Today is my stop on the Ultimate Write Reads tour for the Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson.

Victoria Williamson grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, and has worked as an educator in a number of different countries, including as an English teacher in China, a secondary science teacher in Cameroon, and a teacher trainer in Malawi.

As well as degrees in Physics and Mandarin Chinese, she has completed a Masters degree in Special Needs in Education. In the UK she works as a primary school special needs teacher, working with children with a range of additional support needs including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, physical disabilities and behavioural problems.

She is currently working as a full time writer of Middle Grade and YA contemporary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, with a focus on creating diverse characters reflecting the many cultural backgrounds and special needs of the children she has worked with, and building inclusive worlds where all children can see a reflection of themselves in heroic roles.

Feast of Ashes is described as Book One in an explosive dystopian YA series, which is exciting news.

The publicity leaflet about the book says:

It’s the year 2123, and 16-year-old Adina has just accidentally killed 14,756 people. Raised in the eco-bubble of Eden Five, Adina has always believed that the Amonston Corporation’s giant greenhouse would keep her safe forever. But when her own careless mistake leads to an explosion that incinerates Eden Five, she and a small group of survivors must brave the barren wastelands outside the ruined Dome to reach the Sanctuary before their biofilters give out and their DNA threatens to mutate in the toxic air.

They soon discover that the outside isn’t as deserted as they were made to believe, and the truth is unearthed on their dangerous expedition. As time runs out, Adina must tackle her guilty conscience and find the courage to get everyone to safety. Will she make it alive, or will the Nomalies get to her first?

Blurb for Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson

Victoria Williamson is donating 20% of her author royalties from Feast of Ashes to CharChar Literacy, a charity that aims to improve literacy rates in Malawi.

My stop on the tour takes the form of a book review:

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Title: Feast of Ashes

Written by: Victoria Williamson

Cover design by: Anna Morrison

Published by: Neem Tree Press

Victoria Williamson once again shows us how talented and versatile a writer she is with this magnificent YA debut. I am always gripped from the start of a Victoria Williamson novel and this is no exception for it has one of the best opening paragraphs I have read in a long time:

“I’ll never forget the date September the third, 2123. How could I? that was the day I killed fourteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty-six people.”

Opening paragraph of Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson

Set in Africa in a biosphere called ‘Eden 5’ one hundred years in the future, Feast of Ashes is written in first person from sixteen-year-old Adina’s point of view. I am always impressed on how Victoria Williamson creates characters that are always very different and stand out as individuals. Adina starts off being a very selfish, self-centred character in the way many teenagers are, but as the story progresses we see her grow and change into a strong dynamic woman with a strong sense of right and wrong, until finally she makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her sisters and best-friend.

Reading Feast of Ashes is an emotional rollercoaster. It is truly a unique dystopian with a very plausible theme of large global corporations destroying the ecosystem for profit. There are a lot of important themes covered that make you think, such as greed, environmental sustainability and corporate corruption. Victoria Williamson has used science and technology to make the whole plot seem entirely believable and rather scary. So many times I stopped and exclaimed, “You What?” at the things the Armonston Corporation had done. So wrong but you can imagine it happening for real.

The book is written in two parts. Part One is the Beginning of the End which contains thirteen chapters which outline how Adina’s inconsiderate actions cause the catastrophe that brings about the end of everything as she knows it. I thought it rather poignant that Eden Five’s downfall started with the temptation of an apple. Each chapter counts down the hours to the biodome destruction.

Part Two is entitled Countdown and follows Adina and a small group of survivors for their twenty-seven days after the biodome explodes. They journey through the wasteland, a genetically modified world where the crops people used to eat contain pesticides coded into their DNA and the air mutates the blood so they have to constantly wear a biofilter. Searching for answers, they uncover the shocking truth of how far the corruption really goes.

I can imagine Feast of Ashes being a big screen movie in the same way as Hunger Games, Maze Runner and Divergent. I wonder who would play the roles of Adina and Dejen? Suggestions welcome in the comments.

I would recommend Feast of Ashes to all fans of YA dystopian novels.

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You can buy copies of Feast of Ashes by Victoria Williamson from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.

To follow the rest of the tour check out the schedule below:

You can read my review of Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson also published by Neem tree Press here: Blog Tour – Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson

You can read my interview with Victoria Williamson about the writing of Norah’s Ark here: The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour – Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson.

You can read my review of another of Victoria’s books, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams published by Tiny Tree Publishing here: Blog Tour – The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams by Victoria Williamson.

You can read my spotlight on The Whistlers in the Dark by Victoria Williamson published by Scotland Street Press here: Blog Tour – The Whistlers in the Dark by Victoria Williamson

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com and follow her on X (formly known as Twitter) @strangelymagic

I would like to thank The Write Reads for inviting me to take part in this ultimate tour and Neem Tree Press for their superbly boxed book package with the review copy. Thank you.

I hope the lettuce seeds have not been genetically modified.