Premee Mohamed’s We Speak Through the Mountain is out today! This sequel to The Annual Migration of Clouds begins with Reid traveling through Alberta’s Rocky Mountains to reach Howse University—supposedly one of the last remaining locations where life carries on as it did before society collapsed. Reid is excited by the opportunity to attend Howse, and all she thinks about is how she’ll be able to help rebuild the world after she graduates. But life at Howse is different from what she expected. Driven by her curiosity and love, Reid questions her new circumstances and the people around her. In Reid’s quest for answers, Mohamed explores power and morality in a society that refuses to change. 

 

Much like the first book, WSTTM grapples with the theme of duty. But instead of discussing what we owe our loved ones, this book tackles what we owe to each other as humans sharing a planet. Every action is a choice, and not helping others when you have the power and resources to do so is also a choice. Similar to how most of us are baffled by the inaction of our peers who aren’t standing in solidarity with oppressed peoples, and the continued complicity in the suffering of people across the world by those in power, Reid struggles to understand the choices of the university when she has experienced the suffering of life beyond Howse’s walls firsthand. 

 

My favourite thing about Reid in this book is her strong moral compass and her desire to create a better world. Reid’s values ground the story and lead the way for thought-provoking discussions about morality and ethics. It’s interesting to watch her adapt to a new environment and come to terms with life at Howse. She’s surrounded by people who do not value community as much as she does and this is a constant challenge for her throughout the book. These challenges drive the plot alongside Reid’s quest for answers. 

 

Most excitingly, readers get to learn more about Cad, the mysterious mind-altering parasitic fungi from the first book. This sequel answered a lot of my questions about Cad but also sparked some new ones. I’m glad it was explored more and it was one of the reasons that compelled me to keep reading. 

 

The more I think about these novellas the more I love them. It’s been a month since I read TAMOC and it has stayed with me. TAMOC is striking in its exploration of anger, guilt, grief and love, and WSTTM expands on those feelings and this world while exploring different themes that complement the first book well. I love this series and I hope you check it out. I’m excited to find out what happens in the next book 👀 

 

Thank you ECW Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC to review.