Welcome to the Damned, by Astraea Long, is a chaotic and dark dive into a dystopian world filled with mind control, broken characters, and violence. The story follows Tal and Rovis, two members of a group known as the Aconites, as they navigate a crumbling society, fighting both external enemies and their own demons. The plot is layered with betrayal, revenge, and a pervasive sense of despair as Tal and Rovis confront forces that threaten their existence and sanity. At its core, this is a story about survival and the blurred lines between good and evil in a world that offers no redemption.

What immediately struck me about the book is its raw, unfiltered tone. From the start, the prose grabs you with a visceral intensity. The opening chapter, where Zero flushes a bottle of pills in an attempt to break free from her own suicidal thoughts, sets the stage for the emotional turmoil that carries through the book​. The writing is brutally honest, almost harsh in its depiction of mental health struggles, and yet it feels deeply human. There’s something refreshing about the way Long allows her characters to wallow in their flaws without forcing a neat resolution. It’s gritty and a bit heartbreaking to read, but it gives the book a powerful emotional core. There are moments of pure brilliance that are haunting and beautifully tragic, and the fast-paced action keeps the story exciting and full of energy.

The world-building is rich and intriguing, and it’s introduced in such a dynamic way that it invites you to dive deeper, rewarding readers who enjoy revisiting key details to fully immerse themselves in the complexity of the setting. Tal and Rovis aren’t just antiheroes; they’re messy, morally ambiguous, and sometimes downright unlikable. Yet, it’s impossible not to root for them as they fight for a place in a world that has tried to crush them. The relationship between the two is complicated and layered with tension. Their banter and interactions often serve as brief moments of levity in an otherwise heavy narrative.

Welcome to the Damned is the perfect read for those who enjoy dark, complex stories with characters that linger long after the final page. I highly recommend this book to readers who appreciate dystopian settings with a psychological twist and aren’t afraid of confronting difficult themes like mental illness and violence head-on.

Pages: 314 | ASIN : B0CP7JTRC6