My Soul to Keep

My Soul to Keep by Lynette M. Burrows is a hard-hitting dystopian story set in a very different version of America to the place it was in 1961. This is a world where cruel leaders force everyone to follow strict rules and punish those who don't. Miranda is a young woman caught in the middle of these rules and punishments, so she decides to run away when she realizes she won't be allowed to make her own choices anymore. But during her escape, Miranda finds out about the terrible secrets of her country and faces painful memories from her past. She has to make an impossible choice: should she return to her old life where others control her, or should she risk everything, including her life, to fight for freedom? There are dangerous people called the Angels of Death who hunt down anyone who breaks the rules, so Miranda must be extremely careful. To stay alive, she needs to be smart about who to trust and find strength she didn't know she had. The dark reality of this different America comes through clearly, making readers think about how our world could change under similar harsh control.

Author Lynette M. Burrows captured my attention with a version of America that feels frighteningly real when you look at the world today. I could picture this oppressive world because of the atmosphere and mood the author created. Miranda starts out desperate but grows into a determined fighter who cares about freedom and the truth. Burrows shows this change powerfully whenever her speech and actions are described, The story is sometimes intense and gripping, and at other times everything slows down so that we have time to explore Miranda's inner struggles. This got me thinking deeply about freedom and what it means to be true to yourself, even when you might face consequences for it. The relationships between the different characters are moving, showing both the best and worst of what human beings might do to each other under extreme pressure. The writing details the physical and mental difficulties of living under oppression and yet still keeps a thread of hope in the darkest moments. Overall, I strongly recommend My Soul to Keep to anyone who enjoys powerful dystopian books about fighting against oppression with heroes you can easily root for.

The first volume of a trilogy, "My Soul To Keep" by Lynette M. Burrows is the story about a woman who dares to break the rules of her society. But in the dystopia of 1961 Fellowship America, those rules aren't optional -- and they are enforced with a deadly vengeance. As an author, Burrows raises her dystopian novel to an impressive level of literary excellence. With misogynist elements that are easily extrapolated from the politics of Christian Nationalism of today, "My Soul To Keep" is a chilling but inherently fascinating read from start to finish. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and college/university library Literary Fiction and Science Fiction collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an interest in dystopian fiction and the struggle for women's rights