(Read as a buddy read with Samantha of Forest of Words and Pages)

First things first - THIS COVER THOUGH. I mean, I can't possibly love it more if I tried, but I'll try pretty damn hard to because THIS COVER THOUGH.

And can we talk about how awesome Daiyu is? Actually let me talk about how awesome she is, but beneath a cut since learning about some of her awesome actions could change your reading

Daiyu spends her kidnapping refusing to bow to damsel in distress tropes. She isn't happy, but she quickly realizes that Zhou is a lot of show, but not bite. She uses her time to learn about the mountains and experience a part of life that she's never had a chance to before.

She's whip-smart; like any child she doesn't want to believe the worst of her father, but once her eyes are opened she doesn't turn away again. She makes it possible (both directly and indirectly) for Zhou and his team to infiltrate Jin Corp's offsite location. She doesn't judge Zhou for what he did (kidnapping her), but she does strive to understand. Actually the entirety of their relationship is built on the two of them realizing "wait a second, the world isn't so easily cut and dry".

She genuinely wants to build a better future and is willing to BURN HER WORLD to ashes if that's what it takes.

I had a couple questions at the end - namely when all was said and done what happened with Joseph? He contracts the flu, his family is whisked away from their home, and I'm guessing he survived since Daiyu never mentioned a funeral...? What is Daiyu's mother like? Who would I have play Zhou, Daiyu and everyone else if a live action drama was ever produced?

I had some qualms with Zhou at times; Vic is right, he's a bit too tender hearted for the mission and he spends a lot of time angsting over what to do about Daiyu. I wish we could have spent a bit more time with the group, or with each individual member. You get a good read on Lingyi and Arun, but other than some observations by Zhou about Iris and Victor, we have very little time with them as individuals outside of the group. Much is made of Victor's ability to wheel and deal based on his charming personality and suaveness, but we see very little of that as he keeps a different kind of "front" up around the group. Iris...the vulnerable moment we see of Iris late in the book is a beautiful moment. I wish we could see more.

The opening jumped around for a bit and the group's plan takes a few chapters to even get off the ground as they tried to get all their ducks in a row after a slight set back. While Zhou is an engaging protagonist, I really wanted Daiyu to show back up and be part of the action again. Or for Iris to run around spooking the living daylights out of Zhou constantly. Maybe both.

The setting is a very visceral part of this book. I've never been to Taipei or Taiwan, but Pon's descriptions of the night markets, of the lights and the mountains, of the way things seem to be both diminished because of the pollution, but also desperately trying to carve out an existence still, the beauty that once was and the beauty it could be once more...its almost its own character. Zhou's love of Taiwan is what drives his actions, what drives all their actions in the end. Pon brings that love to life and into focus, even as things seem really bleak at times. ( )

3.5 Stars ( )

I've had an arc of this since July, and I can't believe it took me so long to finally pick it up and start reading it! I regret not starting this early because holy crap, this book was so good! I honestly don't know what to say except that I absolutely love it. It was such a fun, exciting, and action packed read! I loved Jason, Daiyu, and the whole team (whom are all POC!). I loved the team dynamic within the group, and especially liked the romance between Jason and Daiyu and Iris and Lingyi. The ending had me at the edge of my seat with all the different plot reveals/twists! And it's so cool that it's set in Taiwan! This was one of the main reasons I was highly anticipating this book because this is the first YA book I've read with Taiwan as the setting. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a sci-fi novel with kick ass characters, heists, and some romance! ( )

In a future Taiwan, street kid Jason Zhou disguises himself as one of the wealthy elite in order to take down a murdering CEO.

Jason’s been alone since his mother died of pneumonia when he was 13, just another casualty of the disease-ridden streets of polluted future Taipei. He’s been poor his whole life, but now Jason’s living in luxury and wearing something only the ultrarich can afford: a Jin Corp suit and helmet, designed to keep Taiwan’s polluted air from touching his lungs. Among the Taipei glitterati, Jason’s success rides on his successfully pulling off a disguise as a rich American new to Taiwan. Taiwan-born Jason and his international crew of friends believe the head of Jin Corp—and inventor of the suits—has been murdering anyone who agitates for cleaner air. The only way Jason can find the information they need is to pose as a high-rolling playboy romancing Jin’s daughter, so Jason kidnaps a rich girl so they can use the ransom to finance his wealthy disguise. It’s just bad luck that he’s kidnapped Jin’s daughter. A few seams show from the adaptation of “Blue Skies,” Pon’s short story from the anthology Diverse Energies (2012), fleshed out here into action occasionally overwhelmed by romance. Overall, though, the effect is successful.

An exciting, socially conscious futuristic thriller. (Science fiction. 13-16)

- Kirkus Review

For a book written in 2017, about a futuristic Taipei society, it feels eerily like today. This book starts with the heist of a high society girl. She is kidnapped for money. However, the money isn’t for nefarious reasons, but so that a group of young people can infiltrate high society in order to make society better for all. You see futuristic Taipei is polluted so bad that the Mei (poor people) have a life expectancy of just 40 years, and most don’t even make it that far. They die from the brown smog they breath every day, that is not helped much by a mask, by the polluted water they drink, and the lack of food. Its so polluted that no part of society remembers the blue skies. But our gang of young people know that the reason the government won’t do anything about the pollution is because the big corporations are paying the legislature to look the other way and someone, mainly them, have to stop it. Not only that. People are sick. Sick of things we think of as easily curable like pneumonia, but also of a new strain of avian flu. This flu has a mortality rate of 80%. But only the poor suffer because the Yo (rich people) have these special suits that not only protect them but do some other neat things as well. I really enjoyed this book. I was not expecting it at all. Based on the cover I was expecting a space book, but I am very happy with what I read. This book does have a sequel, Ruse, but book ends on a nice point that does not require a book two, but you will probably want to read it anyway. ( )