Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden (Escaping Exodus, #1) * * * * *

I read Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden for the 2026 PopSugar Reading Challenge, prompt number 50, “A book about Afrofuturism.” The label fits, as the author herself describes it that way, but the book is more complex than a simple “Black people in space” premise. I gave it four and a half stars, which I round up to five in most places.

The story is set in a society that lives inside large space creatures called beasts. These creatures travel in herds, and humans attach themselves to one, enter its body, and modify its internal structure to create a functioning habitat. The setting is very concrete. Biological structures are repurposed into living spaces, corridors, and systems that support daily life Each beast lasts approximately twelve years. When it dies, the society moves on to another and rebuilds everything.

The key distinction is how different social classes experience this process. The elite class recreates their previous environment in exact detail, including layout and objects. Their living conditions remain consistent from one beast to the next. The worker class does not have this option. They rebuild based on memory and rough plans, which results in less stable and less comfortable environments.

The society is strongly hierarchical. There is a clear division between elites and beastworkers, but there are also internal hierarchies within the worker class. Status depends on where a person works inside the beast. Some roles are more dangerous or more valued than others, and this affects social standing. Each group has its own habits and culture, which makes the world feel structured rather than uniform.

The society is also matriarchal. Women hold positions of authority, while men are restricted in their roles and are often treated as less capable. They are excluded from certain jobs and are socially diminished. This dynamic is presented as a systemic norm rather than an exception.

Family structure is tightly controlled. People live in units of nine, divided into three groups of three, each consisting of two women and one man. Relationships are regulated, and reproduction is limited. Each family unit is allowed only one child, with a few specific exceptions. This leads to a logical issue. Over multiple generations, especially given the high-risk labour of the worker class, this system would likely reduce the population significantly. The book does not fully address this.

The narrative follows two main characters.

Seske belongs to the elite class and is the heir to the Matriarch. Her position is unusual because she has a sister who should not exist under the rules of their society. Both were born from parallel pregnancies, which creates tension within the family. The sister is present but not fully accepted. Seske’s perspective focuses on leadership, responsibility, and the broader structure of the society.

Adalla is a beast worker and Seske’s childhood friend. Her chapters show the practical realities of life within the system. She works in different sections of the beast, which allows the reader to see multiple aspects of labour and class conditions. Her perspective highlights inequality and the physical demands placed on the worker class.

Their relationship includes romantic feelings, but this is not the central focus of the story. The romance remains a secondary element.

There are also additional perspectives that expand on the themes, including a male viewpoint that illustrates the effects of the matriarchal system on men. Relationships in this society are not limited to pairs, which leads to more complex interpersonal dynamics.

A central conflict of the book is sustainability. The number of available beasts is decreasing, which threatens the survival of the entire society. The current system depends on exploiting these creatures, and this approach is no longer viable. The story explores whether a different, more sustainable way of living is possible.

Overall, the strength of the book lies in its worldbuilding. The society is detailed, internally structured, and consistent in most areas. The class system, cultural differences, and daily life are clearly defined.

I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in complex speculative worlds and social systems. It has not received as much attention as it should.

It is primarily a story about how a society functions, and what happens when the system it depends on begins to fail.