City Of All Seasons by Oliver K Langmead & Aliya Whiteley

Jamie lives in a city of perpetual winter. Snow and ice blanket the island of Fairharbour, where he survives by scavenging for materials that he can use to make pretty trinkets he can subsequently trade for food and fuel. But when he puts together a kaleidoscope and tests it out, he catches an impossible glimpse of summer.

Esther lives in a city of sweltering heat. When she finds a kaleidoscope in one of the few pockets of cold in the city, she’s intrigued, not only by what it shows her but by the fact that it reminds her very much of the handiwork of her craftsman stepfather Pawel. As far as she knows, it’s been years since a weatherbomb trapped Fairharbour in endless summer. Is the kaleidoscope showing her a way out?

As Jamie and Esther figure out how to communicate and connect, they’ll unravel the mystery of their city, even as they unearth the terrible secrets of their shared history. But will their efforts be enough for them to save two cities on the verge of disaster?

This fascinating sci-fi novel starts out seeming like climate fiction before turning into a puzzle box that gets to the heart of why environmental disasters happen: greed and selfishness. What I thought most interesting was the way in which the prime instigator was not left blameless, tho I can’t say more for fear of spoilers. It would have been understandable to mythologize that figure, but the writers chose to make it clear instead that flawed people don’t emerge from a vacuum. It’s a fitting approach in a book about learning connection after forced division.

As a hot weather girl myself — who’s been rather appalled by recent Internet discourse on which climate is more bearable to live in: there are more people living on the Equator than in the Arctic Circle per square mile for a reason, friends — I was far more concerned with Jamie’s survival than Esther’s. Honestly, it felt like she got the better end of the deal, climate-wise. I did appreciate how both cities were shown to be susceptible to repressive government, and how the people tried to fight back, for good or ill. Honestly, the whole book is a well-written commentary on doing the seemingly impossible to find unity in the face of diabolically divisive tactics.

Given the state of the world right now, this is a message that bears repeating. I’m tired and I’m sad and I’m probably coming down with something, but it gives me hope to know that there are other like-minded people like myself out there, who believe that we have the power to destroy fascism and usher in a more just world for everyone. I hope this book gives you hope, too. But also, that cover is just fantastic! It’s ornate and foiled and a total treat for lovers of visual art, as well as an excellent teaser of the story within.

City Of All Seasons by Oliver K Langmead & Aliya Whiteley was published April 29 2025 by Titan Books and is available from all good booksellers, including