BIRCH AND JAY

Fifty years ago, in 2123, humanity was nearly extinct; only pockets of civilization remained. Twenty-year-old Jay, a member of the guild of the Knowledge Seekers, was about to begin his first journey into the wider world. In this believable dystopian world, Knowledge Seekers were tasked with collecting and preserving knowledge from the Old World. They sought to learn from their ancestors’ mistakes and ensure humanity’s peaceful future. However, Jay’s first mission was derailed by a chance encounter with rebellious Elder Elm. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Birch, seeking her own adventure, left her fathers behind to set out after Jay, to whom she is “promised.” Although extreme weather and wild animals plagued their journeys, they each soon learned that humans were a far more dangerous threat. The Six, leaders of an “old-fashioned city-state,” wanted to use environmentally destructive technology that could return Earth to the brink of collapse. The easy-to-follow narrative switches between Birch’s and Jay’s perspectives in the year 2173 with their storylines half a century earlier. The engaging premise is full of poignant reminders that the greatest challenge humanity faces is itself; the climate change warnings are unsubtle but don’t detract from the steady pacing. Race in this world is an “antiquated” concept; Birch is racially ambiguous, and Jay has Nordic and Asian Indian ancestry.

May 24, 2025 - 05:36

Fifty years ago, in 2123, humanity was nearly extinct; only pockets of civilization remained. Twenty-year-old Jay, a member of the guild of the Knowledge Seekers, was about to begin his first journey into the wider world. In this believable dystopian world, Knowledge Seekers were tasked with collecting and preserving knowledge from the Old World. They sought to learn from their ancestors’ mistakes and ensure humanity’s peaceful future. However, Jay’s first mission was derailed by a chance encounter with rebellious Elder Elm. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Birch, seeking her own adventure, left her fathers behind to set out after Jay, to whom she is “promised.” Although extreme weather and wild animals plagued their journeys, they each soon learned that humans were a far more dangerous threat. The Six, leaders of an “old-fashioned city-state,” wanted to use environmentally destructive technology that could return Earth to the brink of collapse. The easy-to-follow narrative switches between Birch’s and Jay’s perspectives in the year 2173 with their storylines half a century earlier. The engaging premise is full of poignant reminders that the greatest challenge humanity faces is itself; the climate change warnings are unsubtle but don’t detract from the steady pacing. Race in this world is an “antiquated” concept; Birch is racially ambiguous, and Jay has Nordic and Asian Indian ancestry.