THE SEASON OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS by Jillian Cantor

4 stars

In this fascinating and chilling teen dystopian drama, a near-future United States has been taken over by an authoritarian, President Lyon, who has set out to destroy any dissent. Lyon imposes a totalitarian regime, banishing science, killing scientists, outlawing medicine, and controlling the news.

All citizens must attend a brainwashing program, called ReAdmission, for citizenship in the new regime. The program uses drugs that wipe one’s memory and to impose social conformity. Women must all look like Barbies and hold menial jobs. Anyone dissenting faces imprisonment or death.

Seventeen-year-old Ellie’s Dad sees Lyon taking over the country coming, and as a leading scientist wants to protect his family. He manages to cryogenically freeze Ellie, her Mom, and himself, intending the freeze to last for a decade to hopefully outlast Lyon’s stint in power. But Ellie’s younger brother Scott runs away from home right before the freezing and has since been hiding at a small dissident’s camp in the mountains barely surviving. The fate of Ellie’s brilliant scientist grandmother is unknown to the family.

Betrayed by a teenage friend who knew what her family was up to, Ellie gets defrosted after only three years and finds herself imprisoned in a ReAdmission facility. The race is on by Scott and his best friend Mateo to try to rescue Ellie. They get swept up into a larger rebellion trying to take down the authoritarian rule.

Like any good teen dystopia, there’s romance blended with danger, and young adults who have to summon bravery to take on corruption. There’s also ample room for comparisons to the current politics in America leaning to an authoritarian regime, and how step acts of courage can topple extremism.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.