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challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Car accident, Suicide attempt
Minor: Fatphobia
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Presented as the diary of protagonist and former Fiction Laureate - Fern Dostoy, this tale documents her life after the ban on the reading and writing of fiction books in 2030.
When Fern was still writing she was the author of a profound work known as Technological Amazingness, this book ended up being one of the ‘Big 4’ that lead to the fiction books. Books become demonised like video games, metal and hip hop still are today. People will always be are afraid of things they don’t understand.
As such Fern is closely monitored by the government to ensure she is not breaking the fiction ban. Now a cleaner in a hospital she has been forced to change her name to Fern Dalrimple to keep a low profile. Her husband Cal sadly died of covid-19 some time earlier and they never had children so she lives a lonely life, trying to keep under the radar and in her minders good books. However when she is approached by a past writing friend, she is drawn to join an underground network of people dedicated to reading children bedtime stories and keeping their dreams alive.
The closeness in the historical backdrop to the truth of the present day is both genius and slightly terrifying in its believability of the way this builds up to the ban. The only thing that wasn’t realistic is the fact the NHS still exists and hasn’t been made extinct by mismanagement from governments like all other public services.
I was truly enthralled by this book, so many twists and turns. I really didn’t know what to expect, but for me this was brilliant, if you love a fast paced thriller with a lot of tension then you will enjoy this. I was so sad it had to end as it was such a rollercoaster of emotions throughout, I felt a bond with the characters.
The narrator was excellent, expressive, wonderfully natural character reading and accents. I would certainly look for more read by her.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Torture, Forced institutionalization