Book Reviews / Book Talk

Heir Ascendant - Matthew S. Cox - Review

This was originally downloaded through Netgalley for an honest review. But then, I saw it was on and did it that way so I could have it on all my devices to read.

So, I have a forever copy from Netgalley and copy that I returned last night when I finished the book. It's no longer downloadable through Netgalley as it has been archived.

It's $4.99 to buy the ebook outright on Amazon --

This post will contain spoilers because I honestly don't know how to shut up.

Score: 4 out of 5

First sentence: Discarded wrappers littered the slate-grey countertop, rustling as small hands added one more to the pile.

Summary: Maya is a nine year old Rapunzel who is trapped inside her tower by her evil biological mother. Which is very Grimm Fairy tale of this story before parents complained and everyone acquired evil stepparents. Instead of hair and a prince she's abducted by a rough group who intend on using her to acquire a ransom or medication for the killer illness called Fade. Through her wits and determination she rescues herself while obtaining a replacement mother and causes a revolt.

She's a genetically engineered child created by a woman who has no motherly instincts. She's a prop for her mother's pharmaceutical company.

Topics in this book: Sexualizing a child to advertise medication, pedophilia, the threat of assault or sexual assault, PTSD and poverty. I'm sure there is more but this is what I can remember.

Advertisements: She wears clothes that are more for adult than child

Pedophilia is discussed after the fact due to Sarah who something happened with her and the landlord. Maya & Sarah take him down under the assumption he's the one who called the on her and got Genna taken away.

"You tell me everything that happened, okay? It's not your fault." in regards to her encounter with the guy. Every book and people need this in their stuff until we're no longer having to deal with people blaming victims. Recommend? If you don't mind a patchwork of a story with the protagonist being a genetically modified nine-year old then yes. In the acknowledgement talks about how this was originally a short story and when you're reading you can tell it's been stretched. But the acknowledgement seems to help confirm this. It feels like maybe three main things were wanting to be addressed with this and used journeying across places to fill in the gaps between them. Which isn't bad in itself but the story works and flows well when Maya & Genna are together.

I enjoyed it enough that I "" my journey through the book. I'm on Twitter. Something I read about by this . It felt weird and I was kind of worried of getting notified to stop because I was quoting the book a lot.

Some Quotes:


"I'm thin because I was made that way. Vanessa thinks it looks better in the ads." "The Authority let you take me because one of your friends is either an undercover or an informant."

"He hauled her out the door, carrying her like a briefcase made of person."

Maya lifted the sandwich to her mouth, and hesitated. "This is cheese?"

He winced. "Sorry kid, just tryin' to be funny." "Keep trying," mumbled Maya.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your shooting Dave in the head," said Maya, "but I left something in the kitchen. Can I please get it?" I'm thin because I was made that way. Vanessa thinks it looks better in the ads."