Scan barcode
A review by mikewhiteman
If Then by Matthew De Abaitua
4.0
This feels a bit like two ideas thrown together and it works well in some parts but less so in others. The speculative aspect is necessary for the story explored in the historical(ish) parts but still felt that they didn't quite gel together.
We have a post-singularity town on the south coast of England, where everything is organised and controlled by a network of algorithms called the Process for maximum happiness across the society. This involves a return to a largely pre-technological life and the regular eviction of any who do not have a place in the Process' plans. No reasons are given to the evicted but theories and superstitions arise around it.
This part is fascinating and sets up a plot that I was eager to discover.
Once things move to the recreated Dardanelles campaign, things take a turn for the bleak and the conclusions reached didn't quite fit the set up for me.
Needless to say, the construction and re-enactment of part of World War 1 forms part of the Process' logical, well, process. There is also some question of whether it has been influenced in some way, as it is designed to respond to the data from the people living within it.
The WWI sections are well done and nicely blend the horrors and madnesses of the war with the realisation of what is actually being done seeping in.
However, I ended up with a lot of unanswered questions. If what is included is interesting or exciting enough, that can be fine but I felt that resolution we do get was too vaguely downbeat to satisfy.
Nevertheless, there is a lot I liked here, the married couple at the centre of the story are well-drawn and De Abaitua's writing is intelligent, covering a lot of ideas that had my mind shooting in all directions. I will definitely read more from him.
We have a post-singularity town on the south coast of England, where everything is organised and controlled by a network of algorithms called the Process for maximum happiness across the society. This involves a return to a largely pre-technological life and the regular eviction of any who do not have a place in the Process' plans. No reasons are given to the evicted but theories and superstitions arise around it.
This part is fascinating and sets up a plot that I was eager to discover.
Once things move to the recreated Dardanelles campaign, things take a turn for the bleak and the conclusions reached didn't quite fit the set up for me.
Needless to say, the construction and re-enactment of part of World War 1 forms part of the Process' logical, well, process. There is also some question of whether it has been influenced in some way, as it is designed to respond to the data from the people living within it.
The WWI sections are well done and nicely blend the horrors and madnesses of the war with the realisation of what is actually being done seeping in.
However, I ended up with a lot of unanswered questions. If what is included is interesting or exciting enough, that can be fine but I felt that resolution we do get was too vaguely downbeat to satisfy.
Nevertheless, there is a lot I liked here, the married couple at the centre of the story are well-drawn and De Abaitua's writing is intelligent, covering a lot of ideas that had my mind shooting in all directions. I will definitely read more from him.