One law. One child. Seven million crimes…
A cataclysmic 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 attempt 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 catastrophic discovery that could bring down the government … and tear her family apart.
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for One by Eve Smith today. Many thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
Eve Smith has an unfailing ability to write dystopic thrillers which are terrifyingly plausible. In The Waiting Rooms, she explored what the future might hold for older people while Off Target looked at genetic engineering of human embryos. She returns to the theme of childbirth in One but goes much further, imagining the UK in the grip of a totalitarian regime who have persuaded much of the population that their draconian measures are for the benefit of all. What perhaps makes this so unnerving is that we really do face a climate emergency and if steps aren't taken now to prevent even more cataclysmic consequences, this could be chillingly prescient.
At the start of the book, Kai Houghton is a loyal Ministry Representative who investigates breaches of the Population Planning Act, most notably women who have become pregnant for a second time. As she coldly informs one such couple that the woman must mandatorily attend a family planning clinic, it becomes clear that she staunchly believes in her work and is undeterred by the anguish of parents desperate to save the lives of their unborn children. Although she has obviously been indoctrinated by the state, her memories of the training reels she was shown of emaciated migrants, wars over food and water, and decimated crops ensures we understand why she commits to such an unforgiving role.
Having previously only been concerned by her grandparents' profligate disregard for their strict resources quota, she suddenly encounters a far more dangerous issue when she discovers her parents had a second daughter. Having previously seemed a rather dispassionate figure, her decision to risk everything to protect her parents means she becomes more sympathetic and one of the highlights of the book is the nuanced characterisation throughout. We are already familiar with state-sponsored propaganda and fake news, so it's easy to understand why people behave as they do, even as we're appalled by the revelations uncovered as the novel progresses. Kai's sister, Senka is understandably angry, having borne witness to, and experienced neglect and abuse as the illegal sister – but despite the differences between the pair, they share more than just physical similarities. Both are principled and courageous, and it's fascinating to see how their relationship develops as they question whether the vast chasm between their upbringings means they can truly trust one another.
One is a gripping thriller with an increasingly tense storyline, but beyond that, it's also a provocative exploration of where we might be headed. China's previous one-child policy may have ended but families are still limited to three children, while in the USA, women's reproductive rights are the subject of ongoing debate, following the overturning of Roe vs Wade. Although it's currently more likely for countries to ban or restrict abortions rather than demand them, legislation over women's bodies is likely to continue to be a controversial topic. Meanwhile, the demonisation of migrants in One is already reflected by the UK government's current divisive rhetoric; the Illegal Asylum Bill and Rwanda Plan is a grim indication of how the country may respond to the scores of people potentially displaced by climate change in the future. As Kai realises the full extent of the ONE party's atrocities, the suspenseful conclusion to the book meant I was left wondering if, despite the obvious need for some form of global commitment to take action on climate change, we will be able to retain our collective sense of humanity. One is a clever, thought-provoking speculative conspiracy thriller and though a disturbing read, is unquestionably compelling throughout. I highly recommend it.
One is published by Orenda Books and can be purchased from their website. Further purchasing links can be found here but please support independent bookshops whenever possible.
Follow the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
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 selected as a Book of the Month by Eric Brown in The Guardian who compared her writing to Michael Crichton’s.
Eve’s previous job as COO of 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. When she’s not writing she’s racing across fields after her dog, trying to organise herself and her family, or off exploring somewhere new.
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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