In this dystopian novel, Utopia, Zia lives with her mother in an apartment block, in a compound, and like most young people she starts questioning why they live as they do. She begins work in the hospital and through the connections she makes there starts to discover the sinister reasons behind the existence of the compound, and everyone in it.
‘An icy billow of air barges its way past me as I pull the front door open. I shudder, reaching back inside to lift a heavy woollen coat off the hook. It’s my mother’s, and swinging it around my shoulders I’m swathed in a warm embrace which smells of her perfume. The scent is honeysuckle, like my mother’s namesake, but the wind soon carries it away.’
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. The writing is wonderfully descriptive, it has strong characters, a great setting and a believable plot. There’s a bit of romance brewing but no slushy soppy stuff (a huge bonus) because there simply isn’t time in the serious situation these characters are facing.
What I loved most of all though was the premise of the whole story because it has been informed by this author’s particular interest in animal and human behaviour. There is a short piece at the end to explain this further, and it is fascinating.
This is aimed at young adults but I am not one of those and yet still enjoyed it so I would recommend to all who are looking for a good story.
And if you are that person here are some handy links for you…
[…] Review for Utopia […]