Somnium

2nd edition

Fiction - Dystopia
278 Pages
Reviewed on 10/14/2021
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Kristy Kamin is an award-winning author of Young Adult and Middle-Grade Science Fiction. She particularly loves to write diverse characters, but where the story is grounded in the genre and NOT centred on their sexuality/ race/ ethnicity/ disability etc.
Kristy was inspired to write Somnium after wanting her child with cerebral palsy to have the opportunity to read and watch fictional stories where the hero has a disability which wasn't the central part of the story.

Her dream is that we can, one day, all look at each other not as needing to be the same, but each of us beautiful in our own uniqueness.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Somnium by the award-winning Kristy Kamin is a moving, compelling dystopian novel about what it means to be yourself in a world that doesn't always understand or accept differences. Imagine a perfect place and time where your wildest dreams are fulfilled during the daytime. Then at night, people can - by virtual means - imagine themselves to be anywhere, do anything. This is the kind of world that the main character, Claudia, thrives in. She has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. This enchanting place is called Somnium, and Claudia can totally be herself here. But this world is marred by Melanie, who has wicked intentions that could jeopardize everything and everyone. It seems like this is the end for humans and life itself, and Claudia is determined to intervene, regardless of her diagnosis.

Kamin stimulates the mind and imagination with her clever plot and well-designed characters. Claudia is a realistic heroine and so human in her situation. The author writes with a good balance of light and dark. And you'll also find romance, challenges, good versus evil, and a solid story that makes you want to read more of it. The pace is just right, the suspense is pitch-perfect, and you truly grow to care about these characters and how things turn out for them. I like Claudia's bravery at taking on the dark enemy and the fact that she seems so real, getting a tattoo and having a best friend named Samantha. The first-person POV makes Claudia come alive on the page. Kamin's writing has authenticity and emotion, making the touching parts honestly earned. You'll enjoy learning about Claudia's life, especially how she handles herself during the exciting climax. This novel should have wide appeal and would make a good movie. If you like the virtual reality gaming system Oculus Quest and wonder where it may go in the future, you will love Somnium by Kristy Kamin.