The Sky is Yours

The Sky is Yours by Chandler Klang Smith, 457 pages

For 50 years, the once-thrivng metropolis of Empire Island has been at the mercy of two dragons that constantly circle the skies above the island, lighting fires throughout the city whenever the mood strikes them. These dragons — one yellow, one green — never land, never eat, never sleep, and never communicate in any way with the people who live below them. While the threat of dragon-fire has led many to flee the city, there are some who remain. Among those: spoiled billionaire playboy teenager Duncan Ripple V; his arranged-marriage fiancee Baroness Swan Lenore Dahlberg; and hard-hearted drug kingpin Eisenhower Sharkey. There's also Abby, a girl who was raised alone on a neighboring garbage dump island and taught to fear all technology. These four people live isolated from one another, and from the city at large, yet circumstances force their stories to intertwine.

Along with these fantastically-named and well-rounded characters, Smith has created a nuanced world that almost becomes a character of its own. The plot, too, was excellently created, shining just a bit of light on the path forward without giving up the coming twists and turns, but with plenty of wry humor that sneaks up on the reader. I loved it!