A review by thisisstephenbetts
Pills and Starships by Lydia Millet

4.0

Dystopian future YA novel (there are a lot of them aren't there?). This one set in an unspecified period in the future, where global warming has hit many tipping points (where positive feedback kicks in). One of the upshots of this is that managed euthanasia is widespread - the narrator of this story is involved in a week long 'goodbye' to her parents who are about to depart this world. Apart from global warming and living through catastrophes, there are also themes of corporate power and individual responsibility. Although the milieu is much closer to our world and is therefore more relatable, it definitely has a strong Hunger Games feel to it.

It's a nicely told story, satisfying with nice characterisations. Nothing blew me away about it, and I feel the narrator is a little too passive (in some respects, apart from her desire to record things, she is the least interesting character). But a good, fun, pretty quick read.