Sancta Femina is a dark tale about science, truth and how one woman’s genetic heritage leads to an all-out war. After completing her cadet training on Titan, Hella Nazari is heading back to Earth when a nuclear blast annihilates much of the planet. Without her scheduled destination, the 21-year-old orphan regains consciousness in an unfamiliar territory. Her immediate relief upon discovering a lone laboratory after barely surviving the new and frigid atmosphere quickly dissipates when she realizes it belongs to the monster who destroyed her planet. From bad to worse, Hella faces new worries when the scientist claims she’s the genetic clone of a long-dead religious figure. Hella is destined to serve as his pawn in eliminating survivors unless she makes a grand escape from a seemingly impossible situation. Sancta Femina is not for the faint-hearted. It has a deeply intricate storyline that revolves around dark plots and challenging concepts. With a fearless heroine heading the tale, this story will captivate readers from page one. The first part of the story provides an in-depth background on the catastrophe that has taken place and the reasoning. It provides the necessary details to connect with the main character and understand her actions and emotions—a great setup to keep the reader hooked and wanting more. In the first half, the characters are some of the strongest elements of this story. Not only is it easy to connect with the main character, but the side characters are also interesting and dealing with complex challenges themselves, making the story compelling. A special mention to Ramses, a robotic companion who will win over anybody’s heart within an instant. Following the setup of the story and the excitement of Hella’s challenging situation, there was a section of the story that felt like it was dragging on. There’s a lot of action and explanation in the first bit, which makes a bit of the second part feel underwhelming. As the story progresses, there’s still much to learn, including jaw-dropping information. However, it felt a bit slow. As the story ends, there’s some expectation of a dramatic ending, but there wasn’t much to hook the reader fully. However, the ending does have its excitement and brings about a craving for the next book. This extraordinary science fiction story had a central conflict, complications, climactic events and a resolution. This is a recommended read for all those who love an in-depth science fiction story. I received an Advanced Review Copy on Reedsy Discovery.