Synopsis

Farya Navurian seems like an ordinary young woman trying to get ahead in the city while struggling with depression. But her depression is anything but ordinary – it has the power to destroy time and space. Growing up the moody daughter of a space-faring hero of The Greater Anointed Imperial Ohioan Commonwealth, Farya annihilated most of that world and its history, leaving behind the husk-like Buckeye State.

One day at a record swap, she meets Bryan, a divorced telecom CEO. More than record collecting, what they share is that they each carry a howling secret. Bryan’s business is a cover for a bigger operation that buys human souls and sells luxury afterlives using shady terms of service in mobile-phone contracts.

The two of them fall in love, and as they start a life together, their secrets back them into a corner where they have to come clean – and take drastic steps – to save themselves, and possibly reality itself.

Quick Take

Ms. Never is an excellent portrayal of mental illness, and how sometimes the symptoms of mental illness can become superpowers

Tell Me More

I was overjoyed when I was presented with the opportunity to review Ms. Never. I am a woman struggling with Major Depressive Disorder, Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder, and Complex PTSD, so I am always looking for novels that accurately portray mental illness in a unique way. Ms. Never surpassed my expectations in this way. The novel’s protagonist, Farya Navurian, suffers from depression, but instead of being presented as a damsel in distress, she ends up having superpowers as a byproduct of her mental illness. I have never read a book that portrays some of the symptoms of mental illness in this way, and I fell in love with Colin Dodds’ one-of-a-kind storyline.

Ms. Never is equal parts science fiction and romance, while portraying the complexities of modern life. Both of the primary characters of the novel – Farya and Bryan – are multifaceted and develop beautifully throughout the novel. I gobbled this novel up and yearned for more upon finishing. I am amazed and delighted by Dodd’s genre-bending novel and view of mental illness, and I can’t recommend this novel enough. Ms. Never appeals to a variety of audiences due to its genre-crossing storyline, and I hope that you will pick it up as soon as you can! This story will leave you forever changed.

*I was given this book to review from Reedsy Discovery