October 2024 Book of the Month

Category: Library, Monthly Book Reviews

Electric Life by Rachel Delahaye

Set in a perfect society, miles above what used to be London, Electric Life is a thrilling new read for those of you looking for the next big, dystopian series.  The citizens of Estrella are not allowed to feel or experience anything.  There is no homelessness, poverty, pain or disease.  Life is worry free and any signs that the status quo is being disrupted are reported to those in charge and the problem is instantly fixed.

Even boredom is seen as a problem.  There is constant stream of digital entertainment in Estrella.  Virtual Reality games simulate a natural world that no longer exists.  For Alara, even the most challenging and dangerous of games begins to lose its appeal.  Something inexplicable is missing from her life, so when she is recruited to go to London Under, to infiltrate supposed rebel forces, she willingly accepts the mission. 

But the London Under that she experiences is far from the poisonous and deadly place she has been told about.  Alara begins to question whether those in charge of Estrella have the best interests of the people at heart.

There are lots of interesting questions for the reader to ponder here.  Is it better for people be kept safe and healthy in a highly controlled world or is the freedom to experience heightened emotions and choose your own path in life, even if it leads pain, a better option?  Will the fact that technology plays a bigger and bigger role in our lives mean that nature and connections to other people will fade away?  Is this the direction that our society is already heading towards?   

A fast paced and thrilling story that will appeal to everyone, not just fans of dystopian fiction.