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Joe with an E
‘The concept is so original and so gripping that I can’t get it out of my head…
Joe with an E encourages the reader to explore questions about gender, identity, family and belonging all through a page-turning adventure.’
Sarah Hagger-Holt, author of Nothing Ever Happens Here and The Fights That Make Us
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Britain is populated by genetically engineered neuts – no males, no females.
Joe is a boy – an anomaly who should have been destroyed in the pregnancy pod, or given corrective surgery as soon as he was born. Rescued by DiG, an underground network, he’s nurtured to full-term and handed over to his parents. His differences must be kept hidden.
But now his body is changing, it won’t be possible to pass as a neut for much longer.
The heart-wrenching decision is made – he must go to the island, where there’s a secret community of others like him. The perilous journey to get there isn’t the end of Joe’s troubles. It’s just the start.
Joe with an E encourages the reader to explore questions about gender, identity, family and belonging all through a page-turning adventure.’
Sarah Hagger-Holt, author of Nothing Ever Happens Here and The Fights That Make Us
---
Britain is populated by genetically engineered neuts – no males, no females.
Joe is a boy – an anomaly who should have been destroyed in the pregnancy pod, or given corrective surgery as soon as he was born. Rescued by DiG, an underground network, he’s nurtured to full-term and handed over to his parents. His differences must be kept hidden.
But now his body is changing, it won’t be possible to pass as a neut for much longer.
The heart-wrenching decision is made – he must go to the island, where there’s a secret community of others like him. The perilous journey to get there isn’t the end of Joe’s troubles. It’s just the start.
399 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 13, 2024
3 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Paul Rand
2 books4 followersPaul Rand grew up in Hampshire, UK but has now lived well over half his life in the North of England – in Yorkshire and Cumbria. In his working life, Paul has used his creativity as an engineer, a secondary school teacher (teaching Maths and Business), and now works for a not-for-profit organisation that provides accounting services and other support to churches, charities and other community organisations. Paul is actively involved in the Methodist Church and is proud of its recent history of welcome and inclusion.
Paul and his family like to holiday on small islands, both at home and abroad, preferring islands that are a little off the beaten track. They have enjoyed several holidays on the Isle of Muck, which is the inspiration for the island in both Joe with an E and Them and Us.
Paul and his family like to holiday on small islands, both at home and abroad, preferring islands that are a little off the beaten track. They have enjoyed several holidays on the Isle of Muck, which is the inspiration for the island in both Joe with an E and Them and Us.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 24, 2025
It’s been so long since I’ve felt this way about a story. The warmth, the hope, the arguments and irritation that only real or found family can bring. It held that ache I know so well: the ache of being different, of being loved imperfectly, of leaving and still trying to be seen.
The premise is both brilliant and harrowing: a future Britain where, after a devastating attack, women are left infertile. Children are born neither boy nor girl. Society adjusts and adapts. Babies are grown in artificial wombs, and “neuts” (short for neutrals) become the norm.
So when Cris and Georgy end up with a boy, they name him Joh. Not Joe. Not yet. Just Joh. And the tension between them, between love and disconnection, gender and grief, futurism and family, begins to fracture.
As Joh grows into Joe, the world starts to resist his becoming. School becomes harder. His body begins to change. He’s sent away to an island, where he can live as the boy he knows he is. It hurts Georgy to let him go. It doesn’t touch Cris in the same way. Their relationship continues to erode while Joe begins to thrive somewhere new.
The island brings him Nats, Cain, and Tom, and more people who begin to feel like home. But home isn’t enough. There must be more of them out there, kids like Joe. They set out together, crossing the sea and risking everything to reach Dover, and then perhaps France. A pilgrimage for belonging.
The journey is brutal. Cain nearly drowns getting them a boat. They jump from a train after Nats gets her first period and Joe panics for her. They’re just kids. Brave, burning kids. They rest at Joe’s old home, but he hears the betrayal: his family, Cris, calling the police. They run again. They try to love each other gently through the fear. And finally, when the moment comes, Joe must choose: go back, or run forward, alone.
Shot as he enters France without papers or understanding the language, Joe’s final words are simple:
“I’m Joe, with an E, cos I’m a boy.”
And it wrecked me.
That line is everything. Not just identity, but defiance. Not just truth, but grief. It’s a declaration with teeth. With tears.
This book doesn’t just tell a story; it lives inside you while you read. It’s a mirror for those of us who’ve ever fought to be seen, to be named, to belong somewhere beyond the binaries we never chose. Joe’s journey isn’t just about gender. It’s about love, family, fear, escape, resistance. About who we become when we’re forced to leave home in order to become ourselves.
Joe with an E is tender. Brave. Prophetic. And deeply, painfully real.
The premise is both brilliant and harrowing: a future Britain where, after a devastating attack, women are left infertile. Children are born neither boy nor girl. Society adjusts and adapts. Babies are grown in artificial wombs, and “neuts” (short for neutrals) become the norm.
So when Cris and Georgy end up with a boy, they name him Joh. Not Joe. Not yet. Just Joh. And the tension between them, between love and disconnection, gender and grief, futurism and family, begins to fracture.
As Joh grows into Joe, the world starts to resist his becoming. School becomes harder. His body begins to change. He’s sent away to an island, where he can live as the boy he knows he is. It hurts Georgy to let him go. It doesn’t touch Cris in the same way. Their relationship continues to erode while Joe begins to thrive somewhere new.
The island brings him Nats, Cain, and Tom, and more people who begin to feel like home. But home isn’t enough. There must be more of them out there, kids like Joe. They set out together, crossing the sea and risking everything to reach Dover, and then perhaps France. A pilgrimage for belonging.
The journey is brutal. Cain nearly drowns getting them a boat. They jump from a train after Nats gets her first period and Joe panics for her. They’re just kids. Brave, burning kids. They rest at Joe’s old home, but he hears the betrayal: his family, Cris, calling the police. They run again. They try to love each other gently through the fear. And finally, when the moment comes, Joe must choose: go back, or run forward, alone.
Shot as he enters France without papers or understanding the language, Joe’s final words are simple:
“I’m Joe, with an E, cos I’m a boy.”
And it wrecked me.
That line is everything. Not just identity, but defiance. Not just truth, but grief. It’s a declaration with teeth. With tears.
This book doesn’t just tell a story; it lives inside you while you read. It’s a mirror for those of us who’ve ever fought to be seen, to be named, to belong somewhere beyond the binaries we never chose. Joe’s journey isn’t just about gender. It’s about love, family, fear, escape, resistance. About who we become when we’re forced to leave home in order to become ourselves.
Joe with an E is tender. Brave. Prophetic. And deeply, painfully real.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2025
This book was recommended to me by a colleague, and I’m so glad I took a punt on it.
A unique dystopian story that’s reminiscent of a mid- & post-pandemic world, told with pace and depth. I appreciate the effort by the author to create an accessible read and highlight warnings of triggering topics.
I feel the ending was slightly rushed, but still a fantastic read and I can’t wait to read the next instalment.
A unique dystopian story that’s reminiscent of a mid- & post-pandemic world, told with pace and depth. I appreciate the effort by the author to create an accessible read and highlight warnings of triggering topics.
I feel the ending was slightly rushed, but still a fantastic read and I can’t wait to read the next instalment.
May 4, 2025
This book and its themes will stay with me...
Joe With An E is a dystopian coming-of-age story that explores identity, otherness and belonging in a society that *believes* it has consigned gender to the past.
I was most drawn to parent Georgy's voice. These parts moved me, and I could feel the emotion of a parent navigating an impossible situation. Joh/Joe is lucky to have Georgy on his side -- someone with real moral fibre, willing to do whatever it takes to protect their child.
The Joe-focused chapters are pacy and interesting. You see him grow and start to figure things out. He’s strong, with resilience built on the love and care he’s had from Georgy (and Cris?). But he’s also very much a teenager -- brave about the big stuff, a bit uncomfortable with the small things. That felt very real.
The sciencey chapters didn’t land for me in the same way emotionally -- but maybe that’s the point. They offer a colder, more detached context for what’s gone on. I thought they worked well as a framing device, though I did find myself wishing they were a bit shorter in places.
There’s a lot to admire here: the worldbuilding (I really liked the Britishness of the setting -- not our Britain exactly, but close enough to feel unsettling...), the small community tensions, the sharp political and social commentary, the empathy for parents trying their best in tough circumstances. And there’s hope threaded through it, which I really appreciated.
A strong and original debut. The sequel’s on my TBR and I’m looking forward to seeing what Paul does next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Joe With An E is a dystopian coming-of-age story that explores identity, otherness and belonging in a society that *believes* it has consigned gender to the past.
I was most drawn to parent Georgy's voice. These parts moved me, and I could feel the emotion of a parent navigating an impossible situation. Joh/Joe is lucky to have Georgy on his side -- someone with real moral fibre, willing to do whatever it takes to protect their child.
The Joe-focused chapters are pacy and interesting. You see him grow and start to figure things out. He’s strong, with resilience built on the love and care he’s had from Georgy (and Cris?). But he’s also very much a teenager -- brave about the big stuff, a bit uncomfortable with the small things. That felt very real.
The sciencey chapters didn’t land for me in the same way emotionally -- but maybe that’s the point. They offer a colder, more detached context for what’s gone on. I thought they worked well as a framing device, though I did find myself wishing they were a bit shorter in places.
There’s a lot to admire here: the worldbuilding (I really liked the Britishness of the setting -- not our Britain exactly, but close enough to feel unsettling...), the small community tensions, the sharp political and social commentary, the empathy for parents trying their best in tough circumstances. And there’s hope threaded through it, which I really appreciated.
A strong and original debut. The sequel’s on my TBR and I’m looking forward to seeing what Paul does next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
July 6, 2025
I've just finished this book and I immediately want to read the sequel.
I've never read anything like this before and I was hooked from page one! There is quite a rich worldbuilding and history around the story and I'm very excited to read more about it. I loved the fact that there were multiple POVs throughout. The little snippets of Joe's life growing up with Georgy and Cris were very heartwarming and the science log/history of how the population became 'neuts' was fascinating. I'd be very interested in reading more about that and how much it changed the future with all the historical/gendered censoring. Hopefully the sequel will explore this further.
The main storyline was very gripping too! I loved how all the characters seemed sympathetic and there wasn't an 'outright' single villian unless you count the initial anti-IVF organisation, although this may change in the sequel.
Finally, I will say that this book really did put into perspective my own personal gender biases. Although a majority of the characters were 'neuts', and therefore gender neutral, I did keep subconsciously assigning genders to them and I had to keep reminding myself that they weren't either male or female.
I've been pleasantly surprised by this book and I'd 100% recommend it! =)
I've never read anything like this before and I was hooked from page one! There is quite a rich worldbuilding and history around the story and I'm very excited to read more about it. I loved the fact that there were multiple POVs throughout. The little snippets of Joe's life growing up with Georgy and Cris were very heartwarming and the science log/history of how the population became 'neuts' was fascinating. I'd be very interested in reading more about that and how much it changed the future with all the historical/gendered censoring. Hopefully the sequel will explore this further.
The main storyline was very gripping too! I loved how all the characters seemed sympathetic and there wasn't an 'outright' single villian unless you count the initial anti-IVF organisation, although this may change in the sequel.
Finally, I will say that this book really did put into perspective my own personal gender biases. Although a majority of the characters were 'neuts', and therefore gender neutral, I did keep subconsciously assigning genders to them and I had to keep reminding myself that they weren't either male or female.
I've been pleasantly surprised by this book and I'd 100% recommend it! =)
October 17, 2024
This is a thought-provoking novel that explores sex and gender in a way that I don’t think has been done before. The book is set in a society of “neuts”, i.e. humans who have no biological sex and whose pronouns are invariably “they”, “them” their”. Reproduction is entirely artificial and controlled by the state through facilities that are able to grow babies from genetic material supplied by one, or sometimes two, prospective parents. Occasionally development of the foetus goes wrong, and an abnormality is detected: the baby is growing into a male or female. Such freaks are ruthlessly eradicated at the earliest stage of gestation possible. If any are accidentally allowed to reach full-term, they are forcibly subjected to surgery to correct their deformity.
It is an interesting reversal of the attitudes of some people in our own society regarding trans, non-binary and other minority genders, which I hope will make people stop and think. There are also some side issues around IVF, the isolation of a whole nation to prevent the spread of a virus, and the treatment of refugees – especially those crossing the Channel in small boats.
Well worth a read.
It is an interesting reversal of the attitudes of some people in our own society regarding trans, non-binary and other minority genders, which I hope will make people stop and think. There are also some side issues around IVF, the isolation of a whole nation to prevent the spread of a virus, and the treatment of refugees – especially those crossing the Channel in small boats.
Well worth a read.
June 12, 2025
This was such a beautiful and captivating story! I didn’t realise how invested I had become in Joe, Nats and Cain’s journey until I finished and felt so shocked and saddened by the end! It was such a great cliffhanger that has made me certain I’ll be reading the next one!
The friendships and relationships in the book are so dynamic and I found myself feeling every type of emotion!
It was interesting how I found myself gendering the neuts based on our own society’s gender norms and that really made me think. I tried hard not to but it is so ingrained that it was difficult.
The science experiment chapters gave a unique change and insight into the history of the world. Having said that, a lot of it went over my head! But it was great to see how this world happened as I feel like the explanation was important.
I’d definitely recommend this book it is full of emotions, action and although the pace was slow and steady at the start, it really ramped up in the last quarter!
The friendships and relationships in the book are so dynamic and I found myself feeling every type of emotion!
It was interesting how I found myself gendering the neuts based on our own society’s gender norms and that really made me think. I tried hard not to but it is so ingrained that it was difficult.
The science experiment chapters gave a unique change and insight into the history of the world. Having said that, a lot of it went over my head! But it was great to see how this world happened as I feel like the explanation was important.
I’d definitely recommend this book it is full of emotions, action and although the pace was slow and steady at the start, it really ramped up in the last quarter!
March 7, 2025
This Dystopian had me looking inward in surprising ways. In a genderless society, what happens to children born distinctly male or female? This exploration of what is “normal” had me challenging beliefs I had that I wasn’t aware I had. At first glance, this is a fantastic coming of age story with high stakes and characters you will love to root for, but upon further reflection it’s a mind changing experience. This book is incredibly relevant to the issues of today and should be read by everyone.
February 24, 2025
What an amazing debut novel... such an intriguing and thought-provoking scenario which encourages personal reflection at the same time as entertaining. Paul has such a lovely writing style - I particularly enjoyed the idea of a newly broken voice being like a tuba in a flute choir! I highly recommend this book.
July 21, 2025
LOVED this book! It is such a different concept and very thought-provoking. I loved the way the story flowed, and we got to know and really root for the characters. There were moments of joy, moments of sadness, and just about everything in between. I was ordering the next book as soon as I finished.
July 28, 2025
Loved it !!!!
I love dystopian novels so this was right up my alley, thought provoking but not overly depressing and/or anxiety inducing which I find some dystopian novels to be.
Super excited to read the sequel, would really recommend 😊
I love dystopian novels so this was right up my alley, thought provoking but not overly depressing and/or anxiety inducing which I find some dystopian novels to be.
Super excited to read the sequel, would really recommend 😊
July 23, 2024
So original. The kind of book that you can't help but turn the page! A fantastic read with relatable characters that you are invested in from the start, but a poignant narrative that makes you catch yourself in your assumptions and question your bias'. It is clear that so much care and thought has gone into big, small and even smaller details of the whole publication. Love shines through, not just the choice of subject matter, story and character perspectives, but also the layout choices from typesetting, artistic cover and margins, making it accessible and reader friendly!
May 8, 2025
What a Fantastic book.
This follows Joe who is a boy in a world of neuts (non gendered individuals) as he goes to an island to hide from persecution with other gendered kids.
What I loved was that this story was told through three perspectives, which gave it so much depth. 1. Joes POV which is 'present day' as he is on this adventure. 2. Joes parent Georgie which tells Joes story from birth 3. A very old logbook (5 generations?) Of a DR who is keeping a record of how the neuts came to be.
This was a fantastic exploration of gender and what it is to be different - which is poignant in view of the issues transgendered individuals are facing today.
I almost feel like this does for gender conformity what noughts & crosses did for racism - in so far as it flips the issue on its head and explores it from another angle.
For me personally, I like to think I am a conscious ally to non conforming genders, but like everyone i have subconsious biases around gender. And this made me confront and reflect on those. For example there is a nurse who dealt with Joe, and i was consistently visualising them as a female, even though there were a neut! I kmow this is because nursing a predominantly female profession so I was subconsiously assuming & visualising a female gender for the genderless character. The same goes for Joes parents, Georgie was the main caregiver and stay at home parent, and Cris was hands off and the bread winner - so you can guess what I was automatically visualising there!
My one Issue was that this finished on a fantastic cliffhanger that was then immediately ruined by the epilogue...
This book was so much more than I was expecting, and it is going to be one I think about for years to come. I think this should be a must read for everyone
This follows Joe who is a boy in a world of neuts (non gendered individuals) as he goes to an island to hide from persecution with other gendered kids.
What I loved was that this story was told through three perspectives, which gave it so much depth. 1. Joes POV which is 'present day' as he is on this adventure. 2. Joes parent Georgie which tells Joes story from birth 3. A very old logbook (5 generations?) Of a DR who is keeping a record of how the neuts came to be.
This was a fantastic exploration of gender and what it is to be different - which is poignant in view of the issues transgendered individuals are facing today.
I almost feel like this does for gender conformity what noughts & crosses did for racism - in so far as it flips the issue on its head and explores it from another angle.
For me personally, I like to think I am a conscious ally to non conforming genders, but like everyone i have subconsious biases around gender. And this made me confront and reflect on those. For example there is a nurse who dealt with Joe, and i was consistently visualising them as a female, even though there were a neut! I kmow this is because nursing a predominantly female profession so I was subconsiously assuming & visualising a female gender for the genderless character. The same goes for Joes parents, Georgie was the main caregiver and stay at home parent, and Cris was hands off and the bread winner - so you can guess what I was automatically visualising there!
My one Issue was that this finished on a fantastic cliffhanger that was then immediately ruined by the epilogue...
This book was so much more than I was expecting, and it is going to be one I think about for years to come. I think this should be a must read for everyone
September 8, 2024
I couldn't sleep last night, so I turned on the bedside light and finished Joe with an E by Paul Rand.
I had to know how it ended.
The book is many things:
1 Science
2 Human biology
3 Gender
4 Dystopia
5 Parent - child
6 Adventure
7 Probably lots more...
It is definitely a breath of fresh air.
When I was young, I'd watch films with say, a plane coming down in a desert or jungle, and I'd wonder how they'd go to the toilet, what if they wore contact lenses, what if?
This book covers bodily functions and it is ha ha! A relief!
What is even better, is that Paul Rand uses these to move the action along. As teenage protagonists, there are a lot of revelations for our characters and we get to witness them! This was stand out for me.
It was shocking too. None of the characters I grew to love, were safe. You might not be told all their endings, but from the world so well created by Paul Rand, you have an inkling.
I was truly shocked at the end of the book...no pleasant cosy solutions.
I also loved the mix of chapters. Three viewpoints:
1 Joe
2 Joe's Mum, Georgie
3 The Scientist
A brilliant choice to do this and excellent execution because we moved between cold science and emotional pull.
Warnings are at the back of the book.
A highly recommended and surprisingly refreshing read.
A logical 5 stars.
I had to know how it ended.
The book is many things:
1 Science
2 Human biology
3 Gender
4 Dystopia
5 Parent - child
6 Adventure
7 Probably lots more...
It is definitely a breath of fresh air.
When I was young, I'd watch films with say, a plane coming down in a desert or jungle, and I'd wonder how they'd go to the toilet, what if they wore contact lenses, what if?
This book covers bodily functions and it is ha ha! A relief!
What is even better, is that Paul Rand uses these to move the action along. As teenage protagonists, there are a lot of revelations for our characters and we get to witness them! This was stand out for me.
It was shocking too. None of the characters I grew to love, were safe. You might not be told all their endings, but from the world so well created by Paul Rand, you have an inkling.
I was truly shocked at the end of the book...no pleasant cosy solutions.
I also loved the mix of chapters. Three viewpoints:
1 Joe
2 Joe's Mum, Georgie
3 The Scientist
A brilliant choice to do this and excellent execution because we moved between cold science and emotional pull.
Warnings are at the back of the book.
A highly recommended and surprisingly refreshing read.
A logical 5 stars.
August 29, 2025
Joe with an E is one of those rare books that manages to be both quietly profound and irresistibly charming. From the very first page, I was drawn into Joe’s world—a place where identity, belonging, and the quiet power of resilience are explored with nuance and warmth.
The narrative weaves big questions through small moments: What does it mean to be seen? How do we hold onto who we are in a world that keeps trying to rename or reshape us? It’s smart, accessible, and emotionally honest
Joe with an E is ultimately a celebration of difference, of finding your place on your own terms. It left me feeling uplifted, thoughtful, and grateful to have met Joe—and I know I’ll be recommending this to everyone who loves character-driven fiction that actually has something to say.
The narrative weaves big questions through small moments: What does it mean to be seen? How do we hold onto who we are in a world that keeps trying to rename or reshape us? It’s smart, accessible, and emotionally honest
Joe with an E is ultimately a celebration of difference, of finding your place on your own terms. It left me feeling uplifted, thoughtful, and grateful to have met Joe—and I know I’ll be recommending this to everyone who loves character-driven fiction that actually has something to say.
December 23, 2024
What a brilliant novel. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Joe with an E. It really is a gripping read that makes one reflect on unconscious biases and the assumptions we all make about gender all the time - gender stereotypes are so entrenched in all aspects of our lives. I love the way in which, through this novel, you challenge these assumptions and biases. Being put in the shoes of “different” is a very powerful way of developing empathy. Thank you - I cannot wait to get my copy of Them and Us in December. I recommend this to everyone - get thinking and talking about gender identity and visibility.
August 19, 2025
'Joe with an E' is a well plotted YA story with engaging characters and a measured pace.
The story takes the familiar SF idea of conflict between gendered and ungendered societies (see Joanna Russ, Ursula Le Guin, amongst many others) and brings it to a near future UK, just a few generations away from the present day. I enjoyed the way that the author handled the exposition, explaining exactly how an ungendered population had come into existence. In some ways, the journal of the 21st century scientist was my favourite part of the book.
Parenthood, friendship, love and teenage romance themes are all explored sensitively and carefully.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
The story takes the familiar SF idea of conflict between gendered and ungendered societies (see Joanna Russ, Ursula Le Guin, amongst many others) and brings it to a near future UK, just a few generations away from the present day. I enjoyed the way that the author handled the exposition, explaining exactly how an ungendered population had come into existence. In some ways, the journal of the 21st century scientist was my favourite part of the book.
Parenthood, friendship, love and teenage romance themes are all explored sensitively and carefully.
I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
July 31, 2025
Everyone needs to read this book!!!!! I struggle to concentrate and haven’t read a book in years, my sister recommended it and promised I would enjoy it (she reads all the time and said it’s one of her favourites of all time- so for experienced readers too!) I have never written a review on any product online but felt like I needed to with this as it’s made me fall in love with reading again!! Paul is such an amazing author and I hope this book reaches everyone! 10/10 - I loved every page!! & I can’t wait to read the sequel 😁
August 18, 2024
I could not recommend this book enough. It was exactly what I was looking to find since my favourite series of young bond novels by Charlie Higson. Paul Rand has done an amazing job here as the characters are distinct and you get emotionally connected to their nuances and character. Be prepared to jump back into childhood adventure but with a flare of adulty science. Very excited for the sequel!
August 27, 2025
i loved this book!! very well written, with such a good plot, constantly wanted you to read more and more.
i fell in love with the characters straight away and just loved the whole concept.
some might say you need a bit of knowledge of embryology to understand the more scientific parts of the books, but i think you’d be fine without it too.
i fell in love with the characters straight away and just loved the whole concept.
some might say you need a bit of knowledge of embryology to understand the more scientific parts of the books, but i think you’d be fine without it too.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews