Smoke is set in England, "a century ago, give or take"--a familiar yet strange land where, when the wicked lie or sin in thought or deed, they release Smoke: thin white wisps, or oily black and oozing, or yellow or green, depending on the crime. They might smoke through their mouths, or the pores of their skin. It is a remarkably convenient way to judge people. Or so it seems.
With this premise, Dan Vyleta (The Crooked Maid) introduces a world of action, intrigue and challenge. Smoke is told from many perspectives, eventually spanning social classes to include religious fanatics, compassionless scientists, imitators of virtue, goodhearted working-class misfits--and, possibly, the truly evil. Readers and characters are confronted with revelation after revelation, eventually including the very nature and meaning of Smoke. At a little over 400 pages, Smoke begs for a single-sitting read, such is the momentum of the plot. On the other hand, its world-building is so massive and engrossing that it seems much larger than a mere novel.
For moralists; for those pondering the difference between good and evil; and, especially, for readers who appreciate a wild and large-scale story of action, adventure, risk and destiny: Smoke will entertain and provoke. Readers will be left wanting more. --Julia Jenkins, librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia