A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR "If you think that romance compromises a dystopian novel's ability to deliver sharp commentary, The Dividing Sky is here to prove you wrong." -- Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series A swoony witch/witch-hunter romance that's "one to watch" (Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author), with peak 2010s dystopian vibes and searing social commentary. In 2364, eighteen-year-old Liv Newman dreams of a future beyond her lower-class life in the Metro. As a Proxy, she uses the neurochip in her brain to sell memories to wealthy clients. Maybe a few illegally, but money equals freedom. So when a customer offers her a ludicrous sum to go on an assignment in no-man's-land, Liv accepts. Now she just has to survive. Rookie Forceman Adrian Rao believes in order over all. After discovering that a renegade Proxy's shady dealings are messing with citizens' brain chemistry, he vows to extinguish the threat. But when he tracks Liv down, there's one problem: her memories are gone. Can Adrian bring himself to condemn her for crimes she doesn't remember? As Liv and Adrian navigate the world beyond the Metro and their growing feelings for one another, they grapple with who they are, who they could be, and whether another way of living is possible. ★ " A gutsy debut that will leave readers wanting more." —Kirkus Reviews , starred review ★ "Messy human emotions strain against technology and morality in this high-stakes story packed with slow-burn pining and plentiful tension , enriched by skillful worldbuilding and nods to Henry David Thoreau’s Walden ." —Publishers Weekly , starred review ★ " A masterpiece of speculative, postapocalyptic fiction that demands to be devoured in a night or two , this is a white-knuckle ride into the future that is both moving and frightening. If Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower were written for teens, it might look like Tew’s debut." —School Library Journal , starred review " A simple, sweet romance with dystopian flavor and a hopeful ending that is perfect for genre beginners." — Booklist “ Dynamic, vivid, and electrifying .” —AYANA GRAY, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey “Jill Tew paints a world so real you could step straight into it. A debut to watch .” —AMIE KAUFMAN, New York Times bestselling author of The Isles of the Gods “A compelling , clever , and endlessly swoony dystopian romance.” —ALECHIA DOW, award-winning author of The Sound of Stars “A fresh, exhilarating adventure with swoon-worthy characters and an enthralling world. Truly unputdownable .” —EMILY THIEDE, author of This Vicious Grace “ A gripping dystopian romance with searing commentary . Action-packed and smartly written.” —LYSSA MIA SMITH, author of Revelle “ This unforgettable sci-fi romance has it all: genius world-building, beautifully crafted characters, and twists I never saw coming .” —ANGELA MONTOYA, author of Sinner’s Isle Jill Tew was destined for speculative fiction nerddom from childhood. She grew up watching Farscape, Hercules, and The 10th Kingdom, and always had the latest copy of Animorphs tucked in her backpack. Now she writes the kinds of stories she loved as a kid, with characters she wanted to see more of— Black heroes asking big questions, saving the world, and occasionally falling in love along the way. A recovering business school graduate, Jill enjoys belting showtunes and baking in her spare time. She lives in Atlanta with her family. 1 Liv This had better be worth it. With a grunt, I help Celeste push a piece of warped sheet metal aside to reveal a rusted drone. It’s almost half her height. “No way is that going to hold my weight,” I say, rubbing my arms. The sun’s not up yet. Wind whips across the skyscraper’s cluttered rooftop. “I know it doesn’t seem like much,” she says, chewing the inside of her cheek. “But the specs are good. These drones used to carry nets full of fish, and those are heavy! You’ll be fine, Liv. I’m pretty sure, anyway.” She mumbles to herself as she does some math on her fingers. My nerves flicker. Celeste’s inventions can border on genius—for anyone, let alone a nine-year-old—but this wouldn’t be the first time her enthusiasm outpaced her calculations. I eye the flaking LifeCorp logo on the drone’s hull. “Surer than the compost incident?” Her face twists in disgust at the memory before she switches topics. “Check out this harness! Kez helped me make it from old fishing nets.” She slips one strap over my shoulder. “He did? Doesn’t really sound like his—ugh!” The stench of fish guts overpowers me. I hold on to a tiny sliver of hope that the scent won’t set into the fabric of my EmoProxy uniform: a thin amber jumpsuit with a wide hood and long sleeves that end in fingerless gloves. I sniff the front of the jumpsuit, right above the stenciled LifeCorp logo, and gri