The Dividing Sky

Debut author Tew presents a heart-racing dual-perspective dystopian romance set in a cyberpunk, ultra-capitalistic vision of 2460 America. LifeCorp, a leading technology company, has used its resources to save the United States from “total societal collapse” by merging urban areas into a privatized territory called the Metro, where every citizen is “technically a LifeCorp employee.” As a Proxy, 18-year-old Liv Newman uses her neurochip to sell memories to elite Metro-ites and, illegally, to citizens in the Lowers. Meanwhile, Adrian Rao, also 18, and his droid sidekick Nas maintain order as law-abiding Forcemen. When Adrian finally corners Liv for her indiscretions, she’s wiped her own memory. The pair are soon thrown together in a remote insurgent camp beyond Metro’s borders, where survival demands that they deny the ripening chemistry between them. In the characters’ “multiracial” society, employment defines social status and addictive, legalized drugs are used to increase productivity and complicity. Messy human emotions strain against technology and morality in this high-stakes story packed with slow-burn pining and plentiful tension, enriched by skillful worldbuilding and nods to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Liv and Adrian have brown skin. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jennifer Azantian, Azantian Literary. (Oct.)