intriguing darkness and characters of Bewilderness, and I just couldn’t stop turning more pages. I don’t normally read books with a lot of sci-fi in them, but I’m so glad I did for this one. In this story, we’re given a number of races who each have their own characteristics and quirks, and I was enchanted with what he gives us readers.
Bewilderness is a testament to the power of nature. It exposes what happens when no one takes care of their world, and just how well life can prosper when we do. I know most of us care about the environment, but Ambrielle’s adventure really reiterates *why* we need to care. When important messages in books are done well they have such an impact, and Kevin has made sure this certainly did.
Anyone who has read The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis can tell you that jumping into new worlds is an exhilarating process, and I thoroughly enjoyed doing it in Bewilderness. There’s actually (probably) limitless opportunities to explore more worlds within this series, and even delve deeper into the ones we only briefly glimpse, like Elyravess!
Downside:
I don’t actually have a downside, aside from Ambrielle’s penchant for being whiny. I know, I know, she’s a teenager. None of us were perfect as teens! But I sometimes wondered if she really was 16, or should have been made younger. Regardless, don’t let this downside keep you from reading Bewilderness! It is worth it.
Final Thoughts:
Bewilderness by Kevin Cox is the perfect blend of fantasy and sci-fi, with nature at the heart of the story. If you’ve enjoyed reading The Magician’s Nephew, or Karen Ginnane’s Time Catchers duology? I think you should give this beautiful book a try! I honestly didn’t think I’d love a touch of sci-fi, but Bewilderness has converted me! I’m always happy to be wrong, when presented with this kind of tale. Happy reading, glitterbugs!
You can order Bewilderness via this link: Amazon
