I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
London is divided. War damaged and savage.
Lex lives in The Strip, poverty stricken and constantly surveyed by drones, he longs for something more - a world with fresh air and space. Alan is a drone operator. His task, as he sees it, is little different from the computer games he loves, spying on the people of The Strip, with power coming from his armed drone. As rebels rise, can faith be restored in a city deeply damaged?
This had a lot of promise, and for a relatively short novel, it still managed to pack a reasonable punch. Lex is as likeable as Alan is unlikeable. They're the ying and yang to each other, which sets a good balance to the novel. The concept is also intriguing - a near future dystopian London, with surveillance similar to Big Brother, filled with citizens prone to paranoia. I found the imagery wonderfully described.
However, I often found it difficult to like the main characters. Lex is dull at times, to the point I would have preferred to see things through his father's point of view, while Alan is deeply unlikeable with next to no redeeming qualities. This often made it difficult for me to feel anything towards him, and I admit I did struggle to finish this. The story itself wasn't bad, but the characters themselves really let this novel down. A little more charisma and affection goes a long way.
I also would have appreciated a bit more backstory as to why London is like the way it is. More dedication to some world building would have prevented me from getting confused about what was going on, and where people were in relation to each other.
A promising idea, with detailed descriptions, but a little lacking in content.
- 3 stars
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