Moxyland

Updating this review because this story, its protagonist, and her world have stayed with me and I've returned to them in my imagination repeatedly over the past year. Four stars for staying power!

Over a year ago I wrote: There were elements of this story that appealed to me, but in the end I sorta Wished I'd spent the time re-reading the ear, the eye, and the arm.

Problems: a little too derivative - felt a bit like reading other peoples books transplanted to a new setting with a few new accessories, the characters and narrative voices were a bit cardboard, not enough humor to keep me enthusiastically turning the pages, tho I have to admit I did get a few laughs out of it - but given the circumstances of the characters there could at least be more dark humor ?

Positives: dystopian tech-centric future invites readers to contemplate some hot button issues related to economics, privacy, journalism, creativity, power and gender relations, etc.

Having read and enjoyed this author's The Shining Girls, I decided to read her others and I'm glad I did. Told through the viewpoints of four characters, this is a scary story about a near-future world. Set in South Africa, the story focuses on new tech and how it can be used to control people. Disrupters in phones that are controlled by the police. Experimental nanotech that can become part of a person and give them cravings for the products produced by the tech's sponsor. Tech that we've come to depend on can be turned against us in an instant. Kendra, an up-and-coming photographer/artist opts for the new nanotech, hoping it will enhance her artistic expression. Toby, a slacker/gamer, spends his time looking for his next high and the breaking news he can record and broadcast that will make him famous. Tendeka, part of the underclass, wants to end corporate oppression while helping street kids. And Lerato, a corporate programmer, has ambitions of her own. Toby is the connection to the others: friend to Tendeka, friend and sometimes lover to Lerato, acquaintance of Kendra. As they weave into and out of each other's lives, through Beukes's sure prose, the feeling of tension slowly builds to a chilling climax, sparked by Tendeka's growing involvement in a protest movement, his actions increasing in risk and danger, and pushing at the controlling entities until they push back. This book is almost too close to current reality to be called science fiction. More accurately, it can be considered a cautionary tale, a warning of where society is heading.

Fantastic stuff!

When government and corporate control becomes too great the awful effects are shown via a number of young (or young seeming) characters. Near-future depressing science fiction.

Near-future tech dystopian novel that revolves around the lives of four people in a corporate run world. They're all involved in trying to undermine a society that is seeking to gain greater control of everybody's life. To get anywhere in this world you need to be connected, everything is controlled through your phone: building access, transport, cash transactions and even justice can be meted out through electric shock from the local enforcement agency. Suspensions of service are tantamount to a prison sentence and do something deemed significantly bad and earn a disonnection and your life might just as well be over. Kendra is an up-and-coming photographer who has just signed on as a guinea-pig for a nanotechnology implant. Toby is a journo-wannabe, running a streaming blog called diary of a cunt and living off hand-outs from uber-rich mummy. Tendeka, the anarchist, who dreams of bringing down the current system. Lerato is a corporate programmer who wants to climb the ladder but wouldn't mind missing out a few rungs to get there a bit quicker. Their lives criss-cross throughout the story as events unfold to which they all have a connection to some degree.Each character's voice is distinct, which is a good job considering they act as narrators for this story switching between the four in short, rapid chapters. The plot is not inherently obvious from the outset but creeps up on you slowly as you get to learn of the world through four sets of eyes. There is definitely a (non-preachy) political statement within this novel and a warning of potential dangers of the way in which our own world seems to be edging closer to realising. Perhaps treat this as a V for Vendetta for the digital age.

Moxyland was a wonderful cyberpunk dystopia that only a modern South African could write, complete with softdrink sponsorbabies, rebels with a cause but perhaps not direction, corporatism, designer viruses, police violence and biotech dogs. What more could you ask for? I gave it 4 1/2 stars. I really loved it, and wanted to give it 5, but felt that should be saved for, what? Shakespeare?