
In 'Moxyland' by Lauren Beukes, readers are introduced to a near future South Africa where a society heavily reliant on technology is controlled by a merging of the security state and corporate entities. The story follows four young individuals navigating this dystopian world where access to everything is linked to their phones, and disobedience can lead to severe legal consequences. As the characters deal with constant surveillance, extreme body modifications, and corporate sponsorship, they are forced to confront the harsh realities of their environment while attempting to pursue their own goals and ideals.
The narrative in 'Moxyland' is structured around the intertwining perspectives of the main characters, each with their own motivations and struggles against the oppressive system they live in. Lauren Beukes presents a chillingly realistic portrayal of a future where technology divides society into distinct classes, raising thought-provoking questions about power, privacy, and the impact of corporate control on individual lives. Through elements of cyberpunk storytelling and dystopian world-building, the novel explores themes of activism, rebellion, and the consequences of living in a tech-centric society.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The novel includes high content warnings for themes of violence, drug use, corporate exploitation, and mental health issues.
From The Publisher:
Look out for AFTERLAND, the new novel by Lauren Beukes
In a troubling, near-future Cape Town four broken people try to carve out a place for themselves before a brutal storm of change hits them . . .
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'Beukes deals with slightly surreal things in very real ways. I'm all over it' Gillian Flynn
Kendra, an art-school dropout, brands herself for a nanotech marketing program. Lerato, an ambitious AIDS baby, plots to defect from her corporate employers. Tendeka, a hot-headed activist, is becoming increasingly rabid. Toby, a roguish blogger, discovers that the video games he plays for cash are much more than they seem.
Four hurt and damaged individuals trying to make lives for themselves in a broken, uncertain future. But as events send them on a collision course their worlds are about to change in unexpected - and explosive - ways.
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'You don't have to be an SF aficionado to love this novel that is fast, brimming with original ideas' Guardian
'A major, major talent' George R. R. Martin
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1 comment(s)
I loved this book. It's very Doctorow-esque, yet original. I'm excited to read more by Lauren. Zoo City here I come!
About the Author:
Lauren Beukes is the award-winning and internationally best-selling South African author of The Shining Girls, Zoo City and Broken Monsters, among other works. Her novels have been published in 24 countries and are being adapted for film and TV. She's also a screenwriter, comics writer journalist and award-winning documentary maker. She lives in Cape Town, South Africa with her daughter and two troublesome cats.
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