12 new SFF books to put on your summer reading list this July
By Lacy Baugher
How We Became Wicked – Alexander Yates
There are rather a lot of terrifying, plague-related stories on this month’s list, which on some level probably reflects how anxious we all are about the state of the world today. In How We Became Wicked, author Alexander Yates, tells the story of a dystopian future in which an insect-borne plague basically takes over the world, diving everyone into healthy “Trues” and infected “Wickeds.” There are also the “Vexed,” which are basically people who got sick but survived the dreaded illness. And now everyone wants them, because they – and their newly immune bodies – are probably the only hope humanity has of finding a way to fight this deadly disease… Whether they want to or not.
The story follows three teens – the immune Astrid, the still-vulnerable Hank, and outsider Natalie – as they investigate conspiracy theories, challenge the established power structure of their town and discover that the differences that divide everyone are more superficial than some might think.
"A plague, called Wicked, is pulsing through the world. And in its wake, it’s dividing the population into thirds: The WICKED: Already infected by the droves of Singers, the ultraviolet mosquito-like insects who carry the plague, the Wicked roam the world freely. They don’t want for much—only to maim and dismember you. But don’t worry: They always ask politely first. The TRUE: The True live in contained, isolated communities. They’re the lucky ones; they found safety from the Singers. And while the threat of the Wicked may not be eliminated, for the True, the threat has certainly been contained… The VEXED: The Vexed are the truly fortunate ones—they survived the sting of the Singers, leaving them immune. But they’re far from safe. The Vexed hold the key to a cure, and there are those who will do anything to get it."
Is this a zombie tale? A medical nightmare? Something in between? We’ll have to wait and see.
How We Became Wicked is available on July 23.