Review: The Forgotten Earth by Brilynn O'Neal
Blurb:
He's the soldier who is supposed to kill her for the knowledge she stole. She's the one that gets him to fight for her instead.
In a world on the brink of extinction, Willow’s mission is to save everyone she can. Armed with forbidden knowledge from banned books, she attempts to fix the food system, aiming to bring back what was lost: plants. But in a world controlled by a powerful Elite, her knowledge could lead to her death.
Liam is a soldier with nothing left. A slave in a system he cannot break free from, carrying out death in the name of the Elite. Just like most, he has lost all hope for the world they live in.
When the city around them crumbles, they are both forced onto a new path, unexpectedly colliding with one another. As they embark on a journey to find other survivors like them, and as their connection grows, so does Willow’s unexpected power to re-grow the Earth. The journey is wrought with mystical monsters, unexpected magic, and a sentient house, but just when they believe they are free of the Elite, they discover they’re being hunted for their abilities. They now must choose between the life the Elite offers them and the world they are trying to build.
Review:
Dystopian romantasy seems to be an upcoming trend, and The Forgotten Earth is starting it off strong. Author Brilynn O’Neal weaved together a dark, dystopian world with the beauty of elemental magic in a way that left me begging for book two the moment I finished.
In The Forgotten Earth, we follow two characters: Willow and Liam, who start on opposite sides of an ongoing war between the destitute civilians and their horrific leaders, also known as the Elite. Willow is just trying to survive; Liam is the deadliest soldier in the Elite’s ranks. But when escaping their city during an attack by the Claeg, zombie-like creatures left to die in the harshest environments on Earth, Liam saves Willow’s life, and their destinies become entwined.
Willow and Liam are both fabulous characters, and O’Neal crafted them so well that I found myself easily falling into their points of view, forgetting that I was reading a book. Every side character also came to life brilliantly, and the found family dynamic in this book was fierce. For me, deep, realistic characters are essential, and O’Neal blew me away.
The story itself is also fascinating, and O’Neal truly knows how to craft a perfect story arc. Willow and Liam are on the run from the Elite for the majority of the book, lost in a harsh environment full of extraordinary dangers. Yet, when they find a safe haven, and Willow’s abilities begin to blossom, the magic she weaves into the world brings light and hope to all who know her. For the first time in a very long time, people see a different future for themselves—and are willing to fight for it.
The battles that take place during The Forgotten Earth, then, are so excellent that I’d find my gaze flicking ahead, just to make sure my favorite characters didn’t die. The further into the story, the more powerful O’Neal’s fight scenes became, and the final battle had me on the edge of my seat. I cannot say enough how wonderful the action is in this book.
Finally, if you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers romance—where the beauty of the romance rivals the darkness of the story—this book is what you need to read. The relationship between Willow and Liam grows into something akin to fated mates, and my heart literally ached when they were forced to separate during their journeys. The romantic scenes between the two are open-door, but they were elegantly and tastefully written. I believe The Forgotten Earth, at its core, is a love story, and it was truly wonderful.
I was very impressed by Brilynn O’Neal’s debut, and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
The Forgotten Earth releases February 5, 2025. Preorders are available now!
