Released: 3rd June 2025
Skipshock is a portal fantasy world where our teenage heroine Margo Madden is off to boarding school, only to find herself on the wrong train. Sitting in her seat is Moon, a travelling salesman, who takes her under his wing and into the revolution.
This book has everything you could want from a good fantasy. The worldbuilding is detailed and the mechanics have all been worked out – seasons, cultures, customs, industry. My personal favourite is the clockwork city but there are plenty to choose from.
The plot is fast paced and immersive. I wouldn’t say I couldn’t put it down but I did find myself losing hours at a time. At over 300 pages, Skipshock is on the longer side but at no point did it feel tedious. The little details were woven into the narrative without the typical infodump which many fantasy authors are prone to.
The characters are memorable, flawed and feel realistic (despite their unnatural skin tones!) I have very few criticisms. Moon is your typical, brooding, male love interest but with his backstory, it comes across as human rather than cliché. I would have liked some LGBTQ+ representation somewhere but to be honest, relationships don’t appear much throughout.
Sadly, the twist was predictable but mostly due to excellent foreshadowing. The ending feels purposeful, as though the whole book has built to it. A surprise would have been nice but this felt ‘right’. I cannot abide an ending which feels like it has been cobbled together at the last minute out of blu-tac and a piece of string.
I can’t wait for the next book. While this is labelled as Young Adult, it’s YA in the way that The Hunger Games is YA. It’s a book which everyone from 13 and up can enjoy with the potential for global success. It doesn’t feel like it’s written for teenagers. This is a solid novel which I wouldn’t be surprised to see hit the big screen.
Written By: ivetafox
Favourite Game – Long Live the Queen || Favourite Film – Sweeney Todd || Favourite Book – Wuthering Heights
About: Ivy is a disabled, autistic writer from the UK, passionate about inclusive gaming. When not reviewing, she can be found writing short stories and micro fiction or reading the latest gothic novel.
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