THE NEW ONE

5 stars out of 5

A book review or two ago, I spoke of how unusual it was to find a book in this genre with a truly different story to tell. Little did I know - nor did I dare hope - that I'd find another one. But find one I did, nd by golly, it's a doozy.

The premise also is more than a little unsettling to me. Don't misunderstand - I'm a huge fan of technology, and my biggest fear of leaving this world is that I'll miss out on watching, and experiencing, all the advances that are sure to come. All the same, a few things on the developmental horizon that are often in the news frighten me a bit, such as artificial creation of human life (or purposefully altering it, as in gene manipulation) and artificial intelligence. While the prospects of both are exciting, I realize the enormous potential for misuse. So it was, then, that this book grabbed me from the git-go when Ed Trelawny's daughter, Scarlett, is rendered comatose following a hit-and-run - and Ed is offered the chance for her to participate in a research project in which a "new" daughter will be created from his daughter's body. In return, Ed, his wife and their "reanimated" daughter Sophie must exchange their drab, semi-miserable life in England for one of luxury near the research facility in Switzerland. Oh gosh, I said - what could possibly go wrong?

For openers, not long after Ed, his wife Tamsyn and Sophie are beginning to adjust to their new environment (quite happily, in fact), Scarlett - who really wasn't expected to recover - opens her eyes. And speaks. And soon, she recovers sufficiently to go home to be with her parents and, in many aspects, "twin" sister - one who's been programmed to be, well, an improvement of sorts. Oh gosh, I said once again - what could possibly go wrong?

Trust me, it's plenty - including an unexpected rivalry between the two girls that threatens to pull the family apart once again (or worse). Chapters trace what's going on both past and present from the perspectives of various family members. As the end nears, I was itching to get on with it - and then got hit with a whopper of a twist. More than that I can't say without giving away too much, but I won't hesitate to say I couldn't put this one down. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. As for those reading this review, I urge you to read it for yourselves. Wow!

The New One by Evie Green (Berkley, March 2023); 400 pp.

FORGET ME NOT

4 stars out of 5

Whew - my mind was going in circles by the time I finished this one! I'd read and enjoyed another of this author's books - The Last One - so I was happy to be approved for a pre-release copy of this one. And I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

That said, don't expect a typical mystery or thriller; this one is more than a little offbeat (in a good way). The story takes place in the not-too-far distant future. Characters wear arm-wrapping "sheaths" that, I suppose, replace the cell phones, GPS trackers and such that we know and love; SocialHub has replaced Facebook, Instagram and all the other popular online gathering places we know and love (or love to hate); and the COVID-19 pandemic is a thing of the past. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality are well developed, and I admit that the extent to which they're involved here left me a little mind-boggled at times. 

The main subject here is a mid-twenties woman named Linda, although it's not her real name. She's better known as Clone Girl - a child created by a mother who lost her beloved daughter years earlier and ever since has been trying to create an exact replacement. For a dozen years, Linda lived in secret, held behind walls at a remote Washington location and for the most part left to forage for herself. One day, something bad happens and she runs away - managing to scale the wall and escape. Suddenly, she's in a whole new world - one filled with people who may or may not have her best interests at heart. She tries to live in seclusion, but keeping her location secret is difficult in this time of enhanced social media (just venturing outside her small apartment present a risk that she'll be recognized and need to run - again).

Then, Linda gets an unwanted knock on her door by a rather kooky-looking young woman named Anvi and her dog Nibbler. Even though Anvi doesn't seem to know who Linda is or have some kind of ulterior motive, Linda is reluctant to strike up any semblance of a friendship (besides, she has no idea what real friendship is like). But Anvi persists, introducing Linda to her VR game - opening up new possibilities. When Linda learns that a fire has destroyed the only home she ever knew, she knows she has to go back despite the horrible memories (or perhaps because of them). What happens after that kept me on the edge of my seat right to the end.

Oddly, though, I never felt too much empathy or sympathy toward Linda, nor did I really connect with any of the other characters. Maybe it's because I was trying so hard to comprehend all the new-to-me technology stuff, but none of them evoked much emotion. The plot, though, gets extra points for originality and creativity - making the whole thing well worth reading. 

Forget Me Not by Alexandra Oliva (Ballantine Books, March 2021); 352 pp.