Evolo

by Robin Leacock

The world’s five Nations live in fear of the Last Day. But what it is, or when exactly it will come, no one is sure. All anyone knows is that in order to survive, the lowly Emeralds must respect the powerful Iolites’ instructions and not disrupt the Balance. In Lightedge, fourteen-year-old Emerald Fitz Bowman knows to do whatever the Iolites say and wait to be saved. But when his best friend Shay changes Sets, he suddenly begins to notice that all the Iolites’ promises don’t quite add up. Despite his fears, Fitz sets out to find a truth that no one seems willing to tell.

178 pages, Paperback

First published December 23, 2020

About the author

Robin Leacock is an independent author and teacher. He lives in Schomberg, Ontario, Canada with his wife Andie and their dog Milo.

In 2020, Robin published Evolo, a young adult sci-fi dystopian novel.

If you want to get to know Robin, getting to know Evolo's protagonist Fitz Bowman is a good place to start.

Reviews

[Erika Buechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting Dystopian future where people are divided by class. Well-written and thought provoking.

[Emmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evolo is a dystopian story I would say best suitable for middle grade or mostly younger YA readers. It features a world where people are divided into two sets, or classes with one the ruling class, a dream world where anything is possible, a dying world, and the promise of a way to save it.

Favourites:
- Characterization: once I got into the story I enjoyed how Leacock has shaped the different characters, with their own weaknesses and strengths.
- Dream world: I loved seeing the possibilities in the dreamworld, of being able to shape things with your mind. I think it could have been explored a bit more even, but as it was it was cool.
- Dialogue: Fitz' and his friends have their own bit of banter, and their friendships come out very well. The dialogue between him and his friends felt easily relatable and realistic.

What I missed:
- Reader age: I was somehow expecting a YA dystopian story, and I had to adjust my expectations a little when I realized this story was written for quite a young audience with protagonists and also the villains' motivations to match.
- Start: the start of the story threw me off and I considered putting it down. In hindsight I realize now that the first 'chapter' I read, was really actually a prologue and that makes it fall into place more. But when I originally read the first chapter, which is written from first person pov, it very much disoriented me. I didn't know who the narrator was, and it felt a little preachy because I wasn't even sure if these were just notes from the author, or if this was actually part of the story from a characters pov. I think if it had been labelled 'prologue' and I'd had a name to put to the narrator, this would have been solved. As it is, I would recommend any reader who starts and struggles with the first chapter to just push through or even skip it, and I think you'll find the rest of the story enjoyable.

Sexual content: none
Coarse language: none
Violence and gore: mild violence, no gore

Conclusion:
If you like a dystopian young YA or middle grade story with your typical power-hungry, selfish villain, developing friendships between some very different people, and a sprinkle of 'magic', I can recommend giving Evolo a go. Aside from my struggles with the first chapter, the rest of the book was well written and enjoyable and I think the author has a lot of potential.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good, its amazing if you want a fast read