A review by lucieferg
Landscape with Invisible Hand by M.T. Anderson

5.0

A bleak and thought-provoking dystopia that is disturbingly relevant. In a near future world, the lower and middle class have been decimated by the coming of the alien vuvv - not through warfare, but through new technology that eliminates the need for human labor, destruction of the environment and an ever widening gap in the economy. Adam struggles with horrific health problems from tainted water that he can't get treated because it is too expensive, and sells out his personal life to scrounge a living, while the vuvv tell humans that if they want to eat, they should get a job (which don't exist). Sound familiar?

I think it would have blown my mind as a teen (especially if I was a teen right now), and I have to say it is pretty remarkable as an adult too! I am glad that it ended on a vaguely hopeful note, because otherwise I wonder if teens would just be plunged into depression at the contemplation of how their futures are being pillaged for billionaire payouts. Which might encourage them to give up. As it is, I think MT Anderson wrote an amazing satire, but I am not sure what I am supposed to walk away with.