Left Unread is a small but mighty publishing imprint that specifically promotes BIPOC authors and platforms marginalized voices. Every book I have read from them so far has been absolutely phenomenal. Their next title is called Buzzard. It publishes next month, and I was very excited to get my hands on an ARC. This is a dystopian novel that takes place in the not-too-distant future, following the last known abortion provider.

Buzzard publishes on September 22nd. It will be available everywhere books are sold, including on Bookshop.org where you can preorder now.

Summary:

The year is 2086. Nothing grows anymore. The available food is produced and processed inside facilities. Humans now shelter in small cities, rationing the resources that remain. Governing bodies closely monitor those populations, ensuring they do not grow unexpectedly. However, they are careful to do this through prevention, since abortion is illegal in all territories. The last known abortion provider, Mae Bastet, is in hiding from the governments and other powerful organizations of the world. All of them want her dead.

This is her story, and the story of her world. It’s the story of how she got where she is now, after her arrest seven years ago, when her children were taken from her. Perhaps most horrifying, it’s also the story of how Mae’s world arose from the world that you and I inhabit today.

My Thoughts:

Buzzard is not an easy read. It is full of characters and ideas meant to challenge the reader. If any of your personal triggers are listed in the content warnings below, pay attention. This book does not shy away from any of its dark corners. Instead, it shines an intense light on every dirty detail. It’s certainly the kind of book that requires a good headspace before diving in, but it is absolutely worth it. Yes, it is often brutally painful, but it is also beautiful, insightful, and inspiring.

Through all the hardship the characters face, readers experience a thoroughly captivating examination of what different people are willing to sacrifice when all of the options are bad. Some will choose to sacrifice their safety, others choose their morals. Some fail to decide at all, or seek out impossible or once-abhorrent options. It is a heartbreaking portrayal of desperation in its myriad forms. At the same time, it is chock full of examples of what makes it all worth it. Regardless of how harsh the world is, there is always still something worth fighting for, and this is a mesmerizing reminder of that.

It is far too easy to see how our modern society can devolve into what readers witness in Buzzard. That is terrifying, but that’s not where we are now, and our future is not yet set in stone. Buzzard compels readers to examine what they value most, and what they’ll give to defend it. If enough take those lessons to heart, hopefully we can preserve the parts that really matter.

Content Warnings: Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Imprisonment, Graphic Depiction of Medical Procedures, Graphic Depictions of Violence & Injuries, Blood, Vomit, Drug Use, Addiction, Alcohol, Abortion, Pregnancy, Suicide, Limb Loss

After I Finished Buzzard

After finishing Buzzard, I jumped right into another ARC with an approaching publication date. This one is from an author I’ve enjoyed a lot before. Last summer, I read the duology Lore of the Wilds and Lore of the Tides when the latter published. In this new romantasy, readers get a taste of magical academia with some actual diversity. Our main character also gets her choice of which prophecy she will fulfill: whether she will become a savior or a catalyst.

My next review will be for Heir of Prophecy by Analeigh Sbrana.