In this book set in Egypt, about 100 years in the future, people have recognized that things that may be a little extra good at compared to others, are actually a superpower. Not as exciting as flying or shooting lasers out of your eyes, but things like tasting the weather or temperature around you, "seeing" emotions in others, being able to touch things and know the age and composition. Nearly everyone has some sort of skill and there are academies to help you learn how to hone and polish your skills that usually manifest at puberty. In this world, Imara is a truth seer, one who can see emotions and know if people are lying or telling the truth. A valuable but also isolating skill. In this book she helps in a days-long, scary rescue with some twists that rock her world. I'm interested to see how the characters develop in the future books.