The first installment in Finn’s debut series plunges readers into a vivid world where the boundaries of reality and illusion blur. Seventeen-year-old Tyler Yaxley has his fair share of problems: his stepfather is abusive, his mother emotionally absent, and his brother, Jordan, disappeared years ago. When he meets the unconventional Martin, and starts noticing odd phenomena shimmering in the world around him, Tyler questions whether he’s losing it—or if something bigger than himself is taking shape. After bullies viciously attack him, Tyler wakes up in a mysterious place called Res—a haunting realm where he’s immediately plunged into the Iudicium, a series of trials that test his strength, morality, and resolve.

Tyler's trials are a brutal gauntlet of psychological and physical torment, where he confronts grotesque creatures, treacherous landscapes, and impossible choices, but they’re just the start of his tortuous journey. As he faces fallout in Res and in the real world, Tyler also learns of his connection to an ancient inner energy—Vinculum—that feeds off a human host. While Tyler’s Vi, called Kiijh, grants him supernatural abilities, those come with a cost, serving as a source of power and a symbol of his fractured sense of self. Throughout Tyler’s awakenings, Martin functions as his mentor, keying him into the different dimensions of reality and his role as a chosen one.

Though occasionally dense with lore, Dissonance balances introspective moments with action, especially in the climactic confrontation with Milo, whose elemental powers push Tyler and his team to their limits. Finn further complicates Tyler’s journey with Jordan’s reappearance, reopening old wounds of abandonment and betrayal, but, despite his harrowing struggles, Tyler emerges stronger and more determined than ever. That transformation sets the stage for an exciting sequel, where Tyler must face the looming threats of Res and beyond. Anyone who has ever fought to find their place in the world will be riveted.

Takeaway: Young adult faces tortuous trials to find his place in a fractured world.

Comparable Titles: Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series; Maggie Stiefavter’s The Scorpio Races.

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: A-