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Today
What if today was your last day...
A bomb has exploded during a fashion show, killing a beautiful model on the catwalk. The murderer is still at large... and he may strike again. Yet this is the least of Police Commissioner Christian Verger's worries. His fiancée Viola has left him. He has to keep his tumultuous past a secret. To make things worse, his voice assistant Alexa is 99.74% sure he will die tomorrow.
Moving from snowy 1980s Montana to chic 1990s Manhattan to a drone-filled 2030s Britain, FUTURE PERFECT is an electrifying race to solve a murder before it's too late. Yet it is also a love story, a riveting portrait of a couple torn apart by secrets, grief and guilt. A twisted tale of how the past can haunt a person's future and be used to predict if he will die... or kill.
'Yap is a phenomenon' - Guardian
'A thrilling new voice' - Red
'The one that everyone is talking about . . . Enthralling' - Woman & Home
'A blockbuster-worthy twist . . . YESTERDAY stands out from the crowd' - Stylist
'The intrigue of GONE GIRL and the drama of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP - iNews
A bomb has exploded during a fashion show, killing a beautiful model on the catwalk. The murderer is still at large... and he may strike again. Yet this is the least of Police Commissioner Christian Verger's worries. His fiancée Viola has left him. He has to keep his tumultuous past a secret. To make things worse, his voice assistant Alexa is 99.74% sure he will die tomorrow.
Moving from snowy 1980s Montana to chic 1990s Manhattan to a drone-filled 2030s Britain, FUTURE PERFECT is an electrifying race to solve a murder before it's too late. Yet it is also a love story, a riveting portrait of a couple torn apart by secrets, grief and guilt. A twisted tale of how the past can haunt a person's future and be used to predict if he will die... or kill.
'Yap is a phenomenon' - Guardian
'A thrilling new voice' - Red
'The one that everyone is talking about . . . Enthralling' - Woman & Home
'A blockbuster-worthy twist . . . YESTERDAY stands out from the crowd' - Stylist
'The intrigue of GONE GIRL and the drama of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP - iNews
Hardcover
First published March 18, 2021
10 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
About the author
Felicia Yap
4 books120 followersFelicia Yap is the author of Future Perfect and Yesterday. She has been a cell biologist, a war historian, a university lecturer, a technology journalist, a theatre critic, a flea-market trader and a catwalk model. Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @FeliciaMYap
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 30, 2021
This novel was so my sort of thing, speculative, imaginative and with an excellent group dynamic of characters whose realities are peeled back layer by layer.
Set in a world where an app predicts your future, the general setting of the story is within the glamorous world of high fashion. A bomb, a bet and an enduring friendship sets the scene as the plot unravels in often unexpected directions.
I do love a clever book that manages to remain unpredictable whilst also being wildly entertaining and beautifully written. I was a huge fan of "Yesterday" by this author but Future Perfect takes things to another level where the characters are key, the secrets hidden until the pitch perfect finale.
The imagined technology in the world Felicia Yap has built here adds a fabulous extra undertone to proceedings- after all if you have a more than 90% chance of dying today you may well choose different options - add to that the underneath themes of greed, love and betrayal and you have an absolute winner.
Really loved it. Can't really say anything else except Highly Recommended.
Set in a world where an app predicts your future, the general setting of the story is within the glamorous world of high fashion. A bomb, a bet and an enduring friendship sets the scene as the plot unravels in often unexpected directions.
I do love a clever book that manages to remain unpredictable whilst also being wildly entertaining and beautifully written. I was a huge fan of "Yesterday" by this author but Future Perfect takes things to another level where the characters are key, the secrets hidden until the pitch perfect finale.
The imagined technology in the world Felicia Yap has built here adds a fabulous extra undertone to proceedings- after all if you have a more than 90% chance of dying today you may well choose different options - add to that the underneath themes of greed, love and betrayal and you have an absolute winner.
Really loved it. Can't really say anything else except Highly Recommended.
April 21, 2021
A combination of both a murder mystery and a riveting love story of a computer specialist and a police commissioner.
Love the premise idea and exposition. Interesting glimpse of Britain in the 2030s-- the predictive technology was cool (trendy but how it can do prediction so accurately was somehow a bit terrifying) and the drones part kind of interesting too.
The storytelling was based on each character's point of views + one mysterious narrative from the past. I was a bit perplexed with this narrative that was set in the 90s in Montana, but it was so compelling to read the character's story and the moment the character said 'I was given a pair of androgynous black breeches' I already get my answer there.
I love the 'calm' nuances as well as the writing style which so proper and neat (I remembered how I love Yesterday because of the writing style as well)-- the twists were quite good (although I was really taken aback with the culprit's reason on the bombing incident) and I fancy Christian a lot! I was a bit struggling with Alexander's narrative (although I find the dynamic in all characters were greatly done), his story don't piqued my interest that much even though all those mystery and crime connected to him. Favourite part of the excerpt and fragments of each characters at the end of each chapters👌🏻
A high fashion tragedy, on friendship and revenge, dramatic yet very immersive. Giving it a 3.8 stars!
Thanks to Pansing Distribution for sending me a review copy of this book in return of an honest review!
Love the premise idea and exposition. Interesting glimpse of Britain in the 2030s-- the predictive technology was cool (trendy but how it can do prediction so accurately was somehow a bit terrifying) and the drones part kind of interesting too.
The storytelling was based on each character's point of views + one mysterious narrative from the past. I was a bit perplexed with this narrative that was set in the 90s in Montana, but it was so compelling to read the character's story and the moment the character said 'I was given a pair of androgynous black breeches' I already get my answer there.
I love the 'calm' nuances as well as the writing style which so proper and neat (I remembered how I love Yesterday because of the writing style as well)-- the twists were quite good (although I was really taken aback with the culprit's reason on the bombing incident) and I fancy Christian a lot! I was a bit struggling with Alexander's narrative (although I find the dynamic in all characters were greatly done), his story don't piqued my interest that much even though all those mystery and crime connected to him. Favourite part of the excerpt and fragments of each characters at the end of each chapters👌🏻
A high fashion tragedy, on friendship and revenge, dramatic yet very immersive. Giving it a 3.8 stars!
Thanks to Pansing Distribution for sending me a review copy of this book in return of an honest review!
March 16, 2021
On 8 June 2030, iPredict informs Police Commissioner Christian Verger that he has a 99.74% chance of dying tomorrow. A model was blown up at Alexander King's fashion show in New York City yesterday, the same show that's going to be at Old Billingsgate tonight - and he has to find the killer in time to make sure it doesn't happen again. Of course, this just has to happen on the day his fiancee leaves him.
Yap keeps you guessing with each new revelation that comes to light. Three different people tell three different stories of the same event. Viola's program, CriminalX, is spitting out results that don't make sense. Everyone has secrets to hide - but are they secrets worth killing for? Will Christian be able to pull the answers - and himself- together in time to prevent another death from happening? Is he even looking in the right place? Is this a helpful clue? Or is this another misdirection?
Future Perfect is not just a crime thriller, though. Yap explores the impact of technology on our lives, taking trends in tech and pushing it forward ten years to a plausible future. Alexa not only manages the household, it also directs Christian's & Viola's lives even when they don't want it to. Predictions of the future become self-fulfilling when the tech themselves make it happen because it was predicted. Only people who have something to hide use cash. And maybe, just maybe, software can be programmed to be creative enough to create art, denying the need for humanity's creative eye and spark.
With a deft hand, Yap brings you through a harrowing day as told from four main perspectives: Verger, his fiancee Viola, the designer Alexander King, and an unnamed person from the past whose story may be the key to unravelling this dense web of lies. And haunting them all is the spectre of another dead model, the same one Xander is dedicating his show to.
Future Perfect is just... perfect.
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Yap keeps you guessing with each new revelation that comes to light. Three different people tell three different stories of the same event. Viola's program, CriminalX, is spitting out results that don't make sense. Everyone has secrets to hide - but are they secrets worth killing for? Will Christian be able to pull the answers - and himself- together in time to prevent another death from happening? Is he even looking in the right place? Is this a helpful clue? Or is this another misdirection?
Future Perfect is not just a crime thriller, though. Yap explores the impact of technology on our lives, taking trends in tech and pushing it forward ten years to a plausible future. Alexa not only manages the household, it also directs Christian's & Viola's lives even when they don't want it to. Predictions of the future become self-fulfilling when the tech themselves make it happen because it was predicted. Only people who have something to hide use cash. And maybe, just maybe, software can be programmed to be creative enough to create art, denying the need for humanity's creative eye and spark.
With a deft hand, Yap brings you through a harrowing day as told from four main perspectives: Verger, his fiancee Viola, the designer Alexander King, and an unnamed person from the past whose story may be the key to unravelling this dense web of lies. And haunting them all is the spectre of another dead model, the same one Xander is dedicating his show to.
Future Perfect is just... perfect.
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 15, 2022
This book grabbed me immediately but it just kind of fell a bit.... flat? It depended too heavily on the BIG (predictable) TWIST at the end and whilst waiting for that, the last 100 pages felt frustrating to read.
A thrilling book in places but the writing didn't excite me enough to really get buzzed about this. An enjoyable read all the same.
A thrilling book in places but the writing didn't excite me enough to really get buzzed about this. An enjoyable read all the same.
February 15, 2021
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest Netgalley review. Thank you to the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this.
I was really intrigued by this title and everything I read on it but ultimately struggled with some aspects, while wishing others had been more developed. This is ofc a highly subjective review so salt with everything, as always.
Starting with the good:
It's well written and highly accessible. The speculative concepts are fascinating (prediction technology and it's corrosive, corruptive effect on psyche), the extent to which lives can and are led by drones or dictated by algorithm. Christian was a great character and the timeline/pov plot twist was genuinely good, I didn't see it coming till it was almost unfolding. I think those are all good reasons to dip into the book.
###
Things that that didn't click for me:
Subjective, but I didn't like Viola (one of the main povs) and struggled with Alexander, too. In Viola's case, she seemed exasperatingly self-absorbed at times for someone who is supposed to be 40 and a professional, and I found myself getting frustrated by her emotional immaturity. Relationship basics seemed to amaze her, and she had a tendency to engage in that wilful refusal of miscommunication that drives autistic readers mad (by which I mean her relationship with Christian is strained because, imo, she's unwilling or unable to ask straightforward questions like an actual adult.)
I realise that's a common 'thing' in novels but it frustrates me all the same. On the other hand, I struggle enormously to relate to neurotypical people, and likely this is part of why. So much of their communication is riddled with a kind of obstinate refusal to *explain* and an overwhleming need for you to guess, anticipate, and pre-empt their reactions; it's fucking exhausting. Viola is similarly exhausting. She's a reminder of all of those interactions with neurotypical folk that leave me tired and discouraged. Sorry, Vi!
Alexander, I was just a bit indifferent to. He wasn't a bad character, but he seemed priviledged and rather elitist, from that particular class of posh Londoners who live in their own universe and don't really compute for me on a day to day, working class level. Ymmv on that.
###
As before, the characters were well written, but having 2 major povs not clicking for me made some parts of the reading a struggle. I found myself skimming Viola and Alexander's sections to get back to Christian and Mystery PoV, but of course that in turn meant I had to double back to reread to follow the plot.
###
My last grumble is maybe one of genre. I wish the book had done more with its cool setting ideas. The predictive app (which projects what it thinks you will do, which then arguably influences you to do those things, and which tries to make sure you 'stay on track' with its predictions) was a core concept that drew me to the book, but as is often the case with litfic, this aspect of the setting was touched on and not really dug into.
I'd have liked to see more done with the app and its implications, and perhaps some wider philosophical implications, but I also don't think that was what the novel was about. The focus is on the tangled lives of the characters and that's fine, just maybe for a slightly different readership than mine.
I was really intrigued by this title and everything I read on it but ultimately struggled with some aspects, while wishing others had been more developed. This is ofc a highly subjective review so salt with everything, as always.
Starting with the good:
It's well written and highly accessible. The speculative concepts are fascinating (prediction technology and it's corrosive, corruptive effect on psyche), the extent to which lives can and are led by drones or dictated by algorithm. Christian was a great character and the timeline/pov plot twist was genuinely good, I didn't see it coming till it was almost unfolding. I think those are all good reasons to dip into the book.
###
Things that that didn't click for me:
Subjective, but I didn't like Viola (one of the main povs) and struggled with Alexander, too. In Viola's case, she seemed exasperatingly self-absorbed at times for someone who is supposed to be 40 and a professional, and I found myself getting frustrated by her emotional immaturity. Relationship basics seemed to amaze her, and she had a tendency to engage in that wilful refusal of miscommunication that drives autistic readers mad (by which I mean her relationship with Christian is strained because, imo, she's unwilling or unable to ask straightforward questions like an actual adult.)
I realise that's a common 'thing' in novels but it frustrates me all the same. On the other hand, I struggle enormously to relate to neurotypical people, and likely this is part of why. So much of their communication is riddled with a kind of obstinate refusal to *explain* and an overwhleming need for you to guess, anticipate, and pre-empt their reactions; it's fucking exhausting. Viola is similarly exhausting. She's a reminder of all of those interactions with neurotypical folk that leave me tired and discouraged. Sorry, Vi!
Alexander, I was just a bit indifferent to. He wasn't a bad character, but he seemed priviledged and rather elitist, from that particular class of posh Londoners who live in their own universe and don't really compute for me on a day to day, working class level. Ymmv on that.
###
As before, the characters were well written, but having 2 major povs not clicking for me made some parts of the reading a struggle. I found myself skimming Viola and Alexander's sections to get back to Christian and Mystery PoV, but of course that in turn meant I had to double back to reread to follow the plot.
###
My last grumble is maybe one of genre. I wish the book had done more with its cool setting ideas. The predictive app (which projects what it thinks you will do, which then arguably influences you to do those things, and which tries to make sure you 'stay on track' with its predictions) was a core concept that drew me to the book, but as is often the case with litfic, this aspect of the setting was touched on and not really dug into.
I'd have liked to see more done with the app and its implications, and perhaps some wider philosophical implications, but I also don't think that was what the novel was about. The focus is on the tangled lives of the characters and that's fine, just maybe for a slightly different readership than mine.
July 27, 2022
The plot of Future Perfect takes place over one day, centred around the aftermath of a bomb explosion at designer Alexander King's show in Manhattan, and the preparation for his London show in June 2030. However the story is also built around Maya von Meier, who died 20 years ago and is the muse to King's work. The novel follows the narratives of Commissioner Verger, his fiancee and MI6 worker Viola MacKay, and Alexander "Xander" King, whose experiences and perspectives force readers to consider ideas of imperfection vs perfection, immortality vs mortality, and the power and limitations of technology vs the creativity and individuality of humans against the backdrop of 2030s London where everything is dominated by machines, drones and irritating voice assistants.
Maya haunts the lives of Christian Verger, Viola and Xander, who each in a way feel a sense of guilt for her mysterious death. Each character's connection to Maya highlights how feelings of guilt and shame surrounding our past can infect our present and in turn poison the future, unless we decide to face it.
I found the first chapters of the book quite difficult to enjoy and get into, and originally the constant switching between narratives was confusing. However, it works extremely well as the plot unravels. The three main characters have a range of flaws that they overcome throughout the novel, which encouraged to reevaluate my perspective on a variety of things, such as the necessity of knowledge and the problems with perfection.
The novel's climax comes quite late in the book, and I worried in the last 100 pages that the sotry would fail to have a strong and clarified resolution, however I was wrong, and eventually everything started to make sense.
I think this book is important for everyone to read, as it considers our growing reliance on technology and the negative impacts of the desire to know and be in control has on the average person.
---------------------------------
Key Quotes:
"Knowing doesn't necessarily make us happier...ignoramuses are happier sorts" p.98
"Perfection is intrinsically boring. Flaws make things real, more interesting. Alive.." p.234
"If a dress, novel or painting triggers an emotional response, does it matter who created it?"
"there's a greater beauty in imperfection than perfection."
"What's the point of being able to predict the future when I consistently fail to learn from the past?"
"Satisfaction is a journey, not an end point. The same goes for happiness. People think they will only be happy once they achieve something, reach an end goal. Seldom do they realise it's the process of getting there that gives them a shot at being happy or satisfied."
"As I no longer wish to change the world (after having changed it beyond repair) my only remaining option is to change myself."
Maya haunts the lives of Christian Verger, Viola and Xander, who each in a way feel a sense of guilt for her mysterious death. Each character's connection to Maya highlights how feelings of guilt and shame surrounding our past can infect our present and in turn poison the future, unless we decide to face it.
I found the first chapters of the book quite difficult to enjoy and get into, and originally the constant switching between narratives was confusing. However, it works extremely well as the plot unravels. The three main characters have a range of flaws that they overcome throughout the novel, which encouraged to reevaluate my perspective on a variety of things, such as the necessity of knowledge and the problems with perfection.
The novel's climax comes quite late in the book, and I worried in the last 100 pages that the sotry would fail to have a strong and clarified resolution, however I was wrong, and eventually everything started to make sense.
I think this book is important for everyone to read, as it considers our growing reliance on technology and the negative impacts of the desire to know and be in control has on the average person.
---------------------------------
Key Quotes:
"Knowing doesn't necessarily make us happier...ignoramuses are happier sorts" p.98
"Perfection is intrinsically boring. Flaws make things real, more interesting. Alive.." p.234
"If a dress, novel or painting triggers an emotional response, does it matter who created it?"
"there's a greater beauty in imperfection than perfection."
"What's the point of being able to predict the future when I consistently fail to learn from the past?"
"Satisfaction is a journey, not an end point. The same goes for happiness. People think they will only be happy once they achieve something, reach an end goal. Seldom do they realise it's the process of getting there that gives them a shot at being happy or satisfied."
"As I no longer wish to change the world (after having changed it beyond repair) my only remaining option is to change myself."
February 15, 2021
I was a huge fan of Felicia Yap’s debut novel, Yesterday when I read it a few years ago now, and I couldn’t wait to see what she would come up with next. Her second novel, Future Perfect, is an imaginative, immersive and a very fresh psychological thriller.
What would you do if you were told that today was going to be your last day? Future Perfect is set in the year 2030 in Britain. It’s quite scary to think that 2030 is less than a decade from now. In Felicia Yap’s future version of reality, our lives are controlled by apps more than ever. There is even an app called I-Predict, which accurately predicts how your day will pan out. It drives people to the point of obsession as well. They have to make sure they follow everything down to a T, the app says is going to happen, they go out of their way to make its predictions come true. But what happens when you wake up one morning, and it says “chances of dying 99.74%?” How would you react?
This is what happens to Christian, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. It is also the same day, renowned fashion designer, Alexander King, plans to host a fashion show in London. The fashion show follows a catastrophic event when one of his models was killed on stage at an event in New York just the day before. There are concerns that another attack might take place in London. What is even more concerning is that there are several high profile models taking part, including the Prime Ministers daughter.
I loved the concept in Future Perfect. From the moment when Christian sees his prediction on the app, I wanted to know how things were going to plan out for him. What was going to happen at the fashion show? Who had been responsible for the attack in New York? Christian knows that the app’s predictions are highly likely to come true, and so he is on edge from that moment onwards. I could feel this tension growing as the book raced towards its conclusion.
I loved how Felicia Yap went back to two different timelines throughout the book. There are some very disturbing scenes which take place in America in the 1970s and Manhattan in the 1990s. I wanted to know how the events taking place in the past were connected to the events taking place in the future.
Future Perfect is very cleverly plotted. I loved how Felicia Yap weaved everything together. It makes for a very entertaining read. This is a high-concept read which I would highly recommend if you’re looking for something a bit different in the psychological thriller genre. It is also scary to think how some of the futuristic ideas Felicia Yap explores are very close to becoming a real possibility. I really enjoyed it!
What would you do if you were told that today was going to be your last day? Future Perfect is set in the year 2030 in Britain. It’s quite scary to think that 2030 is less than a decade from now. In Felicia Yap’s future version of reality, our lives are controlled by apps more than ever. There is even an app called I-Predict, which accurately predicts how your day will pan out. It drives people to the point of obsession as well. They have to make sure they follow everything down to a T, the app says is going to happen, they go out of their way to make its predictions come true. But what happens when you wake up one morning, and it says “chances of dying 99.74%?” How would you react?
This is what happens to Christian, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. It is also the same day, renowned fashion designer, Alexander King, plans to host a fashion show in London. The fashion show follows a catastrophic event when one of his models was killed on stage at an event in New York just the day before. There are concerns that another attack might take place in London. What is even more concerning is that there are several high profile models taking part, including the Prime Ministers daughter.
I loved the concept in Future Perfect. From the moment when Christian sees his prediction on the app, I wanted to know how things were going to plan out for him. What was going to happen at the fashion show? Who had been responsible for the attack in New York? Christian knows that the app’s predictions are highly likely to come true, and so he is on edge from that moment onwards. I could feel this tension growing as the book raced towards its conclusion.
I loved how Felicia Yap went back to two different timelines throughout the book. There are some very disturbing scenes which take place in America in the 1970s and Manhattan in the 1990s. I wanted to know how the events taking place in the past were connected to the events taking place in the future.
Future Perfect is very cleverly plotted. I loved how Felicia Yap weaved everything together. It makes for a very entertaining read. This is a high-concept read which I would highly recommend if you’re looking for something a bit different in the psychological thriller genre. It is also scary to think how some of the futuristic ideas Felicia Yap explores are very close to becoming a real possibility. I really enjoyed it!
March 18, 2021
A book unlike any other I have read in the genre in recent times. I was fascinated by the story, intrigued by the mystery and plot just based on the synopsis. And since this is a new-to-me author, I was very excited to learn more and get to know an author.
The book has a brilliant setting that captivated my attention from the entry line of chapter one. I felt like I was going on this futurist yet close and contemporary journey, not only learning more about the world, but also about the various characters involved in the mystery and the plot, and of course the society and culture.
I love when a book is different from what the others I have been reading. It makes it stand out and be excited for all the unexpected moments and twist & turns. This novel definitely gave me the thriller feel which I appreciate a lot. I'm no expert on the genre, I just know what I like, and I loved this story.
The characters kept things interesting. As we follow them during different times, as we try to figure out the secrets and what will happen next to them or that they will do... There was never a boring moment for me. Every character made sense to me, even when I couldn't fully connect with them, because I was trying to figure them out, I was so caught up in the book and in their lives.
The pace was just perfect for me. I enjoyed how it had a nice equilibrium in relation to the characters personality and actions, as well as in relation to the plot and the mysteries we had to uncover.
Overall, I so want to read more of this author's work. And I almost want to grab this book again and reread it, just to see if I missed any detail or any clue that may lead me to the truth and the information quicker. It's that kind of story: A book I will keep rereading because I just know each experience will allow me to see things in a different perspective.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Felicia Yap and Wildfire - Headline, for the ebook, via Netgalley. Thank you for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
The book has a brilliant setting that captivated my attention from the entry line of chapter one. I felt like I was going on this futurist yet close and contemporary journey, not only learning more about the world, but also about the various characters involved in the mystery and the plot, and of course the society and culture.
I love when a book is different from what the others I have been reading. It makes it stand out and be excited for all the unexpected moments and twist & turns. This novel definitely gave me the thriller feel which I appreciate a lot. I'm no expert on the genre, I just know what I like, and I loved this story.
The characters kept things interesting. As we follow them during different times, as we try to figure out the secrets and what will happen next to them or that they will do... There was never a boring moment for me. Every character made sense to me, even when I couldn't fully connect with them, because I was trying to figure them out, I was so caught up in the book and in their lives.
The pace was just perfect for me. I enjoyed how it had a nice equilibrium in relation to the characters personality and actions, as well as in relation to the plot and the mysteries we had to uncover.
Overall, I so want to read more of this author's work. And I almost want to grab this book again and reread it, just to see if I missed any detail or any clue that may lead me to the truth and the information quicker. It's that kind of story: A book I will keep rereading because I just know each experience will allow me to see things in a different perspective.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Felicia Yap and Wildfire - Headline, for the ebook, via Netgalley. Thank you for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
March 19, 2021
Tick tick boom.
This book had me at so many things, the explosive start figuratively and literally. The death prediction from Alexa, which bizarrely when I asked my Alexa she said she can’t see in to the future and she was unsure if I would want to know anyway. I will let her off though as she has ten years to evolve, but speculative fiction always makes me think what if. Would I want to know? I think the answer will divide most people but for me it’s a resounding yes.
If you were to know what would you do differently? What choices would you make? Would you try to change something to prevent your death? These are all things that Christian Verger has to contemplate while trying to solve a murder and stop it happening again.
With high stakes and set in the glamorous world of high fashion and technology, it moves between various settings and timelines making the pace relentless as the chase is on. I liked Christian and the dynamics between him and his ex fiancée Viola as they both work on the case from different aspects. Christian coming from the side of the law and Viola from developing tech to flag up suspects.
This is a high concept thriller showing scary future possibilities that still retains a good old fashioned mystery at its heart. Now I just need Alexa to be able to make me a cup of tea and my future will be perfect too.
This book had me at so many things, the explosive start figuratively and literally. The death prediction from Alexa, which bizarrely when I asked my Alexa she said she can’t see in to the future and she was unsure if I would want to know anyway. I will let her off though as she has ten years to evolve, but speculative fiction always makes me think what if. Would I want to know? I think the answer will divide most people but for me it’s a resounding yes.
If you were to know what would you do differently? What choices would you make? Would you try to change something to prevent your death? These are all things that Christian Verger has to contemplate while trying to solve a murder and stop it happening again.
With high stakes and set in the glamorous world of high fashion and technology, it moves between various settings and timelines making the pace relentless as the chase is on. I liked Christian and the dynamics between him and his ex fiancée Viola as they both work on the case from different aspects. Christian coming from the side of the law and Viola from developing tech to flag up suspects.
This is a high concept thriller showing scary future possibilities that still retains a good old fashioned mystery at its heart. Now I just need Alexa to be able to make me a cup of tea and my future will be perfect too.
May 3, 2021
Multi-narrator, tech-heavy plot. Surprises and a slightly scary future world.
A bomb on a catwalk, a murder enquiry. Multiple narrators each with a story heading towards the main plot... if we can work out how they thread together.
This ended up being much smarter than I gave it credit for at the start. And also featured a fantastically realistic futuristic (and yet so close to today's) society that felt a little creepy and yet so easy to envisage: phones that predict how likely you are to eat chocolate today, where you want to go and to plan your route, even how likely you are to die today...
A police commissioner, his fiance (software expert) tasked with finding likely suspects to the murder, models and designers... the story takes its time with backstories and histories, building up a world of characters within this society and what it's made of people... before satisfying quite nicely with threads drawn together.
Yap gives clues but also dead ends, draws you in various ways and gives plenty of things to think about. It's smart, it's a society as it may be, and it was certainly very entertaining and dark.
I might have occasionally got lost with narrators on the Audible version, it isn't always clear who is carrying the story or who they are until ends of chapters. I might have found this easier to manage with a paper copy, but I did keep up I think. It's less straightforward than some are to manage as a 'listen', though most of the time that was fine. The voices themselves are clear and convey a picture of who you are listening to, though I might recommend a paper/e-copy more highly for those who find multiple narrators a little harder to follow.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
A bomb on a catwalk, a murder enquiry. Multiple narrators each with a story heading towards the main plot... if we can work out how they thread together.
This ended up being much smarter than I gave it credit for at the start. And also featured a fantastically realistic futuristic (and yet so close to today's) society that felt a little creepy and yet so easy to envisage: phones that predict how likely you are to eat chocolate today, where you want to go and to plan your route, even how likely you are to die today...
A police commissioner, his fiance (software expert) tasked with finding likely suspects to the murder, models and designers... the story takes its time with backstories and histories, building up a world of characters within this society and what it's made of people... before satisfying quite nicely with threads drawn together.
Yap gives clues but also dead ends, draws you in various ways and gives plenty of things to think about. It's smart, it's a society as it may be, and it was certainly very entertaining and dark.
I might have occasionally got lost with narrators on the Audible version, it isn't always clear who is carrying the story or who they are until ends of chapters. I might have found this easier to manage with a paper copy, but I did keep up I think. It's less straightforward than some are to manage as a 'listen', though most of the time that was fine. The voices themselves are clear and convey a picture of who you are listening to, though I might recommend a paper/e-copy more highly for those who find multiple narrators a little harder to follow.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
January 24, 2022
A very interesting read! I was immediately grabbed by the whole atmosphere of the book. The 2030 setting with its share of new technologies (which don’t seem so far fetched) is definitely worth the read!
However, the book starts out amazing, but coming to the last part I felt a little bit disappointed. I cannot even really explain why, perhaps I expected more from the plot twist.
Nevertheless, this book still very much deserves 4 stars! Grab it if you can!
However, the book starts out amazing, but coming to the last part I felt a little bit disappointed. I cannot even really explain why, perhaps I expected more from the plot twist.
Nevertheless, this book still very much deserves 4 stars! Grab it if you can!
February 1, 2021
A thriller set in the near future in the world of high fashion and new tech. Riveting roller coaster ride.
March 16, 2021
Set in a futuristic world where mirrors can talk to you about how you look and apps can predict your day, this novel showcases A.I. development whilst also having a thrilling and mysterious storyline.
Initially, this book felt like it tried too hard to highlight all of the technological advancements that had come about by 2030 and I found that it detracted from being able to gage the characters personalities early on. This is important for me, as it helps engage with the journey they subsequently embark upon.
However, I did feel that once this initial influx of technological descriptions was over, it seems to settle down and the storyline really develops. You start to understand the characters and invest in the plot. I found I disliked Viola, she was self-absorbed and ran away instead of discussing how she felt. However, I really found Christian relatable! He didn’t trust how embedded technology had found itself into daily life and as the story progresses, and you understand him more, you really respect him and who he became.
Overall, I found that once I got my teeth into the storyline and characters, it was a well written, speculative novel with unpredictable twists and turns every step of the way.
Initially, this book felt like it tried too hard to highlight all of the technological advancements that had come about by 2030 and I found that it detracted from being able to gage the characters personalities early on. This is important for me, as it helps engage with the journey they subsequently embark upon.
However, I did feel that once this initial influx of technological descriptions was over, it seems to settle down and the storyline really develops. You start to understand the characters and invest in the plot. I found I disliked Viola, she was self-absorbed and ran away instead of discussing how she felt. However, I really found Christian relatable! He didn’t trust how embedded technology had found itself into daily life and as the story progresses, and you understand him more, you really respect him and who he became.
Overall, I found that once I got my teeth into the storyline and characters, it was a well written, speculative novel with unpredictable twists and turns every step of the way.
March 1, 2024
Quite an intriguing mystery story, set in a near future when all people daily check an app calculating statistical probabilities for a number of events and outcomes for their day, including the (usually close to zero) chance of their death before the end of the day. After a murder, unexpectedly, a number of people tightly and loosely connected to the event get a near 100% probability of dying by the end of the day. The connections to each other, to the victim, and to the suspects for the murder are slowly unveiled in a series of plot twists and flashbacks, as each day slowly but steadily unfolds and death is still looming, according to the app.... I especially loved the clever tech ideas , not just the anxiety-inducing prediction app, but the new AI tech for the fashion industry, the software calculating the more probable murderer, etc. I keep looking forward to more novels by this author.
June 1, 2021
Plot was hyper-convoluted and contrived, consisting of too many unnecessary subplots.
February 14, 2021
This book is possibly one of my most anticipated reads in ages. I loved Felicia Yap's first book, its originality and style and so I was really keen to see what she was bringing us next. This. book did not disappoint. When. I picked it up to start reading, little did I know that just a few hours later I would walk away having blasted through the whole thing and been left with a huge smile on my face. Yes, once again this is future set. It is speculative fiction, although not too. far removed from our current reality, and it paints a stark picture of what could well come to pass, but it is also a very clever and perfectly plotted thriller that gets the mind whirring from the very beginning.
This is book that is both perfectly me and most absolutely not. It is a fast paced, high tension, psychological thriller with an action twist that is set in the glamourous world of high fashion. Now the tension filled thriller element I am all over, but anyone who know me will tell you I have as much in common with and interest in the world of high fashion as I have football. I.e. none. But that doesn't matter because whichly the exotic world of Alexander King's high profile catwalk shows forms a perfect backdrop to this immersive thriller, it is not the be all and end all of the story. The two shows, in New York and London, create a sense of chaos and uncertainty which adds to the tension, but they are merely a mechanism to draw things, and the characters together, as well as bring the novel to a mesmerizing and truly fitting conclusion.
More than just being about fashion, this is a story about technology, about the possibilities of what will come to pass in the evolution of our smart homes, where everything, from our coffee machines, to our lighting and our heating, can be controlled by app. Driverless cars are a technology we are aware of already, and we all know that one simple browser search one moment will lead to umpteen targeted ads on Facebook the next. Felicia Yap kicks this up a notch, examining how far technology can go to replacing and 'enhancing' all aspects of our life, including being able to forecast our death ... The author's experience has managed to bring a whole sense of authenticity to the story and
I love the way in which the author creates the tension in this piece, beginning in explosive style that really captures the attention and then holding the reader rapt with a series of deft character observations and twisted storytelling. Told primarily from the points of view of Met Police Commissioner Christian Verger who is tasked with helping find the person who brought such disruption to King's first show, and Viola McKay, his fiance and good friend to the designer, the story takes two very different paths to the same startling finale. There are other chapters interspersed, ones that will have you puzzling over how they tie into the action, and it may be in ways you are not expecting. I admit that when I twigged what was happening it made me smile and made me realise just how quickly we can jump to conclusions and how it skews what we see and read. Very clever, Very, very clever.
This is a perfectly pitched, murder mystery, with high stakes and excellent character development. It's a story of technology, but also of humanity and of the complicated nature of relationships - friendship and love - and it is a book which kept me completely rapt from the very first page to the very last. I loved it.
This is book that is both perfectly me and most absolutely not. It is a fast paced, high tension, psychological thriller with an action twist that is set in the glamourous world of high fashion. Now the tension filled thriller element I am all over, but anyone who know me will tell you I have as much in common with and interest in the world of high fashion as I have football. I.e. none. But that doesn't matter because whichly the exotic world of Alexander King's high profile catwalk shows forms a perfect backdrop to this immersive thriller, it is not the be all and end all of the story. The two shows, in New York and London, create a sense of chaos and uncertainty which adds to the tension, but they are merely a mechanism to draw things, and the characters together, as well as bring the novel to a mesmerizing and truly fitting conclusion.
More than just being about fashion, this is a story about technology, about the possibilities of what will come to pass in the evolution of our smart homes, where everything, from our coffee machines, to our lighting and our heating, can be controlled by app. Driverless cars are a technology we are aware of already, and we all know that one simple browser search one moment will lead to umpteen targeted ads on Facebook the next. Felicia Yap kicks this up a notch, examining how far technology can go to replacing and 'enhancing' all aspects of our life, including being able to forecast our death ... The author's experience has managed to bring a whole sense of authenticity to the story and
I love the way in which the author creates the tension in this piece, beginning in explosive style that really captures the attention and then holding the reader rapt with a series of deft character observations and twisted storytelling. Told primarily from the points of view of Met Police Commissioner Christian Verger who is tasked with helping find the person who brought such disruption to King's first show, and Viola McKay, his fiance and good friend to the designer, the story takes two very different paths to the same startling finale. There are other chapters interspersed, ones that will have you puzzling over how they tie into the action, and it may be in ways you are not expecting. I admit that when I twigged what was happening it made me smile and made me realise just how quickly we can jump to conclusions and how it skews what we see and read. Very clever, Very, very clever.
This is a perfectly pitched, murder mystery, with high stakes and excellent character development. It's a story of technology, but also of humanity and of the complicated nature of relationships - friendship and love - and it is a book which kept me completely rapt from the very first page to the very last. I loved it.
March 18, 2021
Future Perfect is a book that had me at the blurb, and it was everything and more that I wanted it to be.
Welcome to a near future so realistic you can almost taste it! It's one not so very different from the one we know now, except with a little bit more 'helpful' technology embedded in our lives, and it is filled with just as much human frailty as we know today.
New to his post, Police Commissioner Christian Verger is having a difficult day. Not only is he unsure about his capability to do the job he has been appointed to do, he is trying to deal with the fallout of a bombing in New York that may lead to possible death and destruction at a high profile fashion show coming up in London that night, his girlfriend has left him - and Alexa insists the likelihood of him surviving to see tomorrow is remarkably small. Not great.
Events of this difficult day then play out through the eyes of various characters linked to the fashion designer Alexander King, whose model had her arm blown off on a New York catwalk, and whose event that night in London was supposed to be the pinnacle of his glittering career - and it is up to us, at the side of Christian, to put all the pieces together to track down the identity of the killer before they can strike again. To spice things up, Christian's disgruntled girlfriend, Viola, has co-incidentally been working on a computer program designed to identify the suspects of the crime, which throws up some very interesting names and has her trying to track down the killer at the same time.
As the story progresses, the backdrop moves in time between Montana of the 1980s, New York of the 1990s and the current investigation in 2030, bringing in little snippets of the past lives of some of the characters and hinting at their darkest secrets - but quite who is who, and who is hiding what is unclear, which gives a wonderful Christiesque feel to the whole piece.
The pace of the novel is perfect, and the tension builds beautifully to a delicious climax at the London fashion show, where we find out the truth behind more than one mystery - and I take my hat off to Felicia Yap for her top class skills as an author in writing a book which misdirects the reader quite as well as this. Nice one Felicia!
But this is also a high concept thriller that plays around beautifully with the notion of technology as well as messing with your head. There is nothing in this book that feels like anything that will not come along in the next few years and be accepted by the majority as something that will be a valuable addition to our modern lifestyle - however absurd. I thoroughly enjoyed the comedy that derives from situations in this book where technology seems to have the upper-hand, despite the characters wishes.
I was also very impressed with the way Yap explores the concept of perfection in her book, which gives you quite a lot to think about, and the combination of Future and Perfect in the title is nothing short of genius.
This is an intelligent thriller with just the right amount of intrigue, excitement, and mystery, with a nice touch of friendship and romance thrown in at the same time. Felicia Yap, you have yourself a new fan!
Welcome to a near future so realistic you can almost taste it! It's one not so very different from the one we know now, except with a little bit more 'helpful' technology embedded in our lives, and it is filled with just as much human frailty as we know today.
New to his post, Police Commissioner Christian Verger is having a difficult day. Not only is he unsure about his capability to do the job he has been appointed to do, he is trying to deal with the fallout of a bombing in New York that may lead to possible death and destruction at a high profile fashion show coming up in London that night, his girlfriend has left him - and Alexa insists the likelihood of him surviving to see tomorrow is remarkably small. Not great.
Events of this difficult day then play out through the eyes of various characters linked to the fashion designer Alexander King, whose model had her arm blown off on a New York catwalk, and whose event that night in London was supposed to be the pinnacle of his glittering career - and it is up to us, at the side of Christian, to put all the pieces together to track down the identity of the killer before they can strike again. To spice things up, Christian's disgruntled girlfriend, Viola, has co-incidentally been working on a computer program designed to identify the suspects of the crime, which throws up some very interesting names and has her trying to track down the killer at the same time.
As the story progresses, the backdrop moves in time between Montana of the 1980s, New York of the 1990s and the current investigation in 2030, bringing in little snippets of the past lives of some of the characters and hinting at their darkest secrets - but quite who is who, and who is hiding what is unclear, which gives a wonderful Christiesque feel to the whole piece.
The pace of the novel is perfect, and the tension builds beautifully to a delicious climax at the London fashion show, where we find out the truth behind more than one mystery - and I take my hat off to Felicia Yap for her top class skills as an author in writing a book which misdirects the reader quite as well as this. Nice one Felicia!
But this is also a high concept thriller that plays around beautifully with the notion of technology as well as messing with your head. There is nothing in this book that feels like anything that will not come along in the next few years and be accepted by the majority as something that will be a valuable addition to our modern lifestyle - however absurd. I thoroughly enjoyed the comedy that derives from situations in this book where technology seems to have the upper-hand, despite the characters wishes.
I was also very impressed with the way Yap explores the concept of perfection in her book, which gives you quite a lot to think about, and the combination of Future and Perfect in the title is nothing short of genius.
This is an intelligent thriller with just the right amount of intrigue, excitement, and mystery, with a nice touch of friendship and romance thrown in at the same time. Felicia Yap, you have yourself a new fan!
March 25, 2021
An explosion at a fashion show is just the beginning.
Future Perfect opens in dramatic style and doesn’t let up throughout, as Felicia Yap takes her reader on a terrifyingly plausible narrative set just slightly in the future. What works so well is that technology is at the heart of the story but it is futuristic technology that has already begun to make an appearance now, such as delivery drones and driverless cars, so that the events that occur feel based in truth and are all the more unsettling as a result. I really did feel quite tense reading Future Perfect and thought it was a thrilling read. Equally, I found Future Perfect innovative and fresh in style so that it felt unlike other books I’ve read.
Future Perfect is so much more than a futuristic thriller. Somehow, Felicia Yap has woven romance, relationships, science fiction, AI and crime into a captivating narrative set in the world of high fashion that draws in the reader completely. The plot is a true masterclass, twisting perceptions and manipulating the reader until they are as affected by events as are Viola and Christian. I permanently felt one step behind for much of the time, just like Christian, so that unlike other thrillers, Future Perfect was never predictable. There’s a real irony in that sensation, given the technological reliance on prediction and probability in the narrative! The fast paced action is balanced by beautifully natural imagery and a wonderful appeal to the senses so that Future Perfect has something for every reader. I finished reading this book rather in awe of Felicia Yap’s prescient understanding of society, the criminal mind and humanity. This is a book that entertains, certainly, but it has a depth that gives the reader much to think about too.
Indeed, it is the presentation of humanity in Future Perfect that makes for such compelling reading. I loved the insight into how our past shapes our present, that emerges through the stories of Christian and Viola. Felicia Yap explores human frailty and resilience, our self-deceptions and our self-criticisms, so that the narrative affords an understanding of both perfection and imperfection in a manner I found mesmerising. Alexander King is the ultimate enfant terrible manipulator and yet he has a vulnerability that is quite affecting. He made me think of Shelley’s Ozymandias because of the way art and artifice are so closely entwined in Future Perfect. Even more compelling for me was the exploration of living in the moment and not looking too far ahead. Never have I been more thankful that I do not have Alexa or smart technology in my own home, but to say more would be to spoil the story for others!
I thought this book was brilliant because of the sophisticated storytelling, the vivid characters and the terrifyingly possible situations it contains. Elegantly and eloquently written, Future Perfect is totally captivating, unnerving and surprisingly emotional. I really, really recommend it.
Future Perfect opens in dramatic style and doesn’t let up throughout, as Felicia Yap takes her reader on a terrifyingly plausible narrative set just slightly in the future. What works so well is that technology is at the heart of the story but it is futuristic technology that has already begun to make an appearance now, such as delivery drones and driverless cars, so that the events that occur feel based in truth and are all the more unsettling as a result. I really did feel quite tense reading Future Perfect and thought it was a thrilling read. Equally, I found Future Perfect innovative and fresh in style so that it felt unlike other books I’ve read.
Future Perfect is so much more than a futuristic thriller. Somehow, Felicia Yap has woven romance, relationships, science fiction, AI and crime into a captivating narrative set in the world of high fashion that draws in the reader completely. The plot is a true masterclass, twisting perceptions and manipulating the reader until they are as affected by events as are Viola and Christian. I permanently felt one step behind for much of the time, just like Christian, so that unlike other thrillers, Future Perfect was never predictable. There’s a real irony in that sensation, given the technological reliance on prediction and probability in the narrative! The fast paced action is balanced by beautifully natural imagery and a wonderful appeal to the senses so that Future Perfect has something for every reader. I finished reading this book rather in awe of Felicia Yap’s prescient understanding of society, the criminal mind and humanity. This is a book that entertains, certainly, but it has a depth that gives the reader much to think about too.
Indeed, it is the presentation of humanity in Future Perfect that makes for such compelling reading. I loved the insight into how our past shapes our present, that emerges through the stories of Christian and Viola. Felicia Yap explores human frailty and resilience, our self-deceptions and our self-criticisms, so that the narrative affords an understanding of both perfection and imperfection in a manner I found mesmerising. Alexander King is the ultimate enfant terrible manipulator and yet he has a vulnerability that is quite affecting. He made me think of Shelley’s Ozymandias because of the way art and artifice are so closely entwined in Future Perfect. Even more compelling for me was the exploration of living in the moment and not looking too far ahead. Never have I been more thankful that I do not have Alexa or smart technology in my own home, but to say more would be to spoil the story for others!
I thought this book was brilliant because of the sophisticated storytelling, the vivid characters and the terrifyingly possible situations it contains. Elegantly and eloquently written, Future Perfect is totally captivating, unnerving and surprisingly emotional. I really, really recommend it.
March 22, 2021
Future Perfect by Felicia Yap is a book I have wanted to read this for months. I got the chance to take part in the book tour so I jumped at the chance. The synopsis and cover got me straight away!
It is set in the near future with things looking quite similar to now just with a few 'tweaks', ie embedded technology. Humans are still as delicate as they have been forever.
Police Commissioner Christian Venger is having a really bad day, he is new to his job and isn't even certain he is capable of doing it. Then there is a bombing in New York that he has the fallout from which had the ability to cause death and destruction at a London high profile fashion show. To top it off his fiancée, Viola has left him AND Alexa has informed him he may not live to see tomorrow! We see the events play out from various characters views who are linked to the fashion designer Alexander King whose model has her arm blown of on the New York catwalk. The London show is the one that is the 'cherry on the cake' of his glittering career.
Christian is the one who has to attempt to stop this killer in their tracks before anyone else is affected. Viola ( Christians ex who has just left him) has a computer programme she has been working on. It has the capability to identify the suspects of the crime. It brings some names out that Viola wouldn't expect, so we see her attempting to solve this case at the same time as Christian.
The story time slips back to Montana in the 1980s, then New York in the 1990s and then back to 2030 and the investigation. This shows us some past lives and glimpses of secrets that we are never really certain eho is really who and what secrets belong to who. Creating a really intriguing story for me. I feel it has been beautifully and skilfully created with Felicia Yap weaving a tale that is the perfect pace and and the a tension that rises to a cresendo for the London fashion show and the climax we have been heading for. The unravelling of mysteries and the truth all happen here! The skills of Felicia Yap are second to none with this story filled with misdirection and red herrings.
I loved the way Felicia has shown us a world that isn't a million miles from how we are now and it makes it seem possible and quite real that this is how tech could go. The combination of thriller, mystery intrigue, and friendship works well and on that note, the title is a great one with the Future to be perfect and the fact that the author raises the concept of perfection too. I am happy to say I am going to check out Felicia Yap's other books...definitely found a fabulous author!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and NetGalley for my copy of the book.
It is set in the near future with things looking quite similar to now just with a few 'tweaks', ie embedded technology. Humans are still as delicate as they have been forever.
Police Commissioner Christian Venger is having a really bad day, he is new to his job and isn't even certain he is capable of doing it. Then there is a bombing in New York that he has the fallout from which had the ability to cause death and destruction at a London high profile fashion show. To top it off his fiancée, Viola has left him AND Alexa has informed him he may not live to see tomorrow! We see the events play out from various characters views who are linked to the fashion designer Alexander King whose model has her arm blown of on the New York catwalk. The London show is the one that is the 'cherry on the cake' of his glittering career.
Christian is the one who has to attempt to stop this killer in their tracks before anyone else is affected. Viola ( Christians ex who has just left him) has a computer programme she has been working on. It has the capability to identify the suspects of the crime. It brings some names out that Viola wouldn't expect, so we see her attempting to solve this case at the same time as Christian.
The story time slips back to Montana in the 1980s, then New York in the 1990s and then back to 2030 and the investigation. This shows us some past lives and glimpses of secrets that we are never really certain eho is really who and what secrets belong to who. Creating a really intriguing story for me. I feel it has been beautifully and skilfully created with Felicia Yap weaving a tale that is the perfect pace and and the a tension that rises to a cresendo for the London fashion show and the climax we have been heading for. The unravelling of mysteries and the truth all happen here! The skills of Felicia Yap are second to none with this story filled with misdirection and red herrings.
I loved the way Felicia has shown us a world that isn't a million miles from how we are now and it makes it seem possible and quite real that this is how tech could go. The combination of thriller, mystery intrigue, and friendship works well and on that note, the title is a great one with the Future to be perfect and the fact that the author raises the concept of perfection too. I am happy to say I am going to check out Felicia Yap's other books...definitely found a fabulous author!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and NetGalley for my copy of the book.
March 14, 2021
The year is 2030 and the book begins with a bomb going off in New York at a fashion show of fashion designer Alexander King. The model carrying the bag is dead and Xander has another one scheduled in London tonight.
The two main characters are Viola and Christian, Viola works for MI6, as a computer specialist, unbeknown to her partner Christian and works with a system called CriminalX which identifies people who are most likely to have committed a crime. When Viola run the system on who is a suspect in the bombing and Alexander appears as a suspect. Meanwhile Christian has had a notification on his i prediction app which tells you the probability of something happening and it tells him that he is 99.74% likely to die today. Christian is the police commissioner and he has no idea what Viola is working on and she can’t tell him. She thinks the system is flawed then she receives an even bigger surprise. Viola thinks that Christian maybe has another woman as he keeps saying Ella in his sleep and so she leaves him and returns to her own cottage.
The Prime Minister tells Christian that her daughter is a model at the fashion show this evening and is looking for reassurance that it will be safe. This adds even more pressure to the situation. Xander is a troubled soul, he has a history and his muse Maya was found dead over 20 years ago in what looked like an accident.
There is another story from the past in this book, someone with a horrific past in Montana and who comes to New York to find someone. I don’t want to give anything away so I will leave it there. However, the story just begins when they arrive and it’s not the one they imagined. This side of the story unfolds really slowly and I was very surprised about how it all turns out.
This is a clever book and it is also terrifying as it is all possible. Post is delivered by drones and e pigeons. Every transaction you make in a shop is recorded unless you pay by cash which hardly anyone does. Alexa knows everything and the future does not seem as perfect as it is perceived.
I really enjoyed this book because it gave me a lot to think about and ponder and I really like this in a story something that really moved me outside my comfort zone, and it is a unlike anything I have read before and I will be definitely reading Felicia’s first book. Gripping, fast paced, immersive and very unique.
4.5 stars ****
I did have some problems with the formatting at the end of the chapters.
The two main characters are Viola and Christian, Viola works for MI6, as a computer specialist, unbeknown to her partner Christian and works with a system called CriminalX which identifies people who are most likely to have committed a crime. When Viola run the system on who is a suspect in the bombing and Alexander appears as a suspect. Meanwhile Christian has had a notification on his i prediction app which tells you the probability of something happening and it tells him that he is 99.74% likely to die today. Christian is the police commissioner and he has no idea what Viola is working on and she can’t tell him. She thinks the system is flawed then she receives an even bigger surprise. Viola thinks that Christian maybe has another woman as he keeps saying Ella in his sleep and so she leaves him and returns to her own cottage.
The Prime Minister tells Christian that her daughter is a model at the fashion show this evening and is looking for reassurance that it will be safe. This adds even more pressure to the situation. Xander is a troubled soul, he has a history and his muse Maya was found dead over 20 years ago in what looked like an accident.
There is another story from the past in this book, someone with a horrific past in Montana and who comes to New York to find someone. I don’t want to give anything away so I will leave it there. However, the story just begins when they arrive and it’s not the one they imagined. This side of the story unfolds really slowly and I was very surprised about how it all turns out.
This is a clever book and it is also terrifying as it is all possible. Post is delivered by drones and e pigeons. Every transaction you make in a shop is recorded unless you pay by cash which hardly anyone does. Alexa knows everything and the future does not seem as perfect as it is perceived.
I really enjoyed this book because it gave me a lot to think about and ponder and I really like this in a story something that really moved me outside my comfort zone, and it is a unlike anything I have read before and I will be definitely reading Felicia’s first book. Gripping, fast paced, immersive and very unique.
4.5 stars ****
I did have some problems with the formatting at the end of the chapters.
March 20, 2021
Having read and loved “Yesterday” I knew that Future Perfect was going to be good but I had no idea that it was going to be THAT good and end up being one of the best books I have read in 2021 so far! Set in the near future, this is speculative fiction at its very best with twisty, multiple viewpoints and a thrilling storyline that guarantees this is a thumpingly good read that’s impossible to put down.
A bomb attack at a Manhattan fashion show causes a stir in London as the designer involved is also planning another show there. Among the invited guests are Police Commissioner Christian Verger and his fiancée Viola and according to the Commissioners ipredict app, he has a nearly 100% chance of not making it to the end of the show alive. And it’s the use of this technology that really made the plot of Future Perfect feel like a very plausible future! It also delivered an interesting and balanced argument for knowing the odds of any part of your future life being rolled out. I mean would you want to start each day knowing the chances of being alive by the end of it are extremely slim?! Surely it would affect the way you react meaning that those odds aren’t a reliable resource? Would you end up living your life as a slave to an app thereby giving it far more power than its inventor could have envisioned? There is so much within the pages here to think about and I predict that there is a 100% chance that this book will be one I want to visit again in the future!
Future Perfect is a beautifully written book. It manages to be thought provoking, clever and imaginative with great use of characters to keep you on your toes throughout. If you’ve ever seen the film Minority Report, this had a similar feel regarding the use of technology and it’s an uncomfortable thought that this could be our future. Christian’s Alexa made me laugh so much with her control over him but it also delivered a serious message and an uncomfortable prediction of the way forward for the world in general.
Future Perfect grabbed me with both hands and wouldn’t let me go, reading until the early hours of the morning. This is an immersive whodunnit with a uniquely edgy style and a fresh twist on the genre. I absolutely loved it and recommend it 100%!
A bomb attack at a Manhattan fashion show causes a stir in London as the designer involved is also planning another show there. Among the invited guests are Police Commissioner Christian Verger and his fiancée Viola and according to the Commissioners ipredict app, he has a nearly 100% chance of not making it to the end of the show alive. And it’s the use of this technology that really made the plot of Future Perfect feel like a very plausible future! It also delivered an interesting and balanced argument for knowing the odds of any part of your future life being rolled out. I mean would you want to start each day knowing the chances of being alive by the end of it are extremely slim?! Surely it would affect the way you react meaning that those odds aren’t a reliable resource? Would you end up living your life as a slave to an app thereby giving it far more power than its inventor could have envisioned? There is so much within the pages here to think about and I predict that there is a 100% chance that this book will be one I want to visit again in the future!
Future Perfect is a beautifully written book. It manages to be thought provoking, clever and imaginative with great use of characters to keep you on your toes throughout. If you’ve ever seen the film Minority Report, this had a similar feel regarding the use of technology and it’s an uncomfortable thought that this could be our future. Christian’s Alexa made me laugh so much with her control over him but it also delivered a serious message and an uncomfortable prediction of the way forward for the world in general.
Future Perfect grabbed me with both hands and wouldn’t let me go, reading until the early hours of the morning. This is an immersive whodunnit with a uniquely edgy style and a fresh twist on the genre. I absolutely loved it and recommend it 100%!
May 4, 2021
"Perfection is illusory. It eventually losses its sheen. Imperfection makes things real, more interesting"
In this near-future created by Felicia Yap, technology takes precedence over everything, including the ability to predict how your day will eventuate. Humans in this society rely on apps and software for almost everything. With this premise, Future Perfect started off with a bombing incident in a fashion show which led to the appointment of Christian (the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police) to solve this murder mystery. The story was told from the POVs of 3 main characters: Christian, Viola McKay (Christian's fiancee, a software developer who is also working for M16), and Alexander King (a fashion icon and Viola's best friend). The pasts of all 3 main characters seemed unrelated but were somehow interconnected. The impact of technology is explored by Yap in a very accessible and straightforward manner: the anxiety created by the prediction app (just imagine when the app predicts your death on a particular day), the possibility of curbing creativity, the notion of perfection vs imperfection. The futuristic world-building and the incorporation of the state of the fashion industry in this world are quite decently executed. The unpredictable twist in the story, which is apparently interlaced with the side plotline of the story, definitely works for me!
My main issue with the story would be the characterization and the romance element. The romance element here is typical and cringy which disrupts the flow of the story. Certain conversation between the characters (especially when Christian is interrogating the suspects or other characters) seems to be a little awkward to me. For example, whenever a suspect is trying to describe an incident to Christian, it will start off with the suspect saying "It's a long story" and Christian replying "I have the time for it". And yes, I frowned whenever I encounter such conversation. That said, as a psychological thriller with dystopian elements, Future Perfect deserves a decent 3.8/5 star rating. Thanks to Definitely Books and Pansing Distribution for sending this review copy to me! Future Perfect will definitely challenge your views towards technological advancements and the notion of perfection!
In this near-future created by Felicia Yap, technology takes precedence over everything, including the ability to predict how your day will eventuate. Humans in this society rely on apps and software for almost everything. With this premise, Future Perfect started off with a bombing incident in a fashion show which led to the appointment of Christian (the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police) to solve this murder mystery. The story was told from the POVs of 3 main characters: Christian, Viola McKay (Christian's fiancee, a software developer who is also working for M16), and Alexander King (a fashion icon and Viola's best friend). The pasts of all 3 main characters seemed unrelated but were somehow interconnected. The impact of technology is explored by Yap in a very accessible and straightforward manner: the anxiety created by the prediction app (just imagine when the app predicts your death on a particular day), the possibility of curbing creativity, the notion of perfection vs imperfection. The futuristic world-building and the incorporation of the state of the fashion industry in this world are quite decently executed. The unpredictable twist in the story, which is apparently interlaced with the side plotline of the story, definitely works for me!
My main issue with the story would be the characterization and the romance element. The romance element here is typical and cringy which disrupts the flow of the story. Certain conversation between the characters (especially when Christian is interrogating the suspects or other characters) seems to be a little awkward to me. For example, whenever a suspect is trying to describe an incident to Christian, it will start off with the suspect saying "It's a long story" and Christian replying "I have the time for it". And yes, I frowned whenever I encounter such conversation. That said, as a psychological thriller with dystopian elements, Future Perfect deserves a decent 3.8/5 star rating. Thanks to Definitely Books and Pansing Distribution for sending this review copy to me! Future Perfect will definitely challenge your views towards technological advancements and the notion of perfection!
April 12, 2021
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from the author.
An immersive psychological thriller that will enchant you from the very first page, Felicia Yap has once again created a fresh and original novel that will blow your mind!
It is 2030 and technology has become even more advanced and we, as a society, have become even more dependent on it. From iPredict that can tell you with a high chance of certainty what is going to happen to you today, drones that deliver your every need in no time at all, to the self-driving cars that can deposit you to your destination without worrying about traffic, technology is key. But when there is an explosion at a high fashion show event it is good old-fashioned police work that will be needed to figure out the culprit - as the criminal software that will aid in capturing the guilty party is still under development. Enter Commissioner Christian Verger who is determined to apprehend the culprit before they can attack again. But he has his own problems too - like the demise of his relationship to his fiancée Viola and the secrets from the past that haunt his dreams. Viola has her secrets too but when they are all drawn into this investigation, it becomes clear that what happened all those years ago in the past, has come together now, and to save themselves and those that they love, they must figure out the connections ... quickly.
A warning to our over-reliance on technology for everything, FUTURE PERFECT is at the heart of it all a thriller. The characters are engaging and likeable, yet we are always aware that they are hiding something from us, which only left me more determined to dig up the truth. It has everything you need for a great novel in this genre - danger, murder, lies, subterfuge, secrets, and tragedy - but Felicia Yap has a magnificent talent for creating a great novel and taking it that one step further, making it sublime. I picked this up at 8pm to read a few chapters and I didn't come up for air until I was finished and it was well past my bedtime. It was worth it!
FUTURE PERFECT by Felicia Yap is everything you could want in a novel and more, and I cannot wait to read her third book!
An immersive psychological thriller that will enchant you from the very first page, Felicia Yap has once again created a fresh and original novel that will blow your mind!
It is 2030 and technology has become even more advanced and we, as a society, have become even more dependent on it. From iPredict that can tell you with a high chance of certainty what is going to happen to you today, drones that deliver your every need in no time at all, to the self-driving cars that can deposit you to your destination without worrying about traffic, technology is key. But when there is an explosion at a high fashion show event it is good old-fashioned police work that will be needed to figure out the culprit - as the criminal software that will aid in capturing the guilty party is still under development. Enter Commissioner Christian Verger who is determined to apprehend the culprit before they can attack again. But he has his own problems too - like the demise of his relationship to his fiancée Viola and the secrets from the past that haunt his dreams. Viola has her secrets too but when they are all drawn into this investigation, it becomes clear that what happened all those years ago in the past, has come together now, and to save themselves and those that they love, they must figure out the connections ... quickly.
A warning to our over-reliance on technology for everything, FUTURE PERFECT is at the heart of it all a thriller. The characters are engaging and likeable, yet we are always aware that they are hiding something from us, which only left me more determined to dig up the truth. It has everything you need for a great novel in this genre - danger, murder, lies, subterfuge, secrets, and tragedy - but Felicia Yap has a magnificent talent for creating a great novel and taking it that one step further, making it sublime. I picked this up at 8pm to read a few chapters and I didn't come up for air until I was finished and it was well past my bedtime. It was worth it!
FUTURE PERFECT by Felicia Yap is everything you could want in a novel and more, and I cannot wait to read her third book!
March 28, 2021
I’ll admit that I’ve been waiting for this book since I read Yesterday, also from Felicia Yap, and this book hasn’t disappointed me at all! Intriguing, complex and futuristic, it makes you wonder if the technology that we all depend so much is really so good.
Everything will start when a bomb explodes at a fashion show, the police are scared that this will not be the only terrorist attack on the artist of the show by a famous fashion designer, Alexander King, who also has a weird obsession with her dead muse, Maya. Yes, this seems a normal thriller plot, but this is not the interesting part of it but the characters involved in the plot and more explicitly, all the technology that surrounds the story.
Because, when one of the main characters, Police Commissioner Christian Verger, receives the daily update of the most famous application (I-Predict) that there’s a 99.74% possibility of dying, all his actions and motivations will be to change this percentage. This makes you wonder if this is what really triggers the high percentage and if he will be able to change it.
On the other side, Viola, Christian’s fiancée is working also in a super secret technology to discover killers, the program is not yet finished but as a test she will enter the details of the bombing and, can you guess who is the main suspect? There are some drops from the past, to make the story more complex, understandable and dark but they need to be there to explain the full story.
I loved this read, impossible to put down or stop thinking about it.
Ready for the “Future Perfect”?
Everything will start when a bomb explodes at a fashion show, the police are scared that this will not be the only terrorist attack on the artist of the show by a famous fashion designer, Alexander King, who also has a weird obsession with her dead muse, Maya. Yes, this seems a normal thriller plot, but this is not the interesting part of it but the characters involved in the plot and more explicitly, all the technology that surrounds the story.
Because, when one of the main characters, Police Commissioner Christian Verger, receives the daily update of the most famous application (I-Predict) that there’s a 99.74% possibility of dying, all his actions and motivations will be to change this percentage. This makes you wonder if this is what really triggers the high percentage and if he will be able to change it.
On the other side, Viola, Christian’s fiancée is working also in a super secret technology to discover killers, the program is not yet finished but as a test she will enter the details of the bombing and, can you guess who is the main suspect? There are some drops from the past, to make the story more complex, understandable and dark but they need to be there to explain the full story.
I loved this read, impossible to put down or stop thinking about it.
Ready for the “Future Perfect”?
June 25, 2022
Future perfect a mystery revolving around Fashion, a past and the future. A murder mystery to find who put a bomb in a model's bag at a runway show. Most of the suspects are listed early on and each suspect is given adequate backstory , yet not one of them really shined.
The future gadgets were a bit undercooked and only used for what seems like a couple's daily arguments - drones and prediction apps to name a few. The fashion is also woven in with some future software stuff. How they all connect together is adequate , yet no moment really left me agape. There is a big twist supposedly with the chapters not labeled under a character, yet it was a bit predictable halfway through.
The endgame mystery was also nothing new . Motive is something that has been done alot and in that regards I can't say the book is a good mystery. It dabbles between crime mystery, dystopia and drama but never really excels in one area. The book is straightforward , not offputting but not page turning. It's written adequately.
The drama really is just a couple not wanting to talk to each other and it could've been more with how other characters are wrapped up. Maybe that's just fashion but none of the storylines gave something with marination.
This is easy read, and if you're interested in fashion and the future of it in 2030's than give this book a whirl. The mystery isn't the greatest nor the drama nor the twist , but it is serviceable. I read the book easily so it wasn't badly written.
The future gadgets were a bit undercooked and only used for what seems like a couple's daily arguments - drones and prediction apps to name a few. The fashion is also woven in with some future software stuff. How they all connect together is adequate , yet no moment really left me agape. There is a big twist supposedly with the chapters not labeled under a character, yet it was a bit predictable halfway through.
The endgame mystery was also nothing new . Motive is something that has been done alot and in that regards I can't say the book is a good mystery. It dabbles between crime mystery, dystopia and drama but never really excels in one area. The book is straightforward , not offputting but not page turning. It's written adequately.
The drama really is just a couple not wanting to talk to each other and it could've been more with how other characters are wrapped up. Maybe that's just fashion but none of the storylines gave something with marination.
This is easy read, and if you're interested in fashion and the future of it in 2030's than give this book a whirl. The mystery isn't the greatest nor the drama nor the twist , but it is serviceable. I read the book easily so it wasn't badly written.
March 24, 2021
Set in 2030, a hair breadths in the future, explores our relationship with technology, individuality and marries this with a crime scene backdrop in the world of fashion..
There are four main voices Viola tech genius and spook, Christian the police commissioner and Violas fiancé, Xander celebrated fashion designer, and Maya, Xanders model, muse and enigma. Mayas death 20 years previously has haunted Viola, Christian and Xander in a myriad of ways, each of them are connected by the past to Maya.
In 2030 Alexa has dominated the AI market and can connect everything from your household appliances, car and diary. Drone deliveries are standard and iPrediction app uses smart algorithms that could even predict your death. The novel reflects on the reliance we have on technology, our need for perfection - yet it may be our imperfections which make us beautiful, and the corrosive effect of secrets on our relationships.
Possibly not a book I would normally have read but thoroughly enjoyed it and gripped by the narrative which tantalized leading to a very late night reading!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing access to this ARC, all opinions are my own.
There are four main voices Viola tech genius and spook, Christian the police commissioner and Violas fiancé, Xander celebrated fashion designer, and Maya, Xanders model, muse and enigma. Mayas death 20 years previously has haunted Viola, Christian and Xander in a myriad of ways, each of them are connected by the past to Maya.
In 2030 Alexa has dominated the AI market and can connect everything from your household appliances, car and diary. Drone deliveries are standard and iPrediction app uses smart algorithms that could even predict your death. The novel reflects on the reliance we have on technology, our need for perfection - yet it may be our imperfections which make us beautiful, and the corrosive effect of secrets on our relationships.
Possibly not a book I would normally have read but thoroughly enjoyed it and gripped by the narrative which tantalized leading to a very late night reading!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing access to this ARC, all opinions are my own.
February 14, 2021
This is a police procedural with a difference. Told through three narrative voices, each of whom are inextricably linked to the others through a web of secrets that lies at the heart of the story, is a touching, mesmerizing read. It is all the more intriguing because it is set firmly in the world of fashion, high end clothes designers, wealth and conflict and also in a futuristic 2030s world where ipredict apps, Alexa and more have taken it upon themselves to decide what's best for humans.
The narrative takes us back in time and is beautifully executed to give us glimpses of clues that we have to slot together to make sens of the whole picture - which will culminate in the massive cat walk show in London where one of our narrators has been threatened with death.
I loved the glimpses into a possible cold and harsh future where we are less and less in control of our lives, but I also loved the glimpes into the past where the story begins. This is a really well plotted to derive the maximum tension and yet keep you hooked right to the unexpected ending.
The narrative takes us back in time and is beautifully executed to give us glimpses of clues that we have to slot together to make sens of the whole picture - which will culminate in the massive cat walk show in London where one of our narrators has been threatened with death.
I loved the glimpses into a possible cold and harsh future where we are less and less in control of our lives, but I also loved the glimpes into the past where the story begins. This is a really well plotted to derive the maximum tension and yet keep you hooked right to the unexpected ending.
March 23, 2021
This is such a cleverly written book. Set in 2030 the world is run by apps and drones. Not too far away from where we are now to be honest. The commissioner of the police wakes up to find his I Predict app says that he will probably die today, a 99.74% chance. So his mind is quite rightly pre occupied with this when he finds out that a bomb went off at the high profile fashion show of Alexander King. Not normally something he would worry about but Alexander King has another show planned tonight in London, surely history won’t repeat itself…..
The world is now replying on technology to live their lives, from using the I Predict app down to government agencies predicting how people will behave. A tech geek has managed to develop a system that can produce the six main suspects for the fashion show bombing, is it accurate? Can the geek help the police in trying to track down the culprit and how does a cabin burning down in America over twenty years before have any relevance to this case?
The story is brilliantly woven by the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The world is now replying on technology to live their lives, from using the I Predict app down to government agencies predicting how people will behave. A tech geek has managed to develop a system that can produce the six main suspects for the fashion show bombing, is it accurate? Can the geek help the police in trying to track down the culprit and how does a cabin burning down in America over twenty years before have any relevance to this case?
The story is brilliantly woven by the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 20, 2021
Second novel by this author and once again a good read. I didn't fall in love with it as I did with her first novel, Yesterday, but I also really like it.
The best parts :
•A thriller with a futuristic side as we are in 2030 and humans are ruled by technology, notably the app IPredict that predicts your next 48 hours or even driverless cars...
• a story with multiple points of view making the narrative dynamic
• the past of the characters which intertwines and crosses at several moments making the plot more complex and rich
• good suspense maintained throughout to try to prevent a second murder
The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the heart of the novel was a little too "slow" compared to the beginning and the end but otherwise I am seduced and I can't wait to read the next novel by Felicia Yap.
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Deuxième roman de cette autrice et encore une fois une belle lecture. Pas de coup de cœur comme avec son premier livre « Aux Portes de la mémoire » mais j’ai tout de même beaucoup aimé.
Les points forts :
• un thriller avec un côté futuriste puisque nous sommes en 2030 et que les humains sont dirigés par la technologie notamment une application IPredict qui vous prédit vos prochaines 48h ou encore les voitures sans chauffeurs…
• une histoire à multiples points de vue rendant le récit dynamique
• le passé des personnages qui s’entremêle et se croise à plusieurs moments complexifiant l’intrigue
• un bon suspense maintenu tout du long pour tenter d’empêcher un deuxième meurtre
.
Ce qui m’a moins séduite c’est le fait que le cœur du roman soit un peu trop « lent » par rapport au début et à la fin mais sinon à part ça, je suis séduite et j’ai très hâte de lire le prochaine roman de Felicia Yap.
The best parts :
•A thriller with a futuristic side as we are in 2030 and humans are ruled by technology, notably the app IPredict that predicts your next 48 hours or even driverless cars...
• a story with multiple points of view making the narrative dynamic
• the past of the characters which intertwines and crosses at several moments making the plot more complex and rich
• good suspense maintained throughout to try to prevent a second murder
The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the heart of the novel was a little too "slow" compared to the beginning and the end but otherwise I am seduced and I can't wait to read the next novel by Felicia Yap.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deuxième roman de cette autrice et encore une fois une belle lecture. Pas de coup de cœur comme avec son premier livre « Aux Portes de la mémoire » mais j’ai tout de même beaucoup aimé.
Les points forts :
• un thriller avec un côté futuriste puisque nous sommes en 2030 et que les humains sont dirigés par la technologie notamment une application IPredict qui vous prédit vos prochaines 48h ou encore les voitures sans chauffeurs…
• une histoire à multiples points de vue rendant le récit dynamique
• le passé des personnages qui s’entremêle et se croise à plusieurs moments complexifiant l’intrigue
• un bon suspense maintenu tout du long pour tenter d’empêcher un deuxième meurtre
.
Ce qui m’a moins séduite c’est le fait que le cœur du roman soit un peu trop « lent » par rapport au début et à la fin mais sinon à part ça, je suis séduite et j’ai très hâte de lire le prochaine roman de Felicia Yap.
July 30, 2021
A great dystopian story based largely on predictive technology. It had me imagining how I would function in a world wholly controlled by artificial intelligence. Very creepy...
Would you be comfortable knowing how your day is going to pan out? That freaked me out a bit. Also having an app in sync with your bodily vibrations! I wouldn't want to outsource my physical and emotional self like that. As much as the strides in technology have been helpful yo mankind, I found that aspect very intrusive.
Felicia Yap sets this story, that has a one day narrative time, mostly, in the 2030's which is not so far off, then moves back on time lines to the 80's and 90's. With two main narrators, Viola and Christian, and a couple of minor but still very intriguing characters like Xander and his entourage.
I found some parts disjointed therefore dragging the narratives. There were too many characters whom I felt shouldn't have been given an appearance however cameo. The editing was a bit shoddy, but all in all, a great speculative fiction.
Would you be comfortable knowing how your day is going to pan out? That freaked me out a bit. Also having an app in sync with your bodily vibrations! I wouldn't want to outsource my physical and emotional self like that. As much as the strides in technology have been helpful yo mankind, I found that aspect very intrusive.
Felicia Yap sets this story, that has a one day narrative time, mostly, in the 2030's which is not so far off, then moves back on time lines to the 80's and 90's. With two main narrators, Viola and Christian, and a couple of minor but still very intriguing characters like Xander and his entourage.
I found some parts disjointed therefore dragging the narratives. There were too many characters whom I felt shouldn't have been given an appearance however cameo. The editing was a bit shoddy, but all in all, a great speculative fiction.
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