Book Review: Skies of Dripping Gold by Hannah Heath

I think all of us have important questions regarding Life, the Universe, and Everything. How did we get here? Why are we here? What is our purpose? I think the biggest question in this category would be, Why do we live in a world of pain and suffering?

Something wonderful happened in the indie publishing world last weekend. This publication may be somewhat small, but it contains what I believe are some of the biggest words ever written. On December 5, a debut story titled Skies of Dripping Gold was released on Amazon Books, written by Hannah Heath. This story, only 35 pages long, is a beautifully written dark dystopian, but full of inspiration and encouragement, unlike most dystopian novels seen in the YA section of your library. Guys, this is a very short story, but it is so well written that it will leave you amazed with mind whirring. This little book gets a 5-star rating from me, hands and feet down.

 

Check out that awesome book cover.

For my other book reviews, I’ve written my own synopsis. However, Skies of Dripping Gold is an exception because I don’t think anyone could write any kind of brief summary as well as the author who knows the story like the back of their hand. So here is Hannah Heath’s synopsis below.

In an angry, frightened world where the Poison claims many lives, a young man’s belief in Paradise has collapsed into a distant dream. Gabriel can no longer place his trust in the existence of such a place. Not when his sister’s pain continues to sap her strength. Not when prayers for her healing go unanswered.

As the Poison progresses, eating away at Lilly’s life, Gabriel sets off on a desperate climb to save her from death. Struggling to discover the truth behind a world where the skies drip gold, Gabriel tries to maintain his disbelief in God while clutching after hope for his sister’s salvation. But, as he climbs the cliff that is said to lead to Paradise, he begins to see: if he can’t bring himself to believe in a place of peace and golden skies, then how can he possibly hope for his sister’s rescue? How can he possibly hope for his own?

In one sentence: Skies of Dripping Gold, Hannah Heath’s debut short story, is a YA Christian dystopian about a young man’s struggle to save his sister’s life and rescue his own soul.

You think Heath’s synopsis is great? Get the book.

 

The critique usually comes next, but I have nothing negative to say. At all. Every word was put together beautifully. The story was fantastically well done with an unexpected twist. The characterization is amazing, featuring only three characters: Gabriel (main character), who will do anything to make sure his sister Lilly (secondary character) gets to her Paradise she hopes for, and Cole (third main character), Gabriel’s friend whose friendship and loyalty to the brother and sister make the story possible. The sequence of events were put together efficiently and with full effect. Bam, bam, bam. The ending is heart-wrenching and yet full of encouragement and hope. DANGER: CLIFFHANGER. The end is unexpected, and left me at a loss for words or thoughts and wishing for just one sentence more.

There are a couple things in this story that I feel should be made aware of. The first is regarding language. Language in general does not bother me (unless it happens in every other sentence), but here the word “damn” was used a few times and “bastard” only twice in two necessary situations. Why language? My answer: Put yourself in Gabriel’s shoes. The story is also very dark, but this dramatic writing style is highly necessary for the story and for the right effect.

So, to be honest with you, I can’t remember when I last read a story quite like this one. I could tell by only reading it that the author was trying to get something across, and it came across very clear. The message in the story not only aroused my interest, but made me think deeper about other personal aspects of my life. It posed questions that made me wonder. And when a 35-page-long story makes you think seriously about the meaning of life, you know you’ve hit upon a one-of-a-kind, a story that should not be merely skimmed, as every word has a meaning. (And the answer is not 42.)

The author is a very close friend of mine, a beautiful person who has encouraged and inspired me in multiple ways. This makes the story personally special to me, and it is with pride that I support her and her story. But this story in and of itself is specifically outstanding. Outstanding. (You do know the meaning of that word.)

So don’t forget to head over to Amazon and check out this amazing read. The Kindle version is 99 cents and the physical copy is $6.99. (Psst! Get the physical copy, it’s the best way to read it.)