The Hands We're Given: Heartwrenching
I didn’t know what to expect when I started The Hands We’re Given, a cyberpunk novel by O. E. Tearmann.
The story was more intriguing and riveting than I could have imagined.
Tearmann explores a futuristic world set in the 22nd century, where corporations control everything. Our heroes attempt to survive on the outskirts of civilization as “Dusters,” rebels against the corporate overlords.
Aiden and Kevin, our two unlikely friends.
I don’t want to spoil too much about this story (and so much is easily spoiled), but at its core, it’s a profoundly human tale, dealing with real issues and internal conflicts paralleling fights of the present.
People have identities and realities which other people despise and hate.
When hate directs itself at a person, it tears them apart on the inside. Their mind breaks.
And Tearmann explores the raw emotional reality of people experiencing bigotry, all while placing them in a devastated world seeking a way forward.
I must warn readers: the story does include a few chapters of graphic sexual content. I don’t seek out those types of stories when I read SciFi and Fantasy, but in the context of this narrative, the scenes make a lot of sense. I didn’t feel like they were included just for the sake of having sex in the narrative. They’re meaningful and portray a powerful relationship formed over many chapters.
Overall, if you’re looking for a story that will push your boundaries and make you think about people through new eyes, I highly recommend The Hands We’re Given.
4.5 stars (rounded up to 5).