The Night Sky by C.A. Cordova

A delightful and heartwarming adventure into a bitter winter world of precious narwhals, evil antagonists, missing grandfathers, and sacred duties, The Night Sky by C.A. Cordova is an innovative work of YA visionary fiction.

In a dystopian future, one young girl embarks on a journey to discover her birthright as she searches for someone she loves after he mysteriously disappeared in a vicious blizzard. However, she won’t be alone in her search – not after learning that her grandmother was once a legendary protector of the narwhals, just like her missing grandfather. As Nadia’s heroic young eyes are opened to the evils that have plagued their people for so long – namely the greedy Protectors – she is tested like never before, and must channel her newfound powers to save her people, as well as the natural world that she loves so much.

At times, the prose is rich with symbolism and strong imagery, along with powerful themes of protecting nature, celebrating female empowerment, deposing charlatans, and finding your tribe in life. The blend of cultural influences, languages, and histories in this future setting also makes the story feel universal, along the lines of Ursula K. Le Guin’s best sci-fi works, for a magical and deeply original tale.

Unfortunately, Cordova’s writing also occasionally slips into flat and declarative sections that are notably less compelling. The narration can also be plodding, with every action being specified, leaving little room for the reader’s imagination to play. Similarly, the dialogue comes off as functional and expositional, rather than reflecting organic conversations or interactions. The majority of these issues could be cleared up with a moderate edit, but as it stands, the creativity woven into every moment of the storyline makes this wildly unique novel a riveting read.