Ogma is 14 seasons old in a world defended by children who patrol the wall. Not only is the dark to be feared as a young child but the fog and mystical creators who inhabit it are far more dangerous. The reader is thrown into a world where children are taught at an early age that they must protect the city and the older villagers who have aged out of patrol duty. When a new arrival, Dunkirk, is saved by Ogma before the fog can “disappear him” a series of events are set in motion that will upend everything she has grown accustomed to. When the fog finally claims her she must embark on an Alice in Wonderland or an Odyssey type adventure to try and find her way back home.

I would have give this book a 2 ½ to 3 star rating. It was a struggle to get into this book towards the beginning due to too much description which saps the story of subtext. I wanted more world building and character development. Lehnen has given the reader such a fascinating world with strong, independent women. A world where most of the leaders are women and children but I wanted more background on these characters. Little context is given on how this world has been or might be in the future which limits the reader to the here and now. As soon as we have an inkling that we might be given more explanation the story line is quickly changed.
The chapters could have been divided into smaller more manageable chapters. Some chapters had too many side stories happening without giving more context or explanation to current characters or plots. I was also confused that little to no backstory was given on these children’s parents, none of the kids discuss this or seem concerned with the loss of lack thereof.

I did like the original concept of this world and its underlying theme where children are innocent and not “afraid” yet, or aware of the dangers in the world. They are untouched by the evils of the world and therefore are untouchable by the fog. I would have loved to see this book separated into a trilogy where Lehnen could expand on the side stories that do tie into the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aspen & Thorn Press for the ARC.