Adira knows only life alone in the wilderness with her father, Torion. Surviving the wild is bearable with him. That’s until a mysterious clan known as the Ursa abduct him. On the run from the aggressors, she must flee to unfamiliar lands and put her survival skills to the test. Along the way, she forms friendships and joins a tribe in the hope of finding her father. Will she conquer the challenges set before her to become a member of this society and rescue Torion, or will the terrifying Ursa clan bring doom to them all?
Beta Readers
"A well-structured and paced YA prehistoric drama with a solid central character arc."
"This is a great exploration of themes around family, friendship, loyalty, and trust. The Protagonist working to find her place in the tribe does a great job of exploring the idea of having to prove one’s worth but also the value of contributing to a family or society to become a productive member of it."
"The tone is immersive and detailed with a very down-to-earth approach, which fits the setting very well. There’s a sense of mystery and wonder, but nothing that draws us too far away from the nitty-gritty of Adira’s everyday survival in the beginning, her travels as we progress, and the hardships she faces later on. There’s a great use of tension throughout, both with physical danger and emotional crises."
"I absolutely loved Adira’s journey. She was very well-developed and thoughtful. Her goals and dreams were established right from the beginning. Her strengths and weaknesses, also, were defined and explored early on. These were challenged throughout. She gradually became more skilled at certain things, like communicating with the tribe, but her inner drive, fortitude, loyalty, and a kind heart all were her greatest strengths. She had a great internal conflict because she didn’t realise this at first, and had to go through a lot of strife before coming to accept her own value."
"It’s very well-paced and structured. Adira’s gradual understanding of what it means to have a meaningful relationship with a peer, as well as how to fit into a group structure, are both plausible and strong parallels to her transition to adulthood in general."