84K
'An eerily plausible dystopian masterpiece' Emily St John Mandel
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4,0 • 2 notes
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- 5,49 €
Description de l’éditeur
'AN EERILY PLAUSIBLE DYSTOPIAN MASTERPIECE' Emily St. John Mandel, author of STATION ELEVEN
'AN EXTRAORDINARY NOVEL . . . with echoes of The Handmaid's Tale' Cory Doctorow
***SHORTLISTED FOR THE PHILIP K. DICK AWARD***
From one of the most original new voices in modern fiction comes a startling vision of a world where you can get away with anything . . .
Theo Miller knows the value of human life - to the very last penny.
Working in the Criminal Audit Office, he assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.
But when his ex-lover is killed, it's different. This is one death he can't let become merely an entry on a balance sheet.
Because when the richest in the world are getting away with murder, sometimes the numbers just don't add up.
From the award-winning Claire North comes an electrifying and provocative new novel which will resonate with readers around the world.
Praise for 84K:
'Another captivating novel from one of the most intriguing and genre-bending novelists' Booklist
'Claire North goes from strength to strength . . . A tense, moving story' Guardian
'Absolutely breath-taking... An early and compelling candidate for best novel of 2018' SciFi Magazine
'A dystopian anthem for the modern activist . . . 84K is an important book but also a cracking thriller . . . Quite simply, North's best book so far' Starburst
'North is an original and even dazzling writer' Kirkus
'North's talent shines out' Sunday Times
Works by Claire North
Novels:
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
Touch
The Sudden Appearance of Hope
The End of the Day
84K
The Gameshouse
The Pursuit of William Abbey
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lyrical language, stream-of-consciousness dialogue, and a nonlinear structure complicate this otherwise straightforward tale of entrapment within, and resistance against, a future England where every crime can be resolved through financial restitution or indentured servitude. As part of the Criminal Audit Office, Theo Miller determines what each offense is worth: 780 for sexual harassment, 84,000 for murder, and so forth. But when Dani, his ex-girlfriend, is murdered while attempting to expose the all-powerful, all-controlling Company for its corruption and abuses and she names Theo as her missing daughter's father before she dies Theo is determined to finish what she started, even if it means destroying both Company and country in the process. His investigation takes him to all corners of England, from rich enclaves to hopeless slums, as the dark secrets of his own past unfold. North (The End of the Day) paints a vivid and disturbing picture of a corporate-run future devoid of human rights. The complex intricacy of her narrative voice makes this more of a poetic vision quest than a straightforward adventure, and the experimental style and tangled plotline show an admirable grasp of technique but may frustrate readers expecting a more conventional dystopian thriller.
Avis d’utilisateurs
Mixed feelings
As the title indicates, this book owes a lot to George Orwell’s 1984, and I mean that in a good way.
Dystopian vision of the future, mostly based on things already happening today (buying own’s way out of prison, constant surveillance, dangerous social networks…): that aspect I really liked.
However, I felt a little lost at times, because of the narrative structure (lots of flashbacks, stream of consciousness).
Moreover, I wish there had been more happening: the story came out as repetitive, cyclical - which makes sense and totally mirrors what the characters go through, I do understand this, though it still felt a little annoying.
3 stars is somewhat harsh, I would put 3,5 if it was possible but it’s not, but not 4 because the pleasure of reading was not really there for me, though (again), I do realize and appreciate the intelligence and depth of the work.