Burrowed by Mary Baader Kaley

Release: January 10, 2023
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Angry Robot
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle

In the distant future, a genetic plague has separated humanity in two –Subterraneans who live in underground burrows to protect their health, and strong surface-dwelling Omniterraneans.

Zuzan Cayan, a brilliant Subter girl with “light blindness,” is about to leave the safety of her burrow and earn a living. With her low life expectancy, however, her options are slim. That is until she’s offered the chance of a lifetime to study the population’s broken genetic code, fix the divide and reunite the world once again.

But when a new virus turns fatal for the Omnits, Zuzan must find a cure or humanity won’t simply remain separate, it will become extinct.

With enemies on all sides, Zuzan must hold on to the light at the end of the tunnel – or risk the world falling into darkness.

About the Author:

Mary Baader Kaley loves the sound of spring crickets, the Midwestern colors of fall, and shady porches in between. She spends summers healing her soul over long walks while smiling into the sun. On any given day, you’ll find her laughing with family and friends, binge-watching shows, reading while sneaking bites of chocolate, or warming her bones by a fire.

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Burrowed Review:

“Burrowed” is a gripping science fiction dystopian novel with promising characters surrounding a rich world, and I enjoyed reading it.The story’s highlight is Zuzan, her journey, and her connections with the rest of the cast. Zuzan is a solid and empathetic character, and you see various layers to her as she helps the children get better and figure out her place in life. A lot of the supporting characters also make the plot strong. For instance, I enjoyed the temperamental feelings that Zuzan faces with Crick, Griffith, and Nukleo (I particularly enjoyed Griffith). Similarly, even Maddelyn was interesting, as she appears sporadically but triggers some of the incidents in the tale with her behavior.Moreover, the author also adds a touch of romance where I warmed up to Zuzan and Ringol. The two of them don’t get off to the best start, and I was intrigued with how the author progressed their relationship, especially towards the climax.Also, I found myself intrigued with the world-building as we see Subterraneans and the Omniterraneans and the Omnit Rebellion that takes place. Some scenes shocked me, like the horrors she faces at Woynauld Military Academy. Other memorable scenes were Zuzan’s initiation speech and Optotech Hahn examining and changing her life. The author adds some nice twists that you don’t expect that shock and betray Zuzan too.However, the only downside to the story is that the pacing staggers in the second half. The first half is a whirlwind as we see Zuzan facing unspeakable challenges. But, the excitement in the second half comes down for a while and again picks up. While I enjoyed the medical aspects in the second half, I would have also liked some more danger and excitement.Overall, “Burrowed” is a gripping dystopian novel worth checking out.