CARE

by Declan James Mullan

"Dependency, Unison had discovered, was stronger than shackles. It made people complicit in their own submission. It turned hunger into a leash, technology into a muzzle, and community into informants."

CARE offers a chillingly plausible future where the lines between humanity and AI blur, leaving the reader to question the true cost of progress and the meaning of freedom.

At its heart, CARE is a deeply human story of resistance, identity, and the quiet, revolutionary power of care.

In a not-so-distant future where power masquerades as order, one young man must choose between obedience and awakening.

In the United Isles of Britannus and Hibernus (formerly Great Britain and Ireland), the authoritarian Unison Trust governs a society ostensibly rebuilt in fragile unity from the ashes of a global pandemic.

Here, Scott Hunter lives a life defined by profound contrasts. Born into the ruling elite of the Unison Trust, his privilege is shadowed by the daily challenges of living with cerebral palsy. As he navigates this meticulously constructed society with his android assistant DEC-E, he senses the sinister truth beneath the synthetic calm. Scott's curiosity leads him to investigate the flaws within this fractured society and events begin to transpire. As tensions rise and the whisper of rebellion grows louder, Scott is drawn into a conflict that will challenge everything he thought he knew about his world, his past, and what it means to be human.

This powerful dystopian debut is rich in atmospheric detail, painting a hauntingly plausible vision of a future where technological advancement has come at a steep ethical price. The novel grapples with complex questions surrounding the ethics of advanced artificial intelligence, exploring the delicate and increasingly ambiguous boundary that separates sophisticated machinery from sentient beings. Influenced by the author’s formative experiences growing up amidst the deep political divisions of Northern Ireland, and his early career as a care provider to vulnerable individuals, the novel weaves personal insight with speculative imagination.

462 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 30, 2025

Reviews

[Naomie Barnabas · Rating 5 out of 5]

CARE is a hauntingly immersive and deeply moving debut that masterfully fuses rich dystopian worldbuilding with a profound exploration of humanity, morality, and the quiet courage of resistance.

[Amy Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible debut novel by Declan Mullan!!
The plot is well thought out and keeps you gripped throughout. Whilst the characters have such depth that make you wish they were real!
5⭐️

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Declan James Mullan’s Care is a standout addition to the YA dystopian genre, offering a narrative that balances patient world-building with high-stakes sci-fi concepts. The novel’s strength lies in its pacing; the first third of the book is dedicated to setting the scene, allowing readers to fully inhabit a world governed by a chillingly cold, authoritarian regime. By taking the time to establish the atmospheric tension and the daily struggles of the oppressed, Mullen ensures that when the status quo finally shatters, the story takes a fascinating turn as rebellion breaks out that explores the boundaries of transhumanism through sentience transfer. The revelation that human consciousness can be uploaded into android bodies is the novel's most compelling development. Unlike many dystopian tales that focus solely on resource scarcity, Care centres on a government obsessed with technological immortality. The ruling elite seek to live forever by hijacking this transfer process for themselves, viewing both the poor and the machines as mere fuel for their eternal reign.

The tension eventually culminates in a gripping rebellion that feels uniquely modern due to its diverse coalition of fighters: Impoverished humans from the lower districts fighting for basic rights - Sentient androids discovering their own "souls" - Transferred humans who have already transitioned into synthetic bodies but refuse to abandon their humanity.

This alliance creates a philosophical layer to the action, asking teen readers to consider what truly defines a person —their biology or their choices. By the time the revolution breaks out, CARE has transformed into a high-octane battle for the future of the human spirit.

[Amy Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening chapters draw readers into Scott Hunter’s compelling perspective—a privileged youth grappling with disability, identity, and the quiet tyranny of Unison Trust. His arc is absorbing, making the narrative pivot toward Cloda and the broader resistance feel like a significant shift. While these chapters deepen the political and emotional stakes, I found myself yearning to return to Scott’s storyline, eager to uncover his next move.
This novel blends speculative sharpness with ethical reflection, and its layered society leaves readers with much to unpack—even as we chase the thread of one character’s awakening.