Take Back the Skies - Hardcover

Gr 7 Up—Saxon's debut novel tells the story of Cat Hunter, a rich girl from the government nobility in the war ravaged country of Anglya. Though the commoners have lost most of their children to the government's war Collection, she is safe in her life of luxury. Yet all is not as happy as it seems for Cat; she lives a life controlled by her cruel father and is about to be betrothed to someone she despises. Cat plans her escape, and disguised as a boy, she manages to stow aboard an airship. Once in the air, she is discovered and quickly accepted by the crew of smugglers as one of their own. When she learns the truth about her world, that the war the government has been Collecting children to fight has been over for years, she convinces the crew to join her in taking them down. Readers will discover a fast-paced adventure, a little mystery, and a little romance. As the first in a planned six-part series, the book shows potential but leaves perhaps too many unanswered questions. Light character development and unrefined writing will lose more sophisticated readers. Fans of steampunk and "girl in disguise" genres may do better to try Scott Westerfeld's "Leviathan" trilogy (S. & S.) or L. A. Meyer's "Bloody Jack Adventure" series (Houghton Harcourt).—Genevieve Feldman, San Francisco Public Library