One by Eve Smith
A catastrophic climate emergency has spawned a one-child policy in the UK, ruthlessly enforced by a totalitarian regime. Compulsory abortion of ‘excess’ pregnancies and mandatory contraceptive implants are now the norm, and families must adhere to strict consumption quotas as the world descends into chaos.
Kai is a 25-year-old ‘baby reaper’, working for the Ministry of Population and Family Planning. If any of her assigned families attempts to exceed their child quota, she ensures they pay the price.
Until, one morning, she discovers that an illegal sibling on her Ministry hit- list is hers. And to protect her parents from severe penalties, she must secretly investigate before anyone else finds out.
Kai’s hunt for her forbidden sister unearths much more than a dark family secret. As she stumbles across a series of heinous crimes perpetrated by the people she trusted most, she makes a devastating discovery that could bring down the government ... and tear her family apart.
About the author
Eve Smith writes speculative thrillers, mainly about the things that scare her. Longlisted for the Not the Booker Prize and described by Waterstones as ‘an exciting new voice in crime fiction’, Eve’s debut novel, The Waiting Rooms, set in the aftermath of an antibiotic resistance crisis, was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award and was a Book of the Month in the Guardian, who compared her writing to Michael Crichton’s. It was followed by Off-Target, about a world where genetic engineering of children is routine. Eve’s previous job at an environmental charity took her to research projects across Asia, Africa and the Americas, and she has an ongoing passion for wild creatures, wild science and far-flung places. She lives in Oxfordshire with her family.
Review
‘One’ is a disturbingly realistic dystopian thriller which will unnerve any reader! This is the third book which Eve has released and I believe it is her best so far. It has taken all the best bits - believable medical situations, abuses of power, family relationships, brilliant writing and put them all together!
Kai is a 25-year-old baby reaper. An agent of the Ministry of Population and Family Planning it is her job to enforce the one-child policy that the UK has to follow. She has to enforce the conpularsay ‘excess’ pregnancy abortions and that mandatory contraceptive implants have been used in all women who are of childbearing age. One morning Kai discovers that an illegal sibling alert has a personal connection to her family. The sibling is hers. She has a sister. To protect her parents from arrest she secretly investigates and what she finds out shakes her moral core. What she uncovers is much more than a family secret, it's a series of heinous crimes perpetuated by the people she trusted most. Then she realises she has the power to tear the government apart…
‘One’ might be a speculative thriller but it's a scaringly plausible situation. Throughout history, those in power have implemented policies on women’s reproduction. It ranges from China’s one-baby policy, African American women being sterilised without their knowledge and now the repelling of Roe vs Wade in America. It means as you are reading you take it for gospel that this situation could indeed occur. The idea of the overpopulation of the world in combination with global warming could indeed result in a policy that is found in ‘One’. It was unnerving to read. Even though I don't want kids to have that choice taken away from you was jarring. I found the plot to be utterly compelling and I couldn't put it down. I was gripped right from the start until the final page. It's a thought-provoking issue and makes you question how you would act in this situation. Already I'm personally making decisions based on global warming and partly the reason why I don't want children is due to overpopulation and the thought of what world I would be giving them. Yes, this book may be a form of entertainment but it's also a warning. Life could be like this.
This book is more than just a thriller though as it also looks at much more than conceptual theory. It adds an air of mystery and intrigue with the abuses of power. There is also a discourse on family relationships and how secrets can destroy even if kept for the best of reasons. The disparity between the haves and the have-nots is explored through the differences in the sisters’ lives. Who really has had the best life? Kai and Senka are very different but I liked both of them immensely. When I picture Kai I see the actress Anna Torv! Their upbringings were so different and of course this is reflected in their personalities with Senka having a different sense of hardness to Kai. Both their storylines really hit the mark though and no reader could close this book without having some empathy for both characters.
The thorny issue of migration is also raised in this book and tackled it head-on! In a world where countries are being wiped out geographical migration is at it's highest. We have relocation centres, sponsored programmes etc running which allows migrants to enter our shores. But Eve also raised the issue of the ‘blame game’ where problems that occur in society are blamed on migrants and how those in power can manipulate and coercive control put in place. I felt that this was tackled in the book with a lot of empathy and understanding.
It goes without saying that the writing in this novel was fantastic. I can't wait to see what Eve does next!
