What do you think?
Rate this book
The Doubles
Are you the only you in the world? Massachusetts Department of Doubles social worker Redmond Strawbridge inhabits a reality where that question is not so easily answered. In the near future, following the development of ‘doubling wand’ technology allowing for the instant duplication of people, society has been thrown into crisis. Living, breathing doppelgangers exist in a world side-by-side with their originals – but as redundant people they have no place to go and form a new disenfranchised class, berated and abused. Radicals on both sides, from the Keatonists who worship duality, to the Anti-Doubling Coalition who wish to stamp it out, are warring in the streets. When Strawbridge meets Annapurna, a ‘perfect double,’ unassuming, beautiful, and heartsick, new hope emerges for solving the mystery of the doubles, staunching the supply of doubling wands, and healing an old hurt far back in Strawbridge’s past.
141 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 16, 2019
5 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 31, 2019
The Doubles is a fascinating look into the duality of the human soul and a fantastic debut novel from author N.S. Winston. There is a darkness to this book that makes the reader question who they are. What really stood out for me is that I never questioned whether I would personally clone myself, but whether or not there was something about myself that I needed to "peel away". Winston presents all sorts of reasons that his characters have chosen to clone themselves, from using it as a way to act out or confront grief to the necessity of needing extra hands around the house. I loved the layers to this novel and the heavy use of metaphors never feel overdone, instead they're thought provoking. Definitely give The Doubles a shot if you're looking for a quick read that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Read
June 21, 2019N.S. Winston was kind enough to send me a copy of The Doubles for review. It’s a Jekyll and Hyde story told in the style of Fahrenheit 451: an ambitious concept for a debut novella, and Winston gives it everything he’s got.
He includes a lot of really interesting intertextuality, highlighting patterns in high- and pop-culture ideas of duality that I hadn’t considered before. Winston’s talent clearly lies in metaphors and similes, I was really impressed. As for production, I like the way it’s laid out, with lots of white space on the page; that said, there are some formatting inconsistencies, so if that’s the kind of thing that drives you nuts, maybe hold out until a corrected re-print.
And I hope it’s not spoiler-y to say (look away now if you want to exercise an abundance of caution): I loved the Frankenstein-ian elements that came to the fore in Act 3.
He includes a lot of really interesting intertextuality, highlighting patterns in high- and pop-culture ideas of duality that I hadn’t considered before. Winston’s talent clearly lies in metaphors and similes, I was really impressed. As for production, I like the way it’s laid out, with lots of white space on the page; that said, there are some formatting inconsistencies, so if that’s the kind of thing that drives you nuts, maybe hold out until a corrected re-print.
And I hope it’s not spoiler-y to say (look away now if you want to exercise an abundance of caution): I loved the Frankenstein-ian elements that came to the fore in Act 3.
April 9, 2019
Fantastic Read
Fascinating, disquieting and very entertaining page turner. When people meet their clone, anything can, and does, happen. I couldn't put it down!
Fascinating, disquieting and very entertaining page turner. When people meet their clone, anything can, and does, happen. I couldn't put it down!
March 23, 2019
Highly recommend this thrilling read! It flows with great velocity and metaphors, that leaves you questioning your existence and how life would be as a double. The style of the book features flashbacks of Redmond Strawbridge's past and current situation.
One of the many reasons why I loved this book so much was because of how real it felt; the author managed to make every sentence into an easy to visualize reality and made me feel like I was right by Strawbridge's side the entire time. Just wait until the end...!
One of the many reasons why I loved this book so much was because of how real it felt; the author managed to make every sentence into an easy to visualize reality and made me feel like I was right by Strawbridge's side the entire time. Just wait until the end...!
April 28, 2019
As an avid reader of YA and science fiction, I’ve seen my fair share of dystopian futures marred by technology and vice, but The Doubles by @nswinstonauthor definitely deserves special recognition for its fascinating world building. Set in a future where doubling wands-devices that allow you to split your double from your body-are contraband and riots fill the streets debating whether or not doubling is a sacred and holy act or unnatural and problematic, the Massachusetts Department of Doubles’ social worker team strives to aid the disenfranchised class. Doubles often suffer from Redundancy Syndrome because they can find no place for themselves in a world where their original still exists. For perfect double Annapurna, her life is agony as she remembers and feels her original’s love for her husband but cannot follow her heart. When Stawbridge breaches social worker protocol by falling in love with his client, dark memories of his past and the violence of present day riots collide.
I love how fast-paced the plot is. If it wasn’t for class, I would have finished The Doubles in one sitting because I was dying to know what happened next. While some of the characters’ actions are problematic and uncomfortable, that is precisely the point. Every character is imperfect, with both good and bad inside of them. Wonderfully paced and with strong world building, The Doubles is a must-read for science fiction lovers.
Thanks @nswinstonauthor for the copy!
I love how fast-paced the plot is. If it wasn’t for class, I would have finished The Doubles in one sitting because I was dying to know what happened next. While some of the characters’ actions are problematic and uncomfortable, that is precisely the point. Every character is imperfect, with both good and bad inside of them. Wonderfully paced and with strong world building, The Doubles is a must-read for science fiction lovers.
Thanks @nswinstonauthor for the copy!
June 21, 2020
This book takes a new look at the concept of ‘doubles’, a themes popular across many different genres. The focus is placed on Strawbridge, a social worker in the Department of Doubles where he investigates lost/abused/illegal doubles. Throughout the book it’s alluded that anyone could be the original or the double, which leads to a paranoia that creeps up on you throughout the book.
Both the premise and the detached, sometimes abstract writing style reminded me of Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick - so check this out if you’re a fan of that book!
This is certainly more of an ‘alternative future’ sci-fi rather than ‘space and aliens’ sci-fi. If you like slightly dystopian stories then this might also work for you.
Oh and there’s a cult that worship Michael Keaton, which is also fantastic.
Both the premise and the detached, sometimes abstract writing style reminded me of Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick - so check this out if you’re a fan of that book!
This is certainly more of an ‘alternative future’ sci-fi rather than ‘space and aliens’ sci-fi. If you like slightly dystopian stories then this might also work for you.
Oh and there’s a cult that worship Michael Keaton, which is also fantastic.
April 5, 2019
I was lucky enough to be able to review this debut novel by N.S. Winston, titled, "The Doubles"! It's an intriguing world of (mostly) unwanted clones and the people that try to help them and figure them out. Not all clones want to be helped though as they seem to be the embodiment of the evil that the original has "peeled" off.
I loved the story and the main character, Redmond Strawbridge! I believe this novel mirrors todays society in some ways, whereas many people seem to have a clone of themselves when they are online (personality wise), but are totally different people when you meet them in person.
Give this book a read!!
I loved the story and the main character, Redmond Strawbridge! I believe this novel mirrors todays society in some ways, whereas many people seem to have a clone of themselves when they are online (personality wise), but are totally different people when you meet them in person.
Give this book a read!!
September 27, 2020
This was not exactly what I was hoping for. It promised to be a quick read, which it definitely was. The writing style was great, and it kept a great pace throughout the book. However, the story just fell flat for me. I had a hard time grasping what was going on, and because of that, I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.
May 20, 2019
The Doubles is a smart, deep, and engaging thriller evocative of The Twilight Zone or Jekyll and Hyde. The story is unique and wonderfully dark. And the prose...it's some of the best I've ever come across. Couldn't put it down!
November 14, 2019
Spoiler free!
Recommended? Yes
👭
I enjoyed this book because it made me think about what life would be like if doubling were possible. I found myself wondering things such as
'What would my double be like?'
and
'Would it be possible to double my pets?'
I never really became attached to the characters, but overall it was a quick and entertaining read.
Recommended? Yes
👭
I enjoyed this book because it made me think about what life would be like if doubling were possible. I found myself wondering things such as
'What would my double be like?'
and
'Would it be possible to double my pets?'
I never really became attached to the characters, but overall it was a quick and entertaining read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews