THE KEY TO FURY

A return to the dystopian world in which the evil Key Corporation keeps the world safe from a deadly virus—and its citizens under heavy control.

After momentous events that led Aiden and Elodie to discover the truth behind the Key Corporation and unveil the leader of the Eos resistance movement, they are on the run and in search of New Dawn, an idyllic stronghold where a bright, hopeful future awaits. But before they can reach their destination, Aiden and Elodie get caught in a new web of lies and deception. Meanwhile, Blair, Aiden’s ambitious sister who is now MediCenter’s new director, sees her own once-bright future become uncertain when she too starts to reevaluate her life just as the corporation’s leaders work on a new plan to further exert their authority. This second entry in Cast’s The Key series sees the focus move away from shaky, credulity-stretching dystopian worldbuilding to mostly concentrate on Blair’s, Aiden’s, and Elodie’s growth as people, touching on agency, identity, and grief. The trio share the narrative with Council Leader Preston Darby, a psychopath obsessed with Blair and a clichéd embodiment of the wickedness of the authoritarian government. The book’s second half changes gear, moving toward a rushed and unearned climax and bringing the central storylines to a fizzled close. Main characters are brown skinned; Preston reads as White.

Strictly for those who enjoyed the first book in the series.