Potency (Glow #1), Aubrey Hadley

The Maasai Mara Sleeping Syndrome has returned after a six-month hiatus. This time, it’s popped up in New York, and it’s wiped out an entire homeless shelter.The same night of the outbreak, Harper, a seventeen-year-old girl, stumbles across a glowing figure in the desert outskirts of her neighbourhood. As her suburb goes on lock down, Harper finds herself isolated from her friends and family, and soon begins to suspect that the events — though thousands of miles apart — may have something in common.Harper must find her bravery and embark on a plot-twisting adventure that will have her looking for answers in unexpected places… and worlds.

Kindle Pages: 699 Publisher:Ruby & Topaz Publishing Publication Date: 16th July 2019

This review will be SPOILER FREE.

Harper is a normal seventeen year old living in Reno, Nevada. She is home-schooled, and her mother is extremely strict – which is why Harper has no qualms in sneaking out to play soccer with her friends. Our plot-twist, comes in the form of a virus. The Massai Mara Sleeping Syndrome, is lethal, and un-explainable. Harper’s life is explicitly changed when the Syndrome hits Reno, and her neighbourhood gets locked down. Separated from her family (as they were outside the area when the syndrome hit), Harper is left to fend for herself at home. At this point, the book was growing on me. It reminded me of themes found in The 100, The InBetween and other such series (which have become increasingly popular in mass-media).

ENTER PLOT DEVICE: CODE NAME PLOT-TWIST As a whole, the book lacks the fundamental substance which makes it POP from the generic sci-fi concepts. Hadley, lent towards telling her story (rather than showing it), and while this led to some intriguing dialogue, it also drew the novel away from the visual. Aside from that, the key plot twist which enters Harper’s life, only goes to exemplify how boring her characterisation is. It is a monumental event that occurs, and her reaction to it left me wanting. While this novel redeemed itself in it’s over-arching idea, and key-thematic aspects, it still floundered in the sea of individuality and character development. While I wouldn’t not suggest this book, it wouldn’t be at the top of my Sci-Fi suggestions either. I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. For more Bookish Content, visit;

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