The Guardian


Fiction - Dystopia
644 Pages
Reviewed on 02/19/2025
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Author Biography

I tell stories that hold a funhouse mirror up to our world.

I believe fantasy and science fiction can reveal fundamental truths about our social world. With a PhD in sociology and a BA in English, I use fantastical and mythical stories to reveal the often-hidden cultural ideologies and inequalities that chain us.

Some of my stories are fairy tale romances with a feminist twist. Others are dystopias that challenge assumptions about free will and divine forces. In all my stories, I use fiction to reflect new insights about our own world.

In addition to fiction writing and sociology research, I enjoy spending time with my husband and two children, watching sappy rom-coms from around the globe, and eating high-quality dark chocolate.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Guardian by Alison Tracy is a haunting dystopian tale that follows fourteen-year-old Iliya Rusul, who finds herself thrust into the role of a prophet in a world dominated by corporate powers and an enigmatic deity. As she starts performing miracles, she quickly realizes that each one comes at a terrible personal cost, draining her life force bit by bit. That puts her in an impossible position—does she follow what seems to be a divine plan, or does she fight back and try to take control of her destiny? Tracy tells a gripping story that doesn’t just focus on themes of faith and power but also what it truly means to resist when the price might be everything you have.

Author Alison Tracy's masterful world-building immediately drew me into this corporate dystopian tale, creating an atmosphere that feels unnervingly close to our own reality. Iliya’s journey, in particular, really stood out to me—she’s still just a kid, but she’s forced to deal with choices that would be overwhelming for anyone. The way the story handles faith is thought-provoking, pushing me to reconsider ideas about belief, destiny, and whether we actually have free will. There’s a strong contrast between hope and despair throughout, and Tracy’s writing captures both beautifully—sometimes lyrical, sometimes brutally direct. What I love most is how she takes well-known dystopian themes and makes them feel fresh by focusing on the deeply personal side of resistance and choice. Overall, I highly recommend The Guardian to readers who appreciate dystopian fiction that goes beyond surface-level entertainment to ask questions that make you think.