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Divided
Twenty years ago, a single vote shattered a nation.
Now, an impenetrable wall separates the elite of New Albion from the struggling survivors of old. One side thrives on progress. The other fights to exist.
Maya has spent her life in the shadows, blaming the past for the prison she was born into. When a rebellion calls, she answers, ready to bring down the regime that stole her future.
Her brother Liam has been granted a rare the Freedom Day Initiative, a government program granting select citizens entry into New Albion. But inside the glittering world of power and control, he uncovers secrets that shake his faith in everything he knows.
With rebellion igniting and loyalties being tested, brother and sister find themselves on opposite sides of a war that could reshape their country-or destroy it.
Can they bridge the divide, or will the wall between them be the one thing that truly lasts?
Now, an impenetrable wall separates the elite of New Albion from the struggling survivors of old. One side thrives on progress. The other fights to exist.
Maya has spent her life in the shadows, blaming the past for the prison she was born into. When a rebellion calls, she answers, ready to bring down the regime that stole her future.
Her brother Liam has been granted a rare the Freedom Day Initiative, a government program granting select citizens entry into New Albion. But inside the glittering world of power and control, he uncovers secrets that shake his faith in everything he knows.
With rebellion igniting and loyalties being tested, brother and sister find themselves on opposite sides of a war that could reshape their country-or destroy it.
Can they bridge the divide, or will the wall between them be the one thing that truly lasts?
353 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
4⭐: I received this book as an ARC and was tasked with writing an honest review. This is the 5th Ben Andrews book I've read. This was a different genre from his other novels and I enjoyed it. It's a dystopian novel where a vote about the use of AI divided a country. Many aspects are things that could happen to us in the near future if we aren't careful and I'm sure that inspired Ben. I like the focus on two siblings seemingly on a different path. There were some good side characters as well. I also liked that there was a LGBTQ love story intertwined with all of the dystopia going on in the background. Some parts felt rushed and I think there was a bit too much going on later on in the book. Some of the rushed aspects sacrificed some character development aspects that I would have liked. Overall though I really enjoyed the book and the plot. I have also liked seeing Ben's writing evolve over his novels.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating: 4.5 stars
I love dystopian books & this one doesn't disappoint - Divided follows a family that's been splintered apart 20years ago by a vote, only with this vote it wasn't private, the results were made public & depending on how you voted decided on which side of the country you resided.
The country is divided not just by their beliefs in technology & AI but also by a physical reminder of a wall (which gave me a flavour of the Berlin wall!). But, there is hope... There is the upcoming 'Freedom Day', & the incentive scheme where people, especially the younger generation can apply to work in New Albion & dispel the myths of what is happening over the wall!
You pick the story up with brother & sister Liam & Maya & their mother in Old Albion as they struggle to make ends meet & live in a world that was not of their decision, whilst always wondering what happened to their father who voted for the use of AI & went to New Albion. Liam has been accepted to take part in the exchange programme, but he has an ulterior motive, not only will he be able to paid better - which his family desperately need, but he hopes to see his father. Whilst Maya will be taking over his job at the docks & if she can keep a secret/keep her head down pick up his runs into no-mans-land where the freedom fighters residue & the black market is rife.
The world building in this book is so immersive, you really get the feeling of the dirt, grime & oppression on Old Albion compared to the barren, desolate, ramshackle settlements in no-mans-land to the impersonal, bare, sterile, yet affluent locations in New Albion.
The character development of both Maya & Liam is totally engaging, but you as the reader are left to make up your own mind as to who is 'good' & who is 'bad' - & don't be surprised if you ping-pong around in that decision!
The pacing was good for about 85/90% of the book, dipping into the slow realm in some places, but that was mainly when background or world building was being laid down, which is understandable. It is a really easy read, with the flow smooth & seamless as your go through each section of the book, that will whisk you away into the world of escapism & suddenly you realise you've been reading for a couple of hours.
Overall this book will make you question what if.....
* What if AI does take over?
* What is the government made voting in the general elections or referendums public?
* What would happen if everyone was segregated by their beliefs?
& any book that can make you ask questions, be invested in the characters can only be a book to pick up & read as soon as you can - 100% highly recommend.
* Thank you to Ben Andrews for the free physical copy of this book, I'm leaving this review voluntarily*
I love dystopian books & this one doesn't disappoint - Divided follows a family that's been splintered apart 20years ago by a vote, only with this vote it wasn't private, the results were made public & depending on how you voted decided on which side of the country you resided.
The country is divided not just by their beliefs in technology & AI but also by a physical reminder of a wall (which gave me a flavour of the Berlin wall!). But, there is hope... There is the upcoming 'Freedom Day', & the incentive scheme where people, especially the younger generation can apply to work in New Albion & dispel the myths of what is happening over the wall!
You pick the story up with brother & sister Liam & Maya & their mother in Old Albion as they struggle to make ends meet & live in a world that was not of their decision, whilst always wondering what happened to their father who voted for the use of AI & went to New Albion. Liam has been accepted to take part in the exchange programme, but he has an ulterior motive, not only will he be able to paid better - which his family desperately need, but he hopes to see his father. Whilst Maya will be taking over his job at the docks & if she can keep a secret/keep her head down pick up his runs into no-mans-land where the freedom fighters residue & the black market is rife.
The world building in this book is so immersive, you really get the feeling of the dirt, grime & oppression on Old Albion compared to the barren, desolate, ramshackle settlements in no-mans-land to the impersonal, bare, sterile, yet affluent locations in New Albion.
The character development of both Maya & Liam is totally engaging, but you as the reader are left to make up your own mind as to who is 'good' & who is 'bad' - & don't be surprised if you ping-pong around in that decision!
The pacing was good for about 85/90% of the book, dipping into the slow realm in some places, but that was mainly when background or world building was being laid down, which is understandable. It is a really easy read, with the flow smooth & seamless as your go through each section of the book, that will whisk you away into the world of escapism & suddenly you realise you've been reading for a couple of hours.
Overall this book will make you question what if.....
* What if AI does take over?
* What is the government made voting in the general elections or referendums public?
* What would happen if everyone was segregated by their beliefs?
& any book that can make you ask questions, be invested in the characters can only be a book to pick up & read as soon as you can - 100% highly recommend.
* Thank you to Ben Andrews for the free physical copy of this book, I'm leaving this review voluntarily*
Review of advance copy received from Author
In Divided the world, or at least Albion, is divided. In this dystopia the country has been divided after a divisive referendum. But instead of following the majority vote everyone ended up getting what they voted for.
The people who voted against ended up in Albion, where live is clearly very rough, and technology wise feels like maybe the 80's or so (so no mobile phones for instance). New Albion however seems like a technological paradise, where everyone has very easy lives.
The story follows Maya and her brother Liam in a dual POV, and because Liam gets the opportunity to enter New Albion they get quite different impressions of the world, especially when Maya meets people even worse off than those in Albion. And as you see the two drifting apart you wonder where this will end up.
When I started this book I was really wondering whether Andrews could pull this off, as the last book I read of him was a cozy magical realism book, which to me feels like quite the opposite atmosphere. I was pleasantly surprised by the rough, gritty atmosphere. All the character work was well done, and I like that there was a lot of focus on non-romantic relationships; too often I find that when relationships are highlighted in books it's only the romantic ones, but here we get siblings, parents, friends all well done. And I also did really like the romantic relationship in this book.
I did have one minor gripe with this book, and that's that I think the reader can be trusted a bit more in understanding the characters. I felt it was spelled out a bit too often how characters felt, and why they felt that way.
Also good to note is that this is the first part of a trilogy, but the story itself is well rounded. It has a clear start and finish, but throughout the last few chapters we get a little preview of what's happening in the larger world, which teases us the next books.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and I think you will enjoy it if you enjoy other distopias.
(I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review)
The people who voted against ended up in Albion, where live is clearly very rough, and technology wise feels like maybe the 80's or so (so no mobile phones for instance). New Albion however seems like a technological paradise, where everyone has very easy lives.
The story follows Maya and her brother Liam in a dual POV, and because Liam gets the opportunity to enter New Albion they get quite different impressions of the world, especially when Maya meets people even worse off than those in Albion. And as you see the two drifting apart you wonder where this will end up.
When I started this book I was really wondering whether Andrews could pull this off, as the last book I read of him was a cozy magical realism book, which to me feels like quite the opposite atmosphere. I was pleasantly surprised by the rough, gritty atmosphere. All the character work was well done, and I like that there was a lot of focus on non-romantic relationships; too often I find that when relationships are highlighted in books it's only the romantic ones, but here we get siblings, parents, friends all well done. And I also did really like the romantic relationship in this book.
I did have one minor gripe with this book, and that's that I think the reader can be trusted a bit more in understanding the characters. I felt it was spelled out a bit too often how characters felt, and why they felt that way.
Also good to note is that this is the first part of a trilogy, but the story itself is well rounded. It has a clear start and finish, but throughout the last few chapters we get a little preview of what's happening in the larger world, which teases us the next books.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and I think you will enjoy it if you enjoy other distopias.
(I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review)
March 9, 2026
I absolutely love dystopian books, so I went into The Divided by Ben Andrews already excited, and it definitely did not disappoint. This is the fourth book I’ve read from Ben and I genuinely LOVE his books. His writing just keeps getting better with every release and this one is no exception. Ben usually writes more drama-focused stories, and I actually think that really shines through here in a good way. It makes the dystopian elements feel even more immersive because the story still has that strong character-driven core. He’s also really good at writing in a way that keeps you going “oh?? and??” 👀 where you just keep reading because you need to know what happens next. Overall this was another home run from him.
One of my favorite things about this book was the dual POV with the sibling main characters, Liam and Maya. I loved seeing how their different experiences shaped their perspectives on the world and the divide between the two societies. It really makes you question who is right and who is wrong at times, because both sides make sense in their own ways. The worldbuilding and lore are really interesting and the themes around AI and societal division feel very relevant. I also loved (as usual) Ben’s inclusion of queer characters and relationships, it always feels natural and seamless in his stories and I really appreciate that. I love queer stories but I also love when queer people can just exist inside a story and this is one of those.
I would highly recommend The Divided to readers who love dystopian fiction, especially stories that explore the ethics of AI, political division, and morally gray perspectives. It delivers everything you want from the genre while still feeling fresh thanks to its strong character focus and emotional depth. If you enjoy dystopias that make you think while also keeping you fully invested in the people living inside the world, this book is absolutely worth picking up. I genuinely loved this one and can’t wait to see where the series goes next. Another fantastic read from Ben Andrews!!! 😍
One of my favorite things about this book was the dual POV with the sibling main characters, Liam and Maya. I loved seeing how their different experiences shaped their perspectives on the world and the divide between the two societies. It really makes you question who is right and who is wrong at times, because both sides make sense in their own ways. The worldbuilding and lore are really interesting and the themes around AI and societal division feel very relevant. I also loved (as usual) Ben’s inclusion of queer characters and relationships, it always feels natural and seamless in his stories and I really appreciate that. I love queer stories but I also love when queer people can just exist inside a story and this is one of those.
I would highly recommend The Divided to readers who love dystopian fiction, especially stories that explore the ethics of AI, political division, and morally gray perspectives. It delivers everything you want from the genre while still feeling fresh thanks to its strong character focus and emotional depth. If you enjoy dystopias that make you think while also keeping you fully invested in the people living inside the world, this book is absolutely worth picking up. I genuinely loved this one and can’t wait to see where the series goes next. Another fantastic read from Ben Andrews!!! 😍
Review of advance copy received from Author
A big thank you to Ben for the opportunity to Arc read Divided.
Divided follows the struggles of two siblings, Liam and Maya. A vote that shattered the nation, causing an impenetrable wall to be erected to divide New Albion and Old Albion. Each side of the wall live very differently. One side thriving, the other, barely surviving. Liam gets the chance to thrive on the New Albion side, but soon uncovers secrets that change everything he ever knew or thought. Meanwhile, Maya feels like she’s stuck in a prison that she was born into… Until a rebellion calls. Brother and sister are on opposite sides of a war. Both with secrets to keep and lies to tell.
It’s not my usual genre that I read but I’ve been trying to, “expand my book horizons.” From the first few chapters, you learn quickly of the struggles, Liam, Maya and their mother face. The environment is described perfectly, as well as the characters. The living conditions of both sides are so different, yet represented the divide of the nation, impeccably.
In the early chapters, you’ve already built up an emotional connection with Liam and Maya. You work out quickly enough that Liam is a, “go with the flow” kind of guy and just wants a nice, easy life. Maya is too in a sense. But she is not scared to argue back or stick up for herself, no matter who its against and what it might cost her, as long as it’s for what she believes in.
Throughout this book, you have your speculations about certain people. Who they could be, what their purpose is and what truths or lies they tell. Some, you will be right about, most, you will be wrong and it will make you gasp and will surprise you. The twists and turns that happen in the book keep you on your toes and have you wanting to read more.
I’m so excited already for the next installation of The Fractured World Series. I can’t wait to see how the world turns out, where people end up or what the next obstacle to a nice life will be.
Divided follows the struggles of two siblings, Liam and Maya. A vote that shattered the nation, causing an impenetrable wall to be erected to divide New Albion and Old Albion. Each side of the wall live very differently. One side thriving, the other, barely surviving. Liam gets the chance to thrive on the New Albion side, but soon uncovers secrets that change everything he ever knew or thought. Meanwhile, Maya feels like she’s stuck in a prison that she was born into… Until a rebellion calls. Brother and sister are on opposite sides of a war. Both with secrets to keep and lies to tell.
It’s not my usual genre that I read but I’ve been trying to, “expand my book horizons.” From the first few chapters, you learn quickly of the struggles, Liam, Maya and their mother face. The environment is described perfectly, as well as the characters. The living conditions of both sides are so different, yet represented the divide of the nation, impeccably.
In the early chapters, you’ve already built up an emotional connection with Liam and Maya. You work out quickly enough that Liam is a, “go with the flow” kind of guy and just wants a nice, easy life. Maya is too in a sense. But she is not scared to argue back or stick up for herself, no matter who its against and what it might cost her, as long as it’s for what she believes in.
Throughout this book, you have your speculations about certain people. Who they could be, what their purpose is and what truths or lies they tell. Some, you will be right about, most, you will be wrong and it will make you gasp and will surprise you. The twists and turns that happen in the book keep you on your toes and have you wanting to read more.
I’m so excited already for the next installation of The Fractured World Series. I can’t wait to see how the world turns out, where people end up or what the next obstacle to a nice life will be.
May 31, 2026
Oh, this is thought-provoking!
We read about Maya and Liam living on the side of the wall that has turned their side into the poverty-stricken side of the country.
Suddenly, Liam gets the chance to get to the other side, New Albion.
Now the question remains... is the grass really greener on the other side?
With Liam on the other side, Maya takes over his job(s). There is still a need for food on the table.
🔹️
"Since childhood, people warned her of both places, yet here she was."
🔹️
As I read on, I feel the lack of freedom, I feel the hard work and lack of food.
I have sneaked down narrow streets and ran for my life when I could not be sneaky enough. Everything is on the line.
I find the worldbuilding interesting. Is this a possible future for us? To complete this world, we have great characters to roam it.
If you are in the mood for a dystopian read with everything on the line, let Maya and Liam guide you through New and Old Albion.
You already know that where there is suppression, there is a resistance.
🔹️
"You haven't sold your eye, you idiot. You chose to cut years of your life for money?"
🔹️
We read about Maya and Liam living on the side of the wall that has turned their side into the poverty-stricken side of the country.
Suddenly, Liam gets the chance to get to the other side, New Albion.
Now the question remains... is the grass really greener on the other side?
With Liam on the other side, Maya takes over his job(s). There is still a need for food on the table.
🔹️
"Since childhood, people warned her of both places, yet here she was."
🔹️
As I read on, I feel the lack of freedom, I feel the hard work and lack of food.
I have sneaked down narrow streets and ran for my life when I could not be sneaky enough. Everything is on the line.
I find the worldbuilding interesting. Is this a possible future for us? To complete this world, we have great characters to roam it.
If you are in the mood for a dystopian read with everything on the line, let Maya and Liam guide you through New and Old Albion.
You already know that where there is suppression, there is a resistance.
🔹️
"You haven't sold your eye, you idiot. You chose to cut years of your life for money?"
🔹️
Review of advance copy
Minimal information can be deceiving
Maya and her brother Liam live in a place that is with their mother, in Old Albion. There is alot of difference between New and Old Albion. That is how this story starts, a simple talk about the family, and how they do their day-to-day.
As this story builds, there is a lot of differences not only in the stature of each side, but how each person lives and their workdays.
When Liam gets the chance to go to New Albion, he is very happy, looking forward to learning new things and seeing how things are on the other side. What he did not expect was to meet his father there. So many things changed at that moment.
That is only the tip of the iceberg, as the saying goes, as many things happen after that, that keep you going to find out what happens next! It takes a person to look deep within themselves to see what they truly see.
This is a great story suitable for most readers of all ages.
Thank you, Ben Andrews, for a great story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Maya and her brother Liam live in a place that is with their mother, in Old Albion. There is alot of difference between New and Old Albion. That is how this story starts, a simple talk about the family, and how they do their day-to-day.
As this story builds, there is a lot of differences not only in the stature of each side, but how each person lives and their workdays.
When Liam gets the chance to go to New Albion, he is very happy, looking forward to learning new things and seeing how things are on the other side. What he did not expect was to meet his father there. So many things changed at that moment.
That is only the tip of the iceberg, as the saying goes, as many things happen after that, that keep you going to find out what happens next! It takes a person to look deep within themselves to see what they truly see.
This is a great story suitable for most readers of all ages.
Thank you, Ben Andrews, for a great story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Divided follows a brother and sister as they work on opposite sides of the wall, unsure if they can even trust each other, they have their own secrets which could impact the divided country.
This is a powerful dystopian story which is relevant to the issues we are facing in our current societies. You could really feel the emotion of the characters as they explored the world and tried to invoke change. The world building was great and showed an interesting take on a government who abuse power and technology to the detriment of their people.
Themes
🧑🧑🧒🧒Family Bonds ⚔️Rebellion
🧱Divided Nation 👨❤️👨LGBTQ rep
AI Technology 🏚Dystopian Lands
With thanks to the author for access to this eARC
This is a powerful dystopian story which is relevant to the issues we are facing in our current societies. You could really feel the emotion of the characters as they explored the world and tried to invoke change. The world building was great and showed an interesting take on a government who abuse power and technology to the detriment of their people.
Themes
🧑🧑🧒🧒Family Bonds ⚔️Rebellion
🧱Divided Nation 👨❤️👨LGBTQ rep
AI Technology 🏚Dystopian Lands
With thanks to the author for access to this eARC
February 21, 2026
4.5 Stars - wish we could give halves here!
Firstly - I want to say a HUGE thank you to Ben for creating this world! I love a dystopian storyline and this one doesn’t disappoint!!
It has a great pace throughout the story and character development making everything so easy to follow. There were moments for me personally where my jaw dropped open mid read making my partner ask if I was ok, what more can you want from a book.
I loved how the POV flipped between both sides of the divide and all that’s in between… yes there’s a between too, as it follows Maya and Liam (siblings) through this world.
I can’t wait for the second and third installments, gimme gimme gimme! I have to know how this story evolves given how it ended.
Firstly - I want to say a HUGE thank you to Ben for creating this world! I love a dystopian storyline and this one doesn’t disappoint!!
It has a great pace throughout the story and character development making everything so easy to follow. There were moments for me personally where my jaw dropped open mid read making my partner ask if I was ok, what more can you want from a book.
I loved how the POV flipped between both sides of the divide and all that’s in between… yes there’s a between too, as it follows Maya and Liam (siblings) through this world.
I can’t wait for the second and third installments, gimme gimme gimme! I have to know how this story evolves given how it ended.
February 9, 2026
I was lucky enough to get this as Arc as i absolutely love Ben Andrews work!
This didn’t disappoint. A nation divided by a wall one side thrives while the other suffers. A brother and sister fighting for survival.
This is a story of family and the fight for freedom.
I found it an emotional rollercoaster. I fell in love with Liam and Alex their fight for love was so intense. The thing i love about Bens work is the way he writes his characters they have a way of drawing you in and making you have that strong reaction.
Highly recommend picking this up a brilliant start to a fascinating dystopian series.
This didn’t disappoint. A nation divided by a wall one side thrives while the other suffers. A brother and sister fighting for survival.
This is a story of family and the fight for freedom.
I found it an emotional rollercoaster. I fell in love with Liam and Alex their fight for love was so intense. The thing i love about Bens work is the way he writes his characters they have a way of drawing you in and making you have that strong reaction.
Highly recommend picking this up a brilliant start to a fascinating dystopian series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4 ⭐ - Thank you to the author for the ARC so I can leave an honest review!
This is a dystopian novel that follows siblings Maya and Liam and is set in a world where a nation has been divided due to a historic vote on the use of AI. It's scary to think that we are not exactly far away from a future like this and the novel really reflects issues within our own society now. We focus on Maya and Liam and their individual roles in a wider society, and their fight for survival. Both siblings take a different path in search for a better future for them. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I'm left curious to see where the next novel will take us.
This is a dystopian novel that follows siblings Maya and Liam and is set in a world where a nation has been divided due to a historic vote on the use of AI. It's scary to think that we are not exactly far away from a future like this and the novel really reflects issues within our own society now. We focus on Maya and Liam and their individual roles in a wider society, and their fight for survival. Both siblings take a different path in search for a better future for them. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I'm left curious to see where the next novel will take us.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Well written & brilliant character dynamics! Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
review to follow
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