Review: Enclave

Title: Enclave

Author: Claire G. Coleman

Publisher: 29th June 2022 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 320 pages

Genre: dystopian

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed author of Terra Nullius comes a novel in the tradition of Margaret Atwood and Naomi Alderman that explores a future of surveillance, disruption and segregation that echoes the horrors of a colonial past.

'These are troubling times. The world is a dangerous place,' the voice of the Chairman said. 'I can continue to assure you of this: within the Wall you are perfectly safe.'

Christine could not sleep, she could not wake, she could not think. She stared, half-blind, at the cold screen of her smartphone. She was told the Agency was keeping them safe from the dangers outside, an outside world she would never see.

She never imagined questioning what she was told, what she was allowed to know, what she was permitted to think. She never even thought there were questions to ask.

The enclave was the only world she knew, the world outside was not safe. Staying or leaving was not a choice she had the power to make. But then Christine dared start thinking . . . and from that moment, danger was everywhere.

In our turbulent times, Claire G. Coleman's Enclave is a powerful dystopian allegory that confronts the ugly realities of racism, homophobia, surveillance, greed and privilege and the self-destructive distortions that occur when we ignore our shared humanity.

My Thoughts

Enclave by Claire has a super premise and is set in Melbourne, Australia. A futuristic dystopian reflection born from the idea of what path will society choose to go down. An indoctrinated enclave where people are fearful of anything outside their walled city, Safetown. An enclosure that brings with it an extremely conservative outlook relating to racism, classism and homophonic/transphobic attitudes and way of life. To not conform is to be exiled. 

‘We explained that once you are exiled, once you leave the gates, you can never return, that it’s important to maintain the integrity of the Enclave, to keep undesirables and undesirable habits outside our gates.’

Claire does a fabulous job of bringing balance and optimism to this proposed new world. We know where prejudices and greed lead and this is seen by those living in Safetown.  Yet Enclave brings with it a light to counterbalance the darkness, showing how the opposite is also a possibility. This book is slow to unfurl but the message is clear and strong. What happens when society essentially is segregated into uniform allotments. Beware! Humans are not adept at seeing what is slowing evolving in front of their very noses. 

‘Several organisations have established walled enclaves where only the people they consider the right type are allowed to live. Government policies and laws at the time made it possible. Some of them are planned gated suburbs, others are religious and cult compounds.’

I would have loved for this book to provide more background details behind the enclaves and those that rebel. The story may sound familiar yet the message is clear and distinct. A solid read with an inclusive cast of LGBTQI through the medium of a futuristic dystopian society that makes many valid scenarios. 

‘These are troubling times. The world is a dangerous place,’ the voice of the Chairman said. ‘I can continue to assure you of this: within the Wall you are perfectly safe.’ … she flinched in fear automatically but tried to resist her reaction, understanding dawning that she had been taught to feel that way.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The End of the Ocean

Title: The End of the Ocean

Author: Maja Lunde

Publisher: 1st November 2019 by Simon & Schuster (Australia)

Pages: 352 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: science fiction, dystopia 

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

From the author of the #1 international bestseller The History of Bees, a captivating new novel about the threat of a worldwide water shortage as seen through the eyes of a father and daughter.

In 2019, seventy-year-old Signe sets out on a hazardous voyage to cross an entire ocean in only a sailboat. She is haunted by the loss of the love of her life, and is driven by a singular and all-consuming mission to make it back to him.

In 2041, David flees with his young daughter, Lou, from a war-torn Southern Europe plagued by drought. They have been separated from their rest of their family and are on a desperate search to reunite with them once again, when they find Signe’s abandoned sailboat in a parched French garden, miles away from the nearest shore.

As David and Lou discover personal effects from Signe’s travels, their journey of survival and hope weaves together with Signe’s, forming a heartbreaking, inspiring story about the power of nature and the human spirit in this second novel from the author of ‘The History of Bees.’

My Thoughts

I was intrigued to read this book as the underlying message is just so relevant and important in today’s world. I was hoping that it would force me and other readers to spend serious thought on the ramifications of our present actions for the future of the planet. Water - something we take for granted, yet still from where I sit in Australia, droughts are all to frequent, in fact, neverending in some parts of the country. What does the future hold?

‘My whole world was water. The ground, the mountains, the pastures were just teeny tiny islands in that which actually was the world and I called my world Earth, but thought that is should actually be named Water.’

So whilst there is a good premise to base a story around, I sadly found the plot was not as strong as the theme. The link between the two timelines is fragile and only loosely drawn towards the end of the book - stronger threads were needed. Likewise actions of the characters from both timelines were questionable and at times, frustrating. 

‘They don’t want to hear, don’t want to see, they are like him, all of them, his entire generation, my generation, they just want better wines, larger vacation cottages, faster Internet connections.’

This book held a great deal of potential but sadly fell a little flat for me. More needed to be made of this strong and important topic - the future of the planet. I wanted to learn more about the fires and displacement camps, for example. Similarly, no ultimate solution is offered and the reader is left wondering if indeed there is anything we can do to prevent the seemingly inevitable. Still, a worthwhile read if only to draw attention to our current global situation and the collective movement concerning climate change.

‘I have been fighting for my entire life, but I have been mostly alone; there are so few of us, it was futile, everything we talked about, everything we said would happen has happened, the heat has already arrived, nobody listened.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Haven

Title: Haven

Author: Lindsay J. Pryor

Publisher: 31st  October 2017 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 288 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: fantasy, paranormal, dystopian, science fiction

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A spin-off from the bestselling Blackthorn series by Lindsay J. Pryor, set in Lowtown, the neighbouring district to Blackthorn. The product of a brutal class system, the dark, gritty world of Lowtown will grip you and never let you go.

Every few days the handsome stranger comes into the café in Lowtown for an hour a time. Most of the time he keeps himself to himself - one drink and he leaves. Sometimes people meet with him but about what remains elusive, the edge of mystery and danger adding to his allure.

Not that Ember is allowed to think about him. She's finally on the cusp of gaining her citizenship and escaping Lowtown for good, so she can't be seen to be involved with a vampire - evidence of one single bite would be the end of her prospects. But when those prospects are rocked by her links to the district's dark underbelly, the stranger she must avoid could be her absolution - and she could be his . . .

My Thoughts

‘Haven’, Lindsay J. Pryor’s first standalone Lowtown novel is a worthwhile read. The best way I can sum it up is to say it is a mix of ‘Insurgent’ meets ‘Discovery of Witches’. This is best described as an urban fantasy novel with a bit of paranormal and romantic elements thrown into the mix - and the end result is interesting.

‘But she had no initiated powers anyway. She wouldn’t know what to do with them even if she did have. She didn’t even know what kind of witch she was’.

The author takes you to another world she has created (I have read no other Pryor books and this was never an issue) and most certainly she drops you slap bang right into the middle of all the action. The writing is engaging as you feel for the residents of Lowtown, their fear and desperation are palpable. At a deeper level, ‘Haven’ is about the dark and cruel side of humanity, rather than the focus being purely on the paranormal and the likes of witches or vampires etc. I liked that -  corruption and control is at the heart of this novel.

‘Does the morality behind killing someone vary according to the reason?’

The plot,the characters and the engaging writing make ‘Haven’ a worthwhile read. The new angle concerning the political and whole social injustice theme was interesting. Forgotten races, extortion and crime and the golden ticket chance to escape it. Yet amongst all this permeates integrity and hope, loyalty and love - a good balance of evil versus good. You will find yourself drawn into this world of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ - a simple oft repeated theme but one that is well executed.

‘And without doing what you do, what do you have left? Because you don’t have anything else, do you? Even this haven that you claim gives you freedom stops you from being a part of things.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Review: The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid

Title: The Diabolic

Author: S. J. Kincaid

Publisher: 1 November 2016 by Simon and Schuster (Australia)

Pages: 416 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Sci Fi & Fantasy, Teens & YA, Dystopia

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.

Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.

When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.

As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.

My Thoughts

“I had only two goals going forward: to fool people into thinking I was Sidonia, and of course, to try not to die.”

If you are looking for a good dystopian mix of action and political manoeuvering, then this is the book for you. For all its cut throat (literally!) barbarism, there is indeed another side to this story concerning all of humanity, friendship and love. With an amazing cast of characters, this tale of friendship and love versus family and politics will keep your attention.

The beginning is a little slow but the pace certainly does increase the further you get into the story. In fairness, there is a vast world to create for the reader, and to do it justice, this took time. The various planets/worlds are detailed and interesting with strains of other tales (Star Wars etc) seemingly apparent, as senators and rebels scheme against their autocratic rulers. There is a lot to take in, but the author does a great job in the creation of these worlds and how they function. As a type of ‘cat and mouse’ game ensues, you will be absorbed by the political plotting and how humanity - and Diabolics - will fair.

As some have claimed, there is a ‘Game of Thrones’ feel about some of the political jousts as planets/families jostling for recognition and power. Lots of plotting, corruption and backstabbing (literally!) take place in this struggle for dominance. There are simply loads of plot twists and turns, passion and betrayal that will keep you guessing right up to the end.

Another point I had issues with was the romance and some friendships - they did not ring true for me. It seemed at times clinical and distant, the raw emotion was stated but not felt (by me). However, this can be overlooked as this is a most worthy sci-fi saga that you will enjoy. The story and worlds are compelling and even if you are not a fantasy/sci fi/dystopian reader, there is a deeper tale of the future of humanity and what it is to be not only human, but alive.

“I’d accepted for so long that I wasn’t a real person, and I never would have questioned it but for the pain I felt now. How could a creature that wasn’t real experience the depth of anguish I’d experienced.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release