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One
A powerful, prescient speculative thriller: a woman’s job of enforcing climate-emergency Britain’s one-child policy is compromised when she discovers a personal link to an illegal sibling on the Ministry hit-list, leading to a shocking discovery that changes everything…
One law. One child. Seven million crimes.
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 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. 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.
One law. One child. Seven million crimes.
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 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. 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.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 20, 2023
13 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
About the author
Eve Smith
4 books121 followersEve writes speculative fiction, mainly about the things that scare her.
Longlisted for the Guardian's Not the Booker Prize and described by Waterstones as "an exciting new voice in crime fiction", Eve Smith’s debut novel The Waiting Rooms, set during a global antibiotic crisis was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award and was a Guardian book of the month.
Her second thriller, Off Target, about a world where genetic engineering of children has become routine, was a pick of the month in The Times, who described it as: "an astute, well-researched and convincing novel of ideas".
Her third thriller, ONE, set in a one-child policy Britain ravaged by the climate crisis was longlisted for Best Novel in the British Science Fiction Association Awards and was a New Scientist and SciFiNow pick.
Her latest novel, THE CURE, out in April, explores the catastrophic consequences of a cure for ageing which is hijacked by immortalist obsessives.
Eve attributes her love of all things dark and dystopian to a childhood watching Tales of the Unexpected and black-and-white Edgar Allen Poe double bills. In this world of questionable facts and news, she believes storytelling is more important than ever to engage people in real life issues.
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, attempting to organise herself and her family or off exploring somewhere new.
Follow Eve: @evecsmith on X www.evesmithauthor.com
evesmithauthor on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, Facebook
Longlisted for the Guardian's Not the Booker Prize and described by Waterstones as "an exciting new voice in crime fiction", Eve Smith’s debut novel The Waiting Rooms, set during a global antibiotic crisis was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize First Novel Award and was a Guardian book of the month.
Her second thriller, Off Target, about a world where genetic engineering of children has become routine, was a pick of the month in The Times, who described it as: "an astute, well-researched and convincing novel of ideas".
Her third thriller, ONE, set in a one-child policy Britain ravaged by the climate crisis was longlisted for Best Novel in the British Science Fiction Association Awards and was a New Scientist and SciFiNow pick.
Her latest novel, THE CURE, out in April, explores the catastrophic consequences of a cure for ageing which is hijacked by immortalist obsessives.
Eve attributes her love of all things dark and dystopian to a childhood watching Tales of the Unexpected and black-and-white Edgar Allen Poe double bills. In this world of questionable facts and news, she believes storytelling is more important than ever to engage people in real life issues.
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, attempting to organise herself and her family or off exploring somewhere new.
Follow Eve: @evecsmith on X www.evesmithauthor.com
evesmithauthor on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, Facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
July 12, 2023
Fantastic.
I am thoroughly enjoying my journey (pun intended) into speculative fiction in recent months.
One is set during times when government try to control the population sizes, and decide to only allow one child per family. Our protagonist works for the government agency assigned to enforce this law, investigating family connections and punishing people who have violated it.
I absolutely loved this, it is completely believable and the pacing is incredibly fast, with twists aplenty to make it worthy of reading in one sitting.
Highly recommended.
I am thoroughly enjoying my journey (pun intended) into speculative fiction in recent months.
One is set during times when government try to control the population sizes, and decide to only allow one child per family. Our protagonist works for the government agency assigned to enforce this law, investigating family connections and punishing people who have violated it.
I absolutely loved this, it is completely believable and the pacing is incredibly fast, with twists aplenty to make it worthy of reading in one sitting.
Highly recommended.
February 24, 2024
What an interesting premise! What if you could only have one child…but you got pregnant again? What if you were pregnant with more than one child? In this future UK, you have every right to be paranoid, because they actually do know everything about you, and rest assured they will be coming to get you if you step out of line even just a little bit.
This explores themes of family, government control, climate change, abortion, surveillance, immigration and more. It’s a must-read—some of these issues sound eerily familiar…
I wanted to add in here, the portrayals of having OCD and anxiety are *very* well done.
I will definitely be checking out more of Eve Smith’s work, and you should, too. Her speculative fiction will make you think.
My thanks to NetGalley and Orenda Books for the eARC. All opinions are mine alone.
This explores themes of family, government control, climate change, abortion, surveillance, immigration and more. It’s a must-read—some of these issues sound eerily familiar…
I wanted to add in here, the portrayals of having OCD and anxiety are *very* well done.
I will definitely be checking out more of Eve Smith’s work, and you should, too. Her speculative fiction will make you think.
My thanks to NetGalley and Orenda Books for the eARC. All opinions are mine alone.
February 25, 2024
Well well well this book has so much meat to it!!!
This one is the mother of speculative thrillers. It has it all! Population control, climate crisis, totalitarian government, citizen monitoring, rebel groups, extreme laws, experiments, conspiracy theories. You name it, this book has spun it all into a world that is actually a very plausible future.
Plot:
Kai is a government employee working for the family planning and control department. Her job is to investigate and enforce infringements to the 'one' law which restricts families to one child. The extreme measures the government take to enforce this are truly heartbreaking to read. When a new case of breach of the law is assigned to her she discovers the family in question I hers. How can this be? and what does it mean. As Kai investigates and is confronted by a truth so much darker than the propaganda fed to everyone for decades, she uncovers the true cost of the ONE law on the country.
With truly heartbreaking stories which have been inspired by the author's research into China's one child policy, this peek into a very real plausible future is scary and poignant. As the story unravels we discover some eerie similarities which recent global events in attempts to control and divert the truth from the world.
A must read for speculative near future or dystopia lovers. Thoroughly recommended.
This one is the mother of speculative thrillers. It has it all! Population control, climate crisis, totalitarian government, citizen monitoring, rebel groups, extreme laws, experiments, conspiracy theories. You name it, this book has spun it all into a world that is actually a very plausible future.
Plot:
Kai is a government employee working for the family planning and control department. Her job is to investigate and enforce infringements to the 'one' law which restricts families to one child. The extreme measures the government take to enforce this are truly heartbreaking to read. When a new case of breach of the law is assigned to her she discovers the family in question I hers. How can this be? and what does it mean. As Kai investigates and is confronted by a truth so much darker than the propaganda fed to everyone for decades, she uncovers the true cost of the ONE law on the country.
With truly heartbreaking stories which have been inspired by the author's research into China's one child policy, this peek into a very real plausible future is scary and poignant. As the story unravels we discover some eerie similarities which recent global events in attempts to control and divert the truth from the world.
A must read for speculative near future or dystopia lovers. Thoroughly recommended.
May 23, 2023
One Law
One Child
7 Million crimes
One is definitely one of the best speculative fiction novels I’ve EVER had the pleasure of reading. It’s so exquisitely written. Although the premise, at first glance, seems outlandish. A country forced to adhere to an outrageous one child policy set out by a totalitarian government! But Eve Smith has created a story that’s chillingly plausible. There are disturbing parallels between the current world we live in and the authors not to distant world. Climate change, prevention of illegal immigration and totalitarian governments, to name but a few. Eve Smith’s world is one where wildfires, famine and floods have resulted in a cataclysmic climate emergency. This results in a terrifying premise.
A ruthless one-child policy in the UK. Where 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’ who wholeheartedly believes and implements the Ministry’s policy. Until she unearths a series of heinous crimes perpetrated by the people she trusted most. Crimes that could bring down the government and tear her family apart. As Kai digs deeper, shocking truths emerge and Kai questions her own life and the government she works for.
The book explores how the policy affects those who implement it and those who become its victims. A government who violates women every day with enforced abortions is a harrowing thought, but it’s not that farfetched. China had a similar policy back in the 1980s. The beauty of this book is that it gives you plenty to ponder, and it got me thinking ‘could this happen in the UK’ ? Thanks to Covid, I’m convinced anything is possible, however improbable! Don’t you just love it when a book gives you so much more than a story? One is an emotive, breathtaking read. It’s a heartbreaking account of the significance of decisions taken by a totalitarian government who place too much faith in science and ideology, and too little in humanity. Highly recommend.
One Child
7 Million crimes
One is definitely one of the best speculative fiction novels I’ve EVER had the pleasure of reading. It’s so exquisitely written. Although the premise, at first glance, seems outlandish. A country forced to adhere to an outrageous one child policy set out by a totalitarian government! But Eve Smith has created a story that’s chillingly plausible. There are disturbing parallels between the current world we live in and the authors not to distant world. Climate change, prevention of illegal immigration and totalitarian governments, to name but a few. Eve Smith’s world is one where wildfires, famine and floods have resulted in a cataclysmic climate emergency. This results in a terrifying premise.
A ruthless one-child policy in the UK. Where 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’ who wholeheartedly believes and implements the Ministry’s policy. Until she unearths a series of heinous crimes perpetrated by the people she trusted most. Crimes that could bring down the government and tear her family apart. As Kai digs deeper, shocking truths emerge and Kai questions her own life and the government she works for.
The book explores how the policy affects those who implement it and those who become its victims. A government who violates women every day with enforced abortions is a harrowing thought, but it’s not that farfetched. China had a similar policy back in the 1980s. The beauty of this book is that it gives you plenty to ponder, and it got me thinking ‘could this happen in the UK’ ? Thanks to Covid, I’m convinced anything is possible, however improbable! Don’t you just love it when a book gives you so much more than a story? One is an emotive, breathtaking read. It’s a heartbreaking account of the significance of decisions taken by a totalitarian government who place too much faith in science and ideology, and too little in humanity. Highly recommend.
July 4, 2023
I am one of two children, being the eldest that would mean my mum would have been forced to abort my sister. I also have two children and they are both my entire world, so this book was always going to be one that hit my emotions.
Part of me though selfishly considered the ramifications of daily energy use quotas and my personal need for heating. That is why I adore Eve Smith’s writing, she is the queen of speculative fiction and always gives my grey matter electric shock therapy with her moral quandaries.
It also made me question how much we really know our parents and how much our children really know us. I would like to believe that my family is pretty open and in my case I’m pretty sure that everyone knows about my previous naughty endeavours including the postman, supermarket delivery drivers etc etc. So imagine being in Kai’s position and finding out your so called law abiding parents covered up having a second child for decades and you have a secret sibling. And where did she learn this information? Not from her parents but from a list at work.
Kai was a challenging character but I think that was the author’s intention. It made for great development and putting someone who follows the rules in a position of possibly making choices that go against her very nature far more interesting.
Using a climate catastrophe was current, scary and far too realistic to be ignored. The fact that this is also set in the UK and included divisive topics such as, the prevention of illegal immigration, body autonomy with mandatory contraception implants, DNA testing and forced abortions, really hit home how easily a government can take control and how powerless we actually are.
Eve Smith once again puts you the reader at the heart of the story with the question what would you do?
Part of me though selfishly considered the ramifications of daily energy use quotas and my personal need for heating. That is why I adore Eve Smith’s writing, she is the queen of speculative fiction and always gives my grey matter electric shock therapy with her moral quandaries.
It also made me question how much we really know our parents and how much our children really know us. I would like to believe that my family is pretty open and in my case I’m pretty sure that everyone knows about my previous naughty endeavours including the postman, supermarket delivery drivers etc etc. So imagine being in Kai’s position and finding out your so called law abiding parents covered up having a second child for decades and you have a secret sibling. And where did she learn this information? Not from her parents but from a list at work.
Kai was a challenging character but I think that was the author’s intention. It made for great development and putting someone who follows the rules in a position of possibly making choices that go against her very nature far more interesting.
Using a climate catastrophe was current, scary and far too realistic to be ignored. The fact that this is also set in the UK and included divisive topics such as, the prevention of illegal immigration, body autonomy with mandatory contraception implants, DNA testing and forced abortions, really hit home how easily a government can take control and how powerless we actually are.
Eve Smith once again puts you the reader at the heart of the story with the question what would you do?
July 29, 2023
A life under the One Party is a terrifying prospect. Set in the future, the party has been in power in the UK for about 50 years and the world has suffered catastrophically from climate change. Areas of the country are now unrecognisable following flooding and the party imposes draconian policies to control its people. Travel, health status’, food and energy quotas are all monitored but the most frightening of all is the one child policy. Anyone who falls foul of this rule faces the most horrifying consequences.
Our main character Kai Houghton, is a Ministry Representative for Population and Family Planning. Population has to be controlled and it is her job to enforce the rules – no exceptions. Which places her in the most awful dilemma when she discovers something that will have major repercussions for her own family.
I do love good speculative fiction and ‘One‘ is one of the best I’ve read. It’s scarily plausible when you see how governments around the world are enforcing outrageous policies.
I didn’t care much for Kai initially. I thought her overzealous and completely indoctrinated to the cause without questioning the morality of her job. However as the story progressed and truths were gradually revealed, my opinion changed. In contrast, I took to Senka straight away. She was such a strong character who had suffered terribly but her bravery and the strength of her convictions were matched by her humanity and her desire to right wrongs.
Much human interaction and function has been replaced by bots – androids in human form. Even pets have been banned and bot animals have taken their place.
Both Kai and Senka have been superbly crafted and each character comes alive on the page as they encounter so much injustice and corruption. Kai has a particular tic – showing a vulnerability and humanity to her character despite the inhumane nature of her job.
One is such an immersive and compelling thriller. Although this is fiction there is so much here that is relatable – with themes including how immigrants are treated (sound familiar) and the loss of personal autonomy which all makes for a thought provoking story with its horrifying scenarios. I thought it was excellent – not preachy but full of drama and tension. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend
Our main character Kai Houghton, is a Ministry Representative for Population and Family Planning. Population has to be controlled and it is her job to enforce the rules – no exceptions. Which places her in the most awful dilemma when she discovers something that will have major repercussions for her own family.
I do love good speculative fiction and ‘One‘ is one of the best I’ve read. It’s scarily plausible when you see how governments around the world are enforcing outrageous policies.
I didn’t care much for Kai initially. I thought her overzealous and completely indoctrinated to the cause without questioning the morality of her job. However as the story progressed and truths were gradually revealed, my opinion changed. In contrast, I took to Senka straight away. She was such a strong character who had suffered terribly but her bravery and the strength of her convictions were matched by her humanity and her desire to right wrongs.
Much human interaction and function has been replaced by bots – androids in human form. Even pets have been banned and bot animals have taken their place.
Both Kai and Senka have been superbly crafted and each character comes alive on the page as they encounter so much injustice and corruption. Kai has a particular tic – showing a vulnerability and humanity to her character despite the inhumane nature of her job.
One is such an immersive and compelling thriller. Although this is fiction there is so much here that is relatable – with themes including how immigrants are treated (sound familiar) and the loss of personal autonomy which all makes for a thought provoking story with its horrifying scenarios. I thought it was excellent – not preachy but full of drama and tension. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend
August 11, 2023
4.5*
I was beyond excited to be able to pick & read ONE by Eve Smith for my in person bookclub this month, especially as I’ve previously read & loved off target earlier this year!
ONE of my most anticipated reads of the year. (no pun intended 😉)
Read this for:
💠Five minutes in the future
💠Dystopian sci-fi vibes
💠Well researched themes
💠Anything is possible 😮
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 💫 (4.5*)
Things I loved:
▪️The news articles throughout - felt real & immersive
▪️Short chapters made for a page turner
▪️Shocking twists that had me shook 😮
▪️Interesting take on propaganda & how easy it can be to fall for what the government want you to see & read 👀- relatable much???
▪️Interesting points of view. People were put in some challenging situations & it made you think, what would I do?!
Things I struggled with/wanted more of:
▪️I found this book a little harder to get into than off target. The language was a little bit more sophisticated & not a book to skim read, not ideal when I hadn’t given myself much time to read it before our bookclub chat 🤣
▪️I would have loved some more world building. So many things were small details were added to the story & it would have been fab to elaborate more
**What would have made it a 5* read?**
▪️This is me nitpicking at this point 🤣
But It would have been awesome to check in with other family’s & situations to see how they fared with the policies in place & dilemmas they faced.
Overall, it was everything I hoped it would be & the ladies of my bookclub loved it! Safe to say, Eve Smith is an author to add to your auto-buy list immediately! She doesn’t disappoint 🖤
I was beyond excited to be able to pick & read ONE by Eve Smith for my in person bookclub this month, especially as I’ve previously read & loved off target earlier this year!
ONE of my most anticipated reads of the year. (no pun intended 😉)
Read this for:
💠Five minutes in the future
💠Dystopian sci-fi vibes
💠Well researched themes
💠Anything is possible 😮
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 💫 (4.5*)
Things I loved:
▪️The news articles throughout - felt real & immersive
▪️Short chapters made for a page turner
▪️Shocking twists that had me shook 😮
▪️Interesting take on propaganda & how easy it can be to fall for what the government want you to see & read 👀- relatable much???
▪️Interesting points of view. People were put in some challenging situations & it made you think, what would I do?!
Things I struggled with/wanted more of:
▪️I found this book a little harder to get into than off target. The language was a little bit more sophisticated & not a book to skim read, not ideal when I hadn’t given myself much time to read it before our bookclub chat 🤣
▪️I would have loved some more world building. So many things were small details were added to the story & it would have been fab to elaborate more
**What would have made it a 5* read?**
▪️This is me nitpicking at this point 🤣
But It would have been awesome to check in with other family’s & situations to see how they fared with the policies in place & dilemmas they faced.
Overall, it was everything I hoped it would be & the ladies of my bookclub loved it! Safe to say, Eve Smith is an author to add to your auto-buy list immediately! She doesn’t disappoint 🖤
July 4, 2023
Well that was brilliant. Before I carry on, let me just say I don’t enjoy dystopian novels. Or at least I didn’t. This was fabulous. Told from the perspective of Kai, who works for the Ministry of Population and Family Planning, this was gripping from start to finish. Set in the UK in the future. The country is ruled by a political party called ONE. Every family in the country has a resource quota for all their necessary needs, travel, food, heat, power, water, and if one member of the family uses too much, then the others will suffer. One is also the maximum number of children that any family can have, no exceptions, anyone not following this rule, will be dealt with harshly.
Briefly, Kai‘s life is turned upside down when she discovers that she has an illegal sister. Her parents had two children, but one had to be given up for adoption. Zoe was the child they chose to give up for adoption, promised that she would have a good life. Now called Senka Zoe is part of a terrorist organisation called FREE and she wants Kai to help them.
I can’t say any more for fear of spoilers, but you really need to read this. It is frighteningly realistic, I believe that some of this could happen in the future, in fact, in some countries, it already is. Animal extinction, quotas on children, famine, wildfires and floods decimating countries… it all sounds horribly familiar. This was a compelling and often disturbing read, Senka’s childhood story was particularly upsetting, but still a very entertaining book. If this doesn’t get you thinking nothing will
Briefly, Kai‘s life is turned upside down when she discovers that she has an illegal sister. Her parents had two children, but one had to be given up for adoption. Zoe was the child they chose to give up for adoption, promised that she would have a good life. Now called Senka Zoe is part of a terrorist organisation called FREE and she wants Kai to help them.
I can’t say any more for fear of spoilers, but you really need to read this. It is frighteningly realistic, I believe that some of this could happen in the future, in fact, in some countries, it already is. Animal extinction, quotas on children, famine, wildfires and floods decimating countries… it all sounds horribly familiar. This was a compelling and often disturbing read, Senka’s childhood story was particularly upsetting, but still a very entertaining book. If this doesn’t get you thinking nothing will
May 15, 2023
I love speculative fiction and having enjoyed this authors previous 2 books I was eager to read this one
Like the other novels The waiting room and and Off Target this novel looks at a potential future world which seems oh so worryingly possible .In a world damaged ever further by climate change a potential logical step might be for a country to attempt to limit its population .In the case of this novel this is accomplished by limiting families to one child and criminalising larger families .implantable contraceptive is developed that can be switched on and off by an app to allow the one child to be born .
Without giving away too much of the story line the novel looks at issues arising from the one child family particularly the family of the narrator who happens to work for the government agency responsible for overseeing the one child policy .Other issues topical to todays uk are also touched on such as prevention of illegal immigration , rising sea levels ,climate change and totalitarian governments..The negative effects of implantable medical devices might seem obvious in that it prevents women from having the family they desire but the story goes further looking at how this might affect the children born after its use
I was immediately gripped by the story and didn’t put the book down until I had finished it
As a hospital doctor myself I found the medical and reproductive details entirely plausible and thus even more horrifying to read about
I enjoyed the late plot twists involving the potential of false news and gaslighting immensely
The novel is fast paced and an immersive read ,if I have one criticism I would have liked more character development as the story is largely plot driven this might have bulked the book up a bit more as it quite a short novel ,I wanted more
I would recommend the book to lovers of speculative fiction it’s hard to find a similar novel for comparison I suppose if like me you enjoyed the novels of Christina Dalcher Vox femalndua and Q then this would be a great book for you
When I saw some early proofs of this book being tweeted about I knew that I had to get my hands on a copy .many thanks to Karen Sullivan from Orenda books for sending me a kindle copy when I cheekily asked for a copy .The book is released on the uk on 20th July
This review will be published on. Goodreads and my book blog Bionicsarahsboos.Wordpress.Com also on Amazon when published
Like the other novels The waiting room and and Off Target this novel looks at a potential future world which seems oh so worryingly possible .In a world damaged ever further by climate change a potential logical step might be for a country to attempt to limit its population .In the case of this novel this is accomplished by limiting families to one child and criminalising larger families .implantable contraceptive is developed that can be switched on and off by an app to allow the one child to be born .
Without giving away too much of the story line the novel looks at issues arising from the one child family particularly the family of the narrator who happens to work for the government agency responsible for overseeing the one child policy .Other issues topical to todays uk are also touched on such as prevention of illegal immigration , rising sea levels ,climate change and totalitarian governments..The negative effects of implantable medical devices might seem obvious in that it prevents women from having the family they desire but the story goes further looking at how this might affect the children born after its use
I was immediately gripped by the story and didn’t put the book down until I had finished it
As a hospital doctor myself I found the medical and reproductive details entirely plausible and thus even more horrifying to read about
I enjoyed the late plot twists involving the potential of false news and gaslighting immensely
The novel is fast paced and an immersive read ,if I have one criticism I would have liked more character development as the story is largely plot driven this might have bulked the book up a bit more as it quite a short novel ,I wanted more
I would recommend the book to lovers of speculative fiction it’s hard to find a similar novel for comparison I suppose if like me you enjoyed the novels of Christina Dalcher Vox femalndua and Q then this would be a great book for you
When I saw some early proofs of this book being tweeted about I knew that I had to get my hands on a copy .many thanks to Karen Sullivan from Orenda books for sending me a kindle copy when I cheekily asked for a copy .The book is released on the uk on 20th July
This review will be published on. Goodreads and my book blog Bionicsarahsboos.Wordpress.Com also on Amazon when published
July 23, 2023
United Kingdom, in the near future.
After a climate change crisis, United Kingdom is ruled by a totalitarian government, the ONE Party, which stands for Our Natural Earth.
The ONE Party specifies that each family is only allowed one child. Having a second baby is a criminal offence and the draconian punishments include forced abortion and arrest.
Kai Houghton is a young woman in her twenties. She works as a Ministry Representative for Ministry of Population and Family planning. Her tasks include ensuring that second pregnancies won’t go unnoticed.
One day whilst working, she receives a notification of an “excess birth” of an unregistered adult, which is unusual. When Kai checks the DNA of that person, she gets a shock when her own family tree pops up.
It looks like Kai has a sister, which she knew nothing about… Kai sets off on finding out more about her sibling, however, she will discover far more than she could ever hoped for…
I really, really enjoyed this story. Orwell’s 1984 meets China’s one child policy. Everything you do, everywhere you go, it’s all controlled and observed by the government.
Living in such a place with rife propaganda meant that Kai (and millions of other people) believed in what the ruling party was telling them.
By discovering more about her family, Kai finally realised what truly was underneath.
This was such a thought-provoking read for me, as it could be our future, although I am hopeful that it won’t be.
After a climate change crisis, United Kingdom is ruled by a totalitarian government, the ONE Party, which stands for Our Natural Earth.
The ONE Party specifies that each family is only allowed one child. Having a second baby is a criminal offence and the draconian punishments include forced abortion and arrest.
Kai Houghton is a young woman in her twenties. She works as a Ministry Representative for Ministry of Population and Family planning. Her tasks include ensuring that second pregnancies won’t go unnoticed.
One day whilst working, she receives a notification of an “excess birth” of an unregistered adult, which is unusual. When Kai checks the DNA of that person, she gets a shock when her own family tree pops up.
It looks like Kai has a sister, which she knew nothing about… Kai sets off on finding out more about her sibling, however, she will discover far more than she could ever hoped for…
I really, really enjoyed this story. Orwell’s 1984 meets China’s one child policy. Everything you do, everywhere you go, it’s all controlled and observed by the government.
Living in such a place with rife propaganda meant that Kai (and millions of other people) believed in what the ruling party was telling them.
By discovering more about her family, Kai finally realised what truly was underneath.
This was such a thought-provoking read for me, as it could be our future, although I am hopeful that it won’t be.
March 11, 2024
Finished reading: March 11th 2024
"Your world has changed, Kai, you said it yourself. You need to make a decision."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Orenda Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
April 19, 2024
3.5 ⭐️. A world where the UK invoke a one child family rule. Kai is a reaper, who enforces the government rules of ensuring terminations and that families stick to the one child rule. Kai comes across a record for her sister and her world is turned upside down. Believing that she has followed the rules to enable society from being over burdened, to conserve resources. Kai discovers it has all been a lie. This story was thought provoking, considering in some countries we currently have rules around the number of children a family can have. In the end the rule is challenged, however it remains prevalent in our society which is perhaps more terrifying.
September 20, 2023
I feel like I have read a different book from everyone else
What a load of rubbish. The writing style and plot was at a GCSE level. The ending was rushed and ridiculous and way too neat and tidy. And as if out of the entire government the only bad egg was the PM. It would take far more than just some photos and one minister resigning to compel an authoritarian PM (who controls everything) to kill himself.
I also found the author would introduce convenient plot details to make her story work. For example this is an all seeing all knowing government but she has a special mask which helps her hide in plain sight so she can get around unhindered. Or when the author introduced the idea that travel was monitored/limited but no fear the terrorists have a special oyster card so she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. Or it just so happened that the Minister she worked for also has a second child which was best friends with her long lost “terrorist” sister. I can think of so many convenient plot points this review would go on forever.
I really don’t know how to review this book. I loved the idea of it, but it is most definitely a poor rip off of 1984. Far fetched sci fi tropes with bland characters. Definitely not one I would recommend.
What a load of rubbish. The writing style and plot was at a GCSE level. The ending was rushed and ridiculous and way too neat and tidy. And as if out of the entire government the only bad egg was the PM. It would take far more than just some photos and one minister resigning to compel an authoritarian PM (who controls everything) to kill himself.
I also found the author would introduce convenient plot details to make her story work. For example this is an all seeing all knowing government but she has a special mask which helps her hide in plain sight so she can get around unhindered. Or when the author introduced the idea that travel was monitored/limited but no fear the terrorists have a special oyster card so she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. Or it just so happened that the Minister she worked for also has a second child which was best friends with her long lost “terrorist” sister. I can think of so many convenient plot points this review would go on forever.
I really don’t know how to review this book. I loved the idea of it, but it is most definitely a poor rip off of 1984. Far fetched sci fi tropes with bland characters. Definitely not one I would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2024
Solid 3.8 star
powerful, prescient speculative thriller: a woman's job of enforcing climate-emergency Britain's one-child policy is compromised when she discovers a personal link to an illegal sibling on the Ministry hit-list, leading to a shocking discovery that changes everything... One law. One child. Seven million crimes. A catastrophic climate emergency has spawned a one-child policy in the UK, ruthlessly enforced by a totalitarian regime.
This book reminded me so much of the movie equilibrium with Christian bale. The book really hit as it covers the topic of how easy it is to manipulate the masses and get them to conform using fear. If you like scifi and the movie equilibrium you’ll like this.
powerful, prescient speculative thriller: a woman's job of enforcing climate-emergency Britain's one-child policy is compromised when she discovers a personal link to an illegal sibling on the Ministry hit-list, leading to a shocking discovery that changes everything... One law. One child. Seven million crimes. A catastrophic climate emergency has spawned a one-child policy in the UK, ruthlessly enforced by a totalitarian regime.
This book reminded me so much of the movie equilibrium with Christian bale. The book really hit as it covers the topic of how easy it is to manipulate the masses and get them to conform using fear. If you like scifi and the movie equilibrium you’ll like this.
May 8, 2023
Well now ... This really is the most intriguing of thrillers. The UK, caught in the backlash from near devastating climate change, has introduced a series of nearly draconian laws in order to preserve society. Led by the One political party, there are quotas on food, travel and many other aspects of life. Perhaps the most troubling of those laws is the one child policy, where families are limited to giving birth to only a single child, where contraception is enforced and any errant second pregnancies end in forced termination. Kai Houghton is one of the Ministry of Populations and Family Planning's operatives, whose job it is to ensure that the laws are enforced and those who violate them are held to account. Kai believes wholeheartedly in the Ministry's work - until it is her family who comes under the spotlight, and everything she thought she knew, both professionally and personally, is under threat.
This is, at present, a work of fiction. If anything, recent times suggest that curtailment of reproduction rights, particularly in countries such as America, is swinging in entirely the opposite direction. But in a time where the world's resources are scarce, where entire countries are disappearing under rising sea levels, and raised to the ground by uncontrollable fires caused by escalating temperatures, is it that impossible to think that population control might be high on any Government's agenda? Eve Smith has taken this concept, this premise (a policy previously adopted by China so not as far fetched as it seems) and escalated it into a scenario of nightmare proportions, amplified by the ravages of a truly catastrophic climate emergency. It's a story that definitely sets the mind whirring and makes you think long and hard about the possibilities of our future, or at least that of future generations.
Now Eve Smith has form for taking the conceptual (designer babies, anti-biotic resistant infection) and applying a huge dose of what-ifery to it to create a thriller which delivers tension, suspense and a whole heap of the unexpected, if not the odd dose of corruption or subterfuge. That is definitely the case here as protagonist, Kai, is forced to meet up with the leader of anti establishment movement, Free, who are trying to see the draconian laws reversed. She has no choice really, given that they are the very person she needs to iron out the whole mess she is in - her sister, Senka.
Kai and Senka are chalk and cheese, their upbringings so different, their outlook framed by entirely different circumstances, and yet there is a spirit in both of them which cannot be denied. I actually liked them both very much, becoming especially engaged by Kai's story. That may seem strange, given that she had the easiest upbringing of the pair, but there was something about her, seeing her eyes slowly being opened to what was going on about her, that had me rooting for her. Senka, was an entirely different beast, the kind of person you know will succeed whether you are rooting for her or not. She has that projected inner strength and tenacity that, one the surface at least, Kai seems to lack, and as characters go, Eve Smith has done a superb job of creating that kind of warrior for justice without putting up barriers between her and readers.
There are moments in this book which will shock, stories of abuse and neglect that are designed to create a visceral reaction in anyone with even half a heart, and they really do hit their mark. There is also a link to present society and the ever growing intolerance and prejudice displayed by certain elements of our society, particularly our government, toward migrants, especially those who travel illegally. Now you can imagine a vast number of forced migration as the world crumbles, and in a country with enforced population control. you can just imagine how that will work out. But these scenes seems highly pertinent, and there are certain actions that are taken where you know the author will have not had to dig too deep into her imagination to come up with that particular plot point.
This is a story of conspiracy and corruption set against a stark climate position. Where immigrants are held in resettlement camps and illegal immigrants are immediately dispatched or turned back at sea. One where the government would do anything to defend or conceal their actions and where the truth is buried behind a raft of fact news and propaganda by the countries state run media. Where the whims of one man outweigh the rights of the many. Any of that sound eerily familiar? But beyond the scenes of 'art imitating life', it is a thought provoking look at the potentially cataclysmic impacts of climate change, the course that empty promises about carbon reduction will lead us on.
Will we ever go so far that we are forced to enact a 'one child' policy on a national or even global scale? I don't know but it makes you wonder (although a none policy would work well enough for me). But in the skilful hands of Eve Smith, we're served a thrilling, tension packed, conspiracy story that grabbed my attention and held it right to the very last page.
This is, at present, a work of fiction. If anything, recent times suggest that curtailment of reproduction rights, particularly in countries such as America, is swinging in entirely the opposite direction. But in a time where the world's resources are scarce, where entire countries are disappearing under rising sea levels, and raised to the ground by uncontrollable fires caused by escalating temperatures, is it that impossible to think that population control might be high on any Government's agenda? Eve Smith has taken this concept, this premise (a policy previously adopted by China so not as far fetched as it seems) and escalated it into a scenario of nightmare proportions, amplified by the ravages of a truly catastrophic climate emergency. It's a story that definitely sets the mind whirring and makes you think long and hard about the possibilities of our future, or at least that of future generations.
Now Eve Smith has form for taking the conceptual (designer babies, anti-biotic resistant infection) and applying a huge dose of what-ifery to it to create a thriller which delivers tension, suspense and a whole heap of the unexpected, if not the odd dose of corruption or subterfuge. That is definitely the case here as protagonist, Kai, is forced to meet up with the leader of anti establishment movement, Free, who are trying to see the draconian laws reversed. She has no choice really, given that they are the very person she needs to iron out the whole mess she is in - her sister, Senka.
Kai and Senka are chalk and cheese, their upbringings so different, their outlook framed by entirely different circumstances, and yet there is a spirit in both of them which cannot be denied. I actually liked them both very much, becoming especially engaged by Kai's story. That may seem strange, given that she had the easiest upbringing of the pair, but there was something about her, seeing her eyes slowly being opened to what was going on about her, that had me rooting for her. Senka, was an entirely different beast, the kind of person you know will succeed whether you are rooting for her or not. She has that projected inner strength and tenacity that, one the surface at least, Kai seems to lack, and as characters go, Eve Smith has done a superb job of creating that kind of warrior for justice without putting up barriers between her and readers.
There are moments in this book which will shock, stories of abuse and neglect that are designed to create a visceral reaction in anyone with even half a heart, and they really do hit their mark. There is also a link to present society and the ever growing intolerance and prejudice displayed by certain elements of our society, particularly our government, toward migrants, especially those who travel illegally. Now you can imagine a vast number of forced migration as the world crumbles, and in a country with enforced population control. you can just imagine how that will work out. But these scenes seems highly pertinent, and there are certain actions that are taken where you know the author will have not had to dig too deep into her imagination to come up with that particular plot point.
This is a story of conspiracy and corruption set against a stark climate position. Where immigrants are held in resettlement camps and illegal immigrants are immediately dispatched or turned back at sea. One where the government would do anything to defend or conceal their actions and where the truth is buried behind a raft of fact news and propaganda by the countries state run media. Where the whims of one man outweigh the rights of the many. Any of that sound eerily familiar? But beyond the scenes of 'art imitating life', it is a thought provoking look at the potentially cataclysmic impacts of climate change, the course that empty promises about carbon reduction will lead us on.
Will we ever go so far that we are forced to enact a 'one child' policy on a national or even global scale? I don't know but it makes you wonder (although a none policy would work well enough for me). But in the skilful hands of Eve Smith, we're served a thrilling, tension packed, conspiracy story that grabbed my attention and held it right to the very last page.
May 8, 2024
I liked this! The story was interesting and moved at a quick pace. The world building is done really well and I really like the writing style. Special Thank You to Eve Smith and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2023
‘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!
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!
April 28, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley, Independent Publishers Group and Eve Smith for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
One was an eye-opening read that seems all too scarily possible.
The ONE government controlling the population with a one child policy. If anyone dared to ignore it, there were dire consequences for both the parents and the child. This premise isn't hard to imagine, as it's already happening in some countries now.
The story also delved into corrupt governments using the climate crisis as an excuse to get away with multiple immoral and dodgy actions. (Which also doesn't seem impossible)
Eve's writing drew me in immediately and kept me hooked all the way through.
4 stars from me. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
One was an eye-opening read that seems all too scarily possible.
The ONE government controlling the population with a one child policy. If anyone dared to ignore it, there were dire consequences for both the parents and the child. This premise isn't hard to imagine, as it's already happening in some countries now.
The story also delved into corrupt governments using the climate crisis as an excuse to get away with multiple immoral and dodgy actions. (Which also doesn't seem impossible)
Eve's writing drew me in immediately and kept me hooked all the way through.
4 stars from me. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
September 13, 2023
I met Eve Smith when I was volunteering at BeaconLit2023: she is a lovely, down-to-earth person. I checked out her books and this was the first that I read. Amazing book, bit of a mind**** but really hit hard at the parallels between the dystopian world and our own. It was a fairly quick read and was digestible, but I'd absolutely recommend it.
July 4, 2023
Having read this author's previous books I knew this was another I wanted to read. She has a fabulous ability to write a story that has echoes in today's world and from history, but then to move them forward to provide a "what if" scenario in the future or an alter-universe. One is a brilliantly woven story that shows how politicians have taken steps and measure to protect the population of the UK similar to the way China did with a "One-child policy". The author however uses her version of this and takes it further, mixing in climate change and corruption to provide a thrilling roller coaster from start to finish.
Kai is a young woman who is about to have her whole world turned upside down. Her job is that of a baby reaper, it involves her investigating women who have more than one pregnancy. The one-child policy is set in a world where everyone has a birth control device, and health is monitored so that if there is a change in hormones the Ministry of Population and Family Planning are notified.
Kai discovers she has a sister, it is a career-ending revelation and she has a small window in which she can try to work out the best way to protect her parents and herself. Her sister has other ideas. As she investigates she realises that her life has been a lie, what she knows is a lie but can she deliver the truth before she becomes just another statistic?
This is such a brilliant read and if you are a fan of speculative fiction with strong dystopian and sci-fi threads then you are going to enjoy this a lot. To be fair even if you are not a fan of this type of genre the story itself makes you open your eyes and set your mind racing as to potential population controls. Before you think it doesn't happen take a look at China, after years of a one-child policy their population is in decline!
The story revolves around Kai and her work at the ministry, the investigation and what she discovers. The author makes this such an engaging story and as her characters explain their positions you can see how easy it is to believe what you are told. The thing is though, as I read this story I wasn't sure which one to believe initially as they have been so convincingly portrayed.
This story is one that touches on some serious subjects, about the control of people and their lives and life choices. I mentioned China and I will also mention Roe v Wade. These are mentioned by the author along with other things at the end of the book. Even when the story has finished there is still more to learn!
This is a brilliant fictional look at how the world could be. It is imaginative, addictive and scarily realistic! It is one I would definitely recommend.
Kai is a young woman who is about to have her whole world turned upside down. Her job is that of a baby reaper, it involves her investigating women who have more than one pregnancy. The one-child policy is set in a world where everyone has a birth control device, and health is monitored so that if there is a change in hormones the Ministry of Population and Family Planning are notified.
Kai discovers she has a sister, it is a career-ending revelation and she has a small window in which she can try to work out the best way to protect her parents and herself. Her sister has other ideas. As she investigates she realises that her life has been a lie, what she knows is a lie but can she deliver the truth before she becomes just another statistic?
This is such a brilliant read and if you are a fan of speculative fiction with strong dystopian and sci-fi threads then you are going to enjoy this a lot. To be fair even if you are not a fan of this type of genre the story itself makes you open your eyes and set your mind racing as to potential population controls. Before you think it doesn't happen take a look at China, after years of a one-child policy their population is in decline!
The story revolves around Kai and her work at the ministry, the investigation and what she discovers. The author makes this such an engaging story and as her characters explain their positions you can see how easy it is to believe what you are told. The thing is though, as I read this story I wasn't sure which one to believe initially as they have been so convincingly portrayed.
This story is one that touches on some serious subjects, about the control of people and their lives and life choices. I mentioned China and I will also mention Roe v Wade. These are mentioned by the author along with other things at the end of the book. Even when the story has finished there is still more to learn!
This is a brilliant fictional look at how the world could be. It is imaginative, addictive and scarily realistic! It is one I would definitely recommend.
April 5, 2024
"It's hard for you to recognize deceit, because it's all you've ever known..."
I liked the "Seven sisters" resemblance, as both are set in a dystopian one-child policy world after climate disaster, but that's about it for me.
"Sisters are the worst enemies. Because they know where best to strike."
I found it too underwhelming, the dynamic between the sisters was very plain and uneventful. I couldn't relate to the MC or feel what she was feeling, she didn't feel deep or real, and it might be my romance-altered brain but I thought I saw some semblance of romance between Kai and one or two of the male characters around but it never started.
"I guess fear I'd a kind of faith, too."
The ending was also very anticlimactic, like the investigation lasted the entire book and then she faints and wakes up and the gouvernement is down. oh-
Overall a bit disappointing but tackles interesting points, especially regarding migration. Would have been better if it was more about the characters and less the government, although that can be just a personal preference on my part.
[arc review, honest opinion]
I liked the "Seven sisters" resemblance, as both are set in a dystopian one-child policy world after climate disaster, but that's about it for me.
"Sisters are the worst enemies. Because they know where best to strike."
I found it too underwhelming, the dynamic between the sisters was very plain and uneventful. I couldn't relate to the MC or feel what she was feeling, she didn't feel deep or real, and it might be my romance-altered brain but I thought I saw some semblance of romance between Kai and one or two of the male characters around but it never started.
"I guess fear I'd a kind of faith, too."
The ending was also very anticlimactic, like the investigation lasted the entire book and then she faints and wakes up and the gouvernement is down. oh-
Overall a bit disappointing but tackles interesting points, especially regarding migration. Would have been better if it was more about the characters and less the government, although that can be just a personal preference on my part.
[arc review, honest opinion]
February 29, 2024
Oh this is glorious. It starts out dystopian and sad. It just jumps right in,
It feels weird to read this right in the midst of our anti choice crisis here in America but no choice can go the other way as well, I know my grandma was sterilized. Lots of women were from the 1920s to the 1970s.
The part with the twin mama was too much for my sensitive soul. I also can't imagine having no brother or sister.
I love the news updates interwoven with the story. They really set the tone and underline the propaganda.
I would welcome more books like this.
It feels weird to read this right in the midst of our anti choice crisis here in America but no choice can go the other way as well, I know my grandma was sterilized. Lots of women were from the 1920s to the 1970s.
The part with the twin mama was too much for my sensitive soul. I also can't imagine having no brother or sister.
I love the news updates interwoven with the story. They really set the tone and underline the propaganda.
I would welcome more books like this.
July 27, 2023
An easy 5⭐️
A brilliant tale of corruption, policies, crimes and disaster set in what could believably become the UK future. Scary and thrilling, this book had me up all night and I'm so pleased about that as it was ONE of the best reading nights I have had.
A brilliant tale of corruption, policies, crimes and disaster set in what could believably become the UK future. Scary and thrilling, this book had me up all night and I'm so pleased about that as it was ONE of the best reading nights I have had.
November 19, 2024
Unique, devastating, and way close to home as of the US 2024 election. Themes include forced abortions, climate change, migration, controlling the media and governments out of control.
January 7, 2024
One law. One child. Seven million crimes…
With a tagline like that, how could I resist picking up the latest speculative thriller by Eve Smith. Her debut, The Waiting Rooms, was one of my favourite books of 2021 and from that one sentence alone I knew I was in for a terrifying treat with this one. And I was right.
The story is set in a future where a catastrophic climate emergency has left our world in chaos. The UK is now run by the Nazi-esque ONE Party, who enforce a dictatorial regime. Everything is heavily monitored, there are consumption quotas in place, and there is a strict one-child policy that must be adhered to.
Kai Houghton works for the Ministry of Population and Family Planning as a ‘baby reaper’, one of those in charge of enforcing the one-child policy and imposing severe penalties such as forced abortions and imprisonment for anyone attempting to exceed their child quota. Then one day she receives an alert that turns her world upside down. When an illegal sibling is identified as hers, she begins a secret investigation in the hope of protecting her parents and her job. But Kai unearths more than she bargained for and is faced with a difficult choice: expose the heinous crimes she’s uncovered that could destroy the government, or keep her family together.
Powerful, gripping, and thought-provoking, I devoured this outstanding thriller, enrapt by the nightmarish future that sprang from Eve Smith’s imagination. From the start this is a world that feels both familiar and foreign. It is clear that life has been infiltrated by technology and data even more than today, slowly revealing more of the tyrannical rules and regulations and offering what feels like a terrifying glimpse of what could be our future if we continue to abuse our planet and strip away human rights.
Smith is a master storyteller, expertly merging complex moral dilemmas, social issues, dark secrets, and mystery, then weaving in compelling family drama that gives the story its beating heart. It is brilliantly written, tightly plotted and propulsive with a constant tempo of dread; the mercurial presence of ONE looming over every page. The unexpected twists left me blindsided and I found it impossible to put the book down, racing through it quickly with a desperate need for resolution. But would it be the one I hoped for?
Well written and memorable characters are a key part of a great book for me, and this book delivers. Kai is a fantastic protagonist. Smith makes the reader feel every emotion she does, leaving it impossible not to feel for her as her world is torn apart and everything she thought she knew crumbles into pieces. As she faces seemingly impossible choices that test her moral compass, you ask yourself what you would do in her shoes. Would I have the strength to do what’s right even if it means losing everything? Smith doesn’t shy away from the painful consequences of people’s actions while making the reader feel the character’s emotions and face the shades of grey that led to their decisions.
Atmospheric, chilling, and uncompromising, this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year. An absolute must-read.
With a tagline like that, how could I resist picking up the latest speculative thriller by Eve Smith. Her debut, The Waiting Rooms, was one of my favourite books of 2021 and from that one sentence alone I knew I was in for a terrifying treat with this one. And I was right.
The story is set in a future where a catastrophic climate emergency has left our world in chaos. The UK is now run by the Nazi-esque ONE Party, who enforce a dictatorial regime. Everything is heavily monitored, there are consumption quotas in place, and there is a strict one-child policy that must be adhered to.
Kai Houghton works for the Ministry of Population and Family Planning as a ‘baby reaper’, one of those in charge of enforcing the one-child policy and imposing severe penalties such as forced abortions and imprisonment for anyone attempting to exceed their child quota. Then one day she receives an alert that turns her world upside down. When an illegal sibling is identified as hers, she begins a secret investigation in the hope of protecting her parents and her job. But Kai unearths more than she bargained for and is faced with a difficult choice: expose the heinous crimes she’s uncovered that could destroy the government, or keep her family together.
Powerful, gripping, and thought-provoking, I devoured this outstanding thriller, enrapt by the nightmarish future that sprang from Eve Smith’s imagination. From the start this is a world that feels both familiar and foreign. It is clear that life has been infiltrated by technology and data even more than today, slowly revealing more of the tyrannical rules and regulations and offering what feels like a terrifying glimpse of what could be our future if we continue to abuse our planet and strip away human rights.
Smith is a master storyteller, expertly merging complex moral dilemmas, social issues, dark secrets, and mystery, then weaving in compelling family drama that gives the story its beating heart. It is brilliantly written, tightly plotted and propulsive with a constant tempo of dread; the mercurial presence of ONE looming over every page. The unexpected twists left me blindsided and I found it impossible to put the book down, racing through it quickly with a desperate need for resolution. But would it be the one I hoped for?
Well written and memorable characters are a key part of a great book for me, and this book delivers. Kai is a fantastic protagonist. Smith makes the reader feel every emotion she does, leaving it impossible not to feel for her as her world is torn apart and everything she thought she knew crumbles into pieces. As she faces seemingly impossible choices that test her moral compass, you ask yourself what you would do in her shoes. Would I have the strength to do what’s right even if it means losing everything? Smith doesn’t shy away from the painful consequences of people’s actions while making the reader feel the character’s emotions and face the shades of grey that led to their decisions.
Atmospheric, chilling, and uncompromising, this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year. An absolute must-read.
June 21, 2023
I love Eve Smith’s writing, but I think her latest novel, One, is my favourite book by her to date. There is a lot of emotion in this book as Eve Smith delves into her character’s thoughts and feelings, and we see clearly what is driving them throughout the novel. Eve Smith’s books always have a scary, very realistic feeling. It does make you think that what Eve is writing could come true.
In this book, set in a not-too-distant future, climate change has ravaged the earth. A new political party has come into government in the UK called the one party. Their main aim is to act where so many previous governments have failed to act on climate change. They introduce a harsh new set of laws, which in today’s world, would be unthinkable for any government to implement. One of their aims is to reduce the country’s population, and to do this, like China have done only recently; they implement a one child policy. But what happens to the families who don’t abide by this law?
This is where we meet Kai, who works for the government which is known as ‘the ministry.’ There is a dramatic opening scene when we see her charging a young mother with the offence of having another child. Eve Smith clearly paints the anguish this woman is going through as she is forced to have her child taken away from her, and Kai shows little or no remorse for her actions. In her mind it is the child’s mother who has done wrong. But Kai’s world is soon to be turned upside down, when she discovers that somewhere out there, she has a sister, and that her parents broke the same laws she is enforcing.
Kai really does find herself in an impossible situation following this discovery. You can see how angry she is at her parents, but there is also part of her that is curious to find out more about her sister, and she attempts to track her down. This drives the tension as Kai knows the actions she is taking, goes against everything her party stands for. She should be reporting her parents. I was really intrigued to see what Kai was going to do, and what path she was going to take. Would she remain loyal to her job or to her family? This is the big moral dilemma that Kai faces.
I couldn’t wait to see how Eve Smith wrapped things up, and she ends the book in a very satisfactory way. There are a few surprising twists along the way, and these increase the tension and the danger in the book, which made me fly through it at top speed.
I thoroughly enjoyed One. It is thought-provoking and a captivating. I highly recommend it.
In this book, set in a not-too-distant future, climate change has ravaged the earth. A new political party has come into government in the UK called the one party. Their main aim is to act where so many previous governments have failed to act on climate change. They introduce a harsh new set of laws, which in today’s world, would be unthinkable for any government to implement. One of their aims is to reduce the country’s population, and to do this, like China have done only recently; they implement a one child policy. But what happens to the families who don’t abide by this law?
This is where we meet Kai, who works for the government which is known as ‘the ministry.’ There is a dramatic opening scene when we see her charging a young mother with the offence of having another child. Eve Smith clearly paints the anguish this woman is going through as she is forced to have her child taken away from her, and Kai shows little or no remorse for her actions. In her mind it is the child’s mother who has done wrong. But Kai’s world is soon to be turned upside down, when she discovers that somewhere out there, she has a sister, and that her parents broke the same laws she is enforcing.
Kai really does find herself in an impossible situation following this discovery. You can see how angry she is at her parents, but there is also part of her that is curious to find out more about her sister, and she attempts to track her down. This drives the tension as Kai knows the actions she is taking, goes against everything her party stands for. She should be reporting her parents. I was really intrigued to see what Kai was going to do, and what path she was going to take. Would she remain loyal to her job or to her family? This is the big moral dilemma that Kai faces.
I couldn’t wait to see how Eve Smith wrapped things up, and she ends the book in a very satisfactory way. There are a few surprising twists along the way, and these increase the tension and the danger in the book, which made me fly through it at top speed.
I thoroughly enjoyed One. It is thought-provoking and a captivating. I highly recommend it.
August 9, 2023
As with her two other books, The Waiting Room and On Target, the subject of this book is forewarning to us.
She really opens your eyes and your brain. As you read, things start clicking. You start thinking about information the government has fed you. The blinders they put on us without us knowing. The constant blaming immigrants for illnesses, lack of jobs, etc., when really its the governments wrongdoing.
The main subject here is a law to have just one child. A law that is strongly enforced. Womens cycles are tracked, and if you get pregnant a second time, they know. You then can voluntarily have an abortion or have a forced one. There are also other issues like travel quotas and food quotas. I can certainly understand encouraging watching waste, but not mandatory.
But what about when you have twins? Or your husband cheats on you with a woman that has his baby. That is his one child. His wife can now not have children. And, of course, it's women the government suppresses. Why can't the husband be forced to have a vasectomy after his first child? Why make the woman suffer? Women know why. We've always been suppressed. Treated like something to own rather than a person who is capable of making her own decisions.
Now, before you think this couldn't happen, keep in mind China had a one-child policy. It was implemented nationwide by the Chinese government in 1980, and it ended in 2016. Eve recommends a book More Than One Child by Shen Yang. Shen was the illegal child in a family. The 2nd child. Well worth reading. Makes a great companion piece.
This is a great read, and I really encourage you to read her other books.
As with her other books, this is a wake-up call, and lets wakeup before it's too late.
I have never written such a long review, but I could talk about this book for days.
She really opens your eyes and your brain. As you read, things start clicking. You start thinking about information the government has fed you. The blinders they put on us without us knowing. The constant blaming immigrants for illnesses, lack of jobs, etc., when really its the governments wrongdoing.
The main subject here is a law to have just one child. A law that is strongly enforced. Womens cycles are tracked, and if you get pregnant a second time, they know. You then can voluntarily have an abortion or have a forced one. There are also other issues like travel quotas and food quotas. I can certainly understand encouraging watching waste, but not mandatory.
But what about when you have twins? Or your husband cheats on you with a woman that has his baby. That is his one child. His wife can now not have children. And, of course, it's women the government suppresses. Why can't the husband be forced to have a vasectomy after his first child? Why make the woman suffer? Women know why. We've always been suppressed. Treated like something to own rather than a person who is capable of making her own decisions.
Now, before you think this couldn't happen, keep in mind China had a one-child policy. It was implemented nationwide by the Chinese government in 1980, and it ended in 2016. Eve recommends a book More Than One Child by Shen Yang. Shen was the illegal child in a family. The 2nd child. Well worth reading. Makes a great companion piece.
This is a great read, and I really encourage you to read her other books.
As with her other books, this is a wake-up call, and lets wakeup before it's too late.
I have never written such a long review, but I could talk about this book for days.
July 16, 2023
Thank you to Anne at Random Resources Tours for my invitation to the blog tour and to Orenda for my copy of the e book.
This is a speculative thriller with a really emotive theme restricting families with food and a one child only quota and if they break the rules there are strict and barbaric measures in place . Kai has worked hard to get where she is in the Ministry that upholds the laws. Her duty is to serve the country and root out those who do not obey.
Then out of the blue Kai gets a shock that rocks her world when a profile is flagged to her of a woman who is roughly her age from her family. How could this have happened ? She has no siblings as they are banned and her parents would have told her ?
What happens next is a fast paced story that really makes you think about this dystopian world that Kai and her family live in. Everything and everyone that she talks to about this person is breaking the rules that carry extreme consequences.
The world has been badly damaged by climate change and the sanctions are in place to maintain some kind of order and manage the food and population, however they are inhumane and brutal. Women are forced to have abortions and in prisoned if they do not adhere to the rules.
This is really immersive and addictive read, Kai has been brought up within this regime and has never even questioned what she does until now. However, as the book progresses everything she has ever known is turned upside down. I didn’t have much sympathy for Kai at the start of the book, but I grew to empathise with her and her situation.
I am always in awe of authors who have the imagination and the ability to create such a compelling extraordinary and horrific world which is unimaginable in some respects and not so in some others as this one.
Remarkable, exciting and so twisty, Kai’s race against the clock to discover the truth about her family will have you reading into the early hours !! A stunning read.
5 stars *****
This is a speculative thriller with a really emotive theme restricting families with food and a one child only quota and if they break the rules there are strict and barbaric measures in place . Kai has worked hard to get where she is in the Ministry that upholds the laws. Her duty is to serve the country and root out those who do not obey.
Then out of the blue Kai gets a shock that rocks her world when a profile is flagged to her of a woman who is roughly her age from her family. How could this have happened ? She has no siblings as they are banned and her parents would have told her ?
What happens next is a fast paced story that really makes you think about this dystopian world that Kai and her family live in. Everything and everyone that she talks to about this person is breaking the rules that carry extreme consequences.
The world has been badly damaged by climate change and the sanctions are in place to maintain some kind of order and manage the food and population, however they are inhumane and brutal. Women are forced to have abortions and in prisoned if they do not adhere to the rules.
This is really immersive and addictive read, Kai has been brought up within this regime and has never even questioned what she does until now. However, as the book progresses everything she has ever known is turned upside down. I didn’t have much sympathy for Kai at the start of the book, but I grew to empathise with her and her situation.
I am always in awe of authors who have the imagination and the ability to create such a compelling extraordinary and horrific world which is unimaginable in some respects and not so in some others as this one.
Remarkable, exciting and so twisty, Kai’s race against the clock to discover the truth about her family will have you reading into the early hours !! A stunning read.
5 stars *****
July 7, 2023
I love dystopian books so I was really excited to read this. Such a brilliant premise that undoubtedly delivered! This book will definitely be in my top ten this year.
The story is set in the future in the UK. Following global climate devastation the 'One Party' are trying to protect and rebuild society by harsh totalitarian sanctions. Families are strictly only permitted to have one child (with monitoring of pregnancies and enforced abortions.) There are also travel, food and energy quotas which each family must not exceed.
Kai works for the government ensuring strict adherence to the 'one child' policy. That is until she discovers she has an illegal sister and everything she believed about the state is called into question.
I loved how plausible this story was. My mind was whirring whilst reading this because it actually felt possible something this catastrophic could happen in the future.
Some of the relocation pages about the 'migrants' and 'illegal second children' were horrific and very hard to read. There were definite parallels in places with both China's one child policy in the 80s and Fascist regimes in recent history but with some futuristic technological horrors thrown into the mix.
The writing was brilliant and I loved the differing perspectives of Kai who unquestionably followed government protocol, believing their polices to be the saviour of the UK and her sister who held them responsible for all the suffering she'd endured. This story would make a great book club choice with so much to discuss! Could this ever happen in the UK and could any of these infringements ever be justified?
I absolutely loved it and will be purchasing Eve's previous books to read too.
The story is set in the future in the UK. Following global climate devastation the 'One Party' are trying to protect and rebuild society by harsh totalitarian sanctions. Families are strictly only permitted to have one child (with monitoring of pregnancies and enforced abortions.) There are also travel, food and energy quotas which each family must not exceed.
Kai works for the government ensuring strict adherence to the 'one child' policy. That is until she discovers she has an illegal sister and everything she believed about the state is called into question.
I loved how plausible this story was. My mind was whirring whilst reading this because it actually felt possible something this catastrophic could happen in the future.
Some of the relocation pages about the 'migrants' and 'illegal second children' were horrific and very hard to read. There were definite parallels in places with both China's one child policy in the 80s and Fascist regimes in recent history but with some futuristic technological horrors thrown into the mix.
The writing was brilliant and I loved the differing perspectives of Kai who unquestionably followed government protocol, believing their polices to be the saviour of the UK and her sister who held them responsible for all the suffering she'd endured. This story would make a great book club choice with so much to discuss! Could this ever happen in the UK and could any of these infringements ever be justified?
I absolutely loved it and will be purchasing Eve's previous books to read too.
June 7, 2023
This is a terrifyingly real world where an vicious government has taken total control — removing any autonomy, removing choice, removing your right to your own body — where a harsh dictatorship requires conformity at all costs. And even if you believe in population control like I definitely do to an extent, it’s a chilling premise to see how far it could go, a powerful and unsettling warning not only about the danger of overpopulation and impeding climate catastrophe but the danger of losing our freedom entirely if we continue down this path of destruction.
Smith created a fully immersive world, giving us a strange feeling of recognition coupled with complete alienation. A world that looks like ours but the Thames Barrier has broken and all resources are allocated carefully. We see news and media clippings, hear from protestors and government officials to get to know this world intimately. She immediately set up a suffocatingly intense atmosphere that made me feel eyes on the back of my neck. That unsettling voyeuristic air hung over ever page.
Kai’s narration was lyrical, poetic and descriptive - she thought deeply and paid attention to everything, forcing us to analyse this world and her part in it too. She was undeniably compelling; a villain to some, a hero to others depending on where you look at and that blurry morality is a powerful recurring theme through this story. Everyone is the same; especially our government - trying to save us from a catastrophic extinction but also removing our humanity. What’s worse?
As Kai’s exploration gets further, it gets unbearably tense — a web of lies, corruption and secrets that run deep. There’s loose threads to follow but watching as they slowly come together was spectacular, exploring the deepest black markets, the buried roots of her family tree and the highest powers that be for a truly remarkable and explosive ending. This is one to watch.
Smith created a fully immersive world, giving us a strange feeling of recognition coupled with complete alienation. A world that looks like ours but the Thames Barrier has broken and all resources are allocated carefully. We see news and media clippings, hear from protestors and government officials to get to know this world intimately. She immediately set up a suffocatingly intense atmosphere that made me feel eyes on the back of my neck. That unsettling voyeuristic air hung over ever page.
Kai’s narration was lyrical, poetic and descriptive - she thought deeply and paid attention to everything, forcing us to analyse this world and her part in it too. She was undeniably compelling; a villain to some, a hero to others depending on where you look at and that blurry morality is a powerful recurring theme through this story. Everyone is the same; especially our government - trying to save us from a catastrophic extinction but also removing our humanity. What’s worse?
As Kai’s exploration gets further, it gets unbearably tense — a web of lies, corruption and secrets that run deep. There’s loose threads to follow but watching as they slowly come together was spectacular, exploring the deepest black markets, the buried roots of her family tree and the highest powers that be for a truly remarkable and explosive ending. This is one to watch.
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