Who are the monsters? That is the question Craig diLouie asks us in his staggeringly powerful novel One of Us (review copy from Orbit). Set in the 1980s, this is a novel that examines how society reacts to the Other. In this case, a group of children who have suffered mutations as a result of an incurable sexually transmitted disease carried by their parents. Ostracised and raised in special homes separate from polite society, these children are beginning to manifest special powers and as they approach adulthood that sparks questions about the future role they will play in society.

One of Us mixes up the moral panic of the 1980s AIDS epidemic with a healthy dose of racism and the consequences of the thalidomide scandal. People infected with the virus are ostracised, often hiding their infection and denying the mutated children they've borne. Infection is associated with sexual promiscuity and immorality. A new Puritanism has struck the country, with abstinence taught to young people in order to prevent the further spread of the virus and the creation of more mutated children.

Children who suffer from teratogenesis are kept apart in special institutions where they are fed, educated and used as slave labour in local businesses. They are subjected to cruelty and poor conditions from staff who work there because they are not able to get jobs anywhere else. Abuse and torture lead to injuries and death, with the authorities turning a blind eye. The children are seen as a burden on society, and a drain on taxpayers, rather than as people deserving of life and respect. They are taught that they are undeserving, with information strictly controlled and only the most basic education provided. But when some of the children start to manifest interesting abilities the Government sees opportunity, and starts to look at how the children can be exploited for the good of the nation.

One of Us is a brilliant study of how people are Othered, and how prejudice manifests and perpetuates itself within communities through fear and peer pressure. Focusing on a group of young people - both with and without teratogenesis - it shows how similar we all are. The desire for a better, more compassionate, future can unite us. diLouie also shows us how prejudice and mistreatment carries within it the seeds of revolution and rebellion. If every action provokes an equal and opposite reaction, then we should not be surprised that systemic prejudice and abuse will eventually lead those who are marginalised to push back.

This is a powerful and disturbing morality tale about humanity's capacity for darkness, but also its fortitude, compassion and willingness to push for change.

Goodreads rating: 5*

“One of Us”, by Craig DiLouie, is my YA released this year, book 16 of 25 with the Readers Digest challenge.

It’s set in the not too distant past, in a timeline which is different to ours, in small town, backwater America. A sexually transmitted disease has taken hold of the population and babies born to carriers are monstrous - no eyes, no feet, pliable shapes, resembling dogs and gorillas and cats. They’re immediately removed from society and placed in care until they’re old enough to work the land as slaves.

It’s a tale with familiar tropes - teenage kids who are outsiders even though the look ‘normal’ on the outside. Teenagers who are shunned and made fun of because they don’t look like everyone else - even if their insides are the same. The attention is focussed on a small group of kids from both ‘sides’ - those in mainstream school and the so-called ‘plague’ kids, who live in a home outside of town. It reminded me of the X Men narrative - where some think their mutations are abhorrent, others can see that they are a genetic step forward. In the same way as Magneto and Professor X agree fundamentally on the premise but differ on the actions, so too do Tiny and Brain. I do realise it draws on real life, echoing Malcom X and Dr Martin Luther King, which is also made clear.

I really enjoyed reading it, and it’s one of the few books which I’ve been eager to read from the first page. The character voices are distinct and switch from plague kids to ‘normals’ and all in between. We hear from some adults as well, which lends an interesting perspective.

One aspect I was surprised about was the frankness of sex and violence. The girls in the group are barely fourteen but have to contend with adult males trying to have sex with them at regular intervals, on the basis that they don’t carry the germ. These scenes were vividly described and the panic came across well from the girls. In more than one instance it doesn’t end well for all involved, and that’s where the violence comes in - it’s pretty gory. People are covered in blood, heads come off, limbs are broken and mangled. I think I had forgotten that YA does tend towards pulling no punches - even Roald Dahl is pretty blunt in his torture at the hands of the older boys in his autobiography.

The ideas explored are big ones, and ones I didn’t expect to see in this story, if I’m honest. They talk about life and death and value of each human on earth. Of morality and consequences. When is it okay to retaliate, if ever? What if your suffering could be ended by a flick of the wrist, and no-one would miss them? Does that make you a monster on the inside? Lastly - don’t underestimate anyone. They could be a god underneath that pretty dress…

Thanks to Netgalley for supplying me with this copy.

In the 1960s the sexual revolution led to a mutated STD which resulted in children with severe genetic mutations. Known as the ‘plague children’ and cast out as monsters. The knee- jerk reaction was to take these children away from their parents and lock them up in ‘care homes’, away from the public.

Dog is one of the children who has an almost puppy-ish view of humans being good and someday accepting him. His genius friend knows better and is slowly starting the revolution.
When one of the girls in the town gets raped by one of the creepy custodians and he dies, fingers start pointing at the children in the Home. Another girl is killed and the whole town sets their minds to eradicating the children only to find that the children who look like the mythical beasts of old are now starting to show god-like powers. Slaves who suddenly realise they have more power than their masters.

When I picked up the story I assumed it would be an X-men meets Dark Angel tale of specially powered kids breaking out and facing the world. In reality it was far darker and far more horror than I had been expecting.
I think one of my main issues with this is that it genuinely felt like it was set back further in time. It was supposed to be the eighties but I thought it felt almost 1950s in its mentality.

If you are going to write about prejudice and how we are all monsters it’s almost lazy writing to do it in Southern America, during segregation, where you just know it isn’t going to have a happy ending.

It was an interesting subject which I think could have been explored better in a different setting but it was compelling enough to keep me reading. Just be aware that it is often gruesome and has the potential of triggering someone.

I didn't really enjoy this, to be honest. The premise was interesting enough -- a mutated gene giving "plague children" special powers -- but I didn't like the writing style, and the narration gave too much attention to the thoughts of creepy men. While it attempts to end on a vaguely hopeful note, it's extremely violent and unpleasant, which is at odds with the sometimes childish prose.

(This brief review appears on Goodreads but since I prefer not to post negative reviews on my main blog, I won't be cross-posting it.)

https://lynns-books.com/2018/07/28/one-of-us-by-craig-dilouie/
They call it the plague
A generation of children born with extreme genetic mutations.

They call it a home
But it’s a place of neglect and forced labour.

They call him a Freak
But Dog is just a boy who wants to be treated as normal.

They call them dangerous
They might be right.

One of Us is a powerful story with an important and relevant message that is every bit as relevant to today’s society as it was in the era in which the book is set. Oftentimes uncomfortable to read it’s something of an emotional roller coaster that delivers a shock filled sucker punch. Make no mistake this is not a book that you will enjoy, don’t be deceived by the casual stance of the character on the cover, this isn’t fun. What it is is a compelling read that takes you quite firmly in it’s grip and doesn’t relent until the final page. It’s impossible to put this one down, you simply have to know what is going to happen and it delivers that tension and feeling of dread that keeps you racing to the conclusion.

Before I go further I will mention that this book may contain triggers for some readers so be aware of that before you make the decision to pick it up. I certainly wouldn’t call any of the content gratuitous, but it can be upsetting and difficult to read.

So, the world here is a parallel world – a world of ‘what ifs’. Go back to the late 60s and the sexual revolution leads to a genetic virus, or maybe it’s a coincidence, regardless, many pregnant women give birth to a generation of babies with mutations. Known as ‘plague children’ these mutations vary wildly from a boy with a dog’s features to a child with a face that is upside down. The immediate knee jerk reaction was to take all these children and place them within care facilities – out of sight out of mind. Now jump forward to the early 80s and these children are of an age where they’re beginning to understand how different their lives are and how differently they’re treated, just as they’re also beginning to realise that their mutations, in most cases, also lend them certain additional powers, such as the ability to know what somebody is going to say before they say it, great intelligence, or extreme strength to name but a few. At the same time, the local teenage contingent are of an age where they are also starting to question the treatment meted out to the inhabitants of their own local home. Some are ambivalent but others don’t like the way the plague children are treated and think there should be change.

Fundamentally this is a coming of age story with a difference that examines prejudice and shows that sometimes the real ‘monsters’ are not those unfairly labelled as such but are the people who blend seamlessly into society, their real natures masked by their normality.

I’m not going to go further into the plot or add too much more in terms of the characters or world building. For me, this story is more about the message and the thought provoking themes that help to make that message jump from the page in the most dramatic way.

I don’t want to make this sound ‘preachy’ because I didn’t find that to be the case at all. There is a clear storyline here but for me it played second fiddle to the emotions that were provoked during the read and that left me with so much to think about with it’s conclusion.

To be honest, this wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I thought I was picking up an x-men type book with young children coming into their own, developing special powers, maybe having some fun banter along the way before developing into a kick ass team of super characters. What I actually got was an unflinching story about a whole bunch of children, stashed out of sight, treated unfairly, raised without love and used as unpaid labour until they eventually rebelled.

Maybe not the most fun I’ve had reading a book but to be honest with the message this delivers it shouldn’t be ‘fun’. I certainly have no regrets reading this even though it wasn’t what I was anticipating. A well written, thought provoking tale and a demonstration of action and consequence that in spite of the violence and horror also contains an element of hope and an open ending that keeps that hope alive.

I received a copy, through Netgalley, courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Dark, fun thriller-chiller.

ONE OF US is a dark fantasy novel written for anybody who’s ever felt different. Set in 1984, society has been ravaged by a disease which resulted in the “Plague generation” – mutant children born with terrible deformities that are incarcerated in inhumane institutions and often forced into slavery. These children must somehow fit in–or fight for what’s theirs. Where is their place in the world and who are the real monsters? The result, a tale of monstrous humans and human monsters-reminiscent of The Island of Dr Moreau crossed with To Kill a Mockingbird.

Wow. Mutant children with super powers set In the 80’s. What’s not to like? Not a great deal from me. I lapped this up from start to finish. A nice read, dark and disturbing, often gruesome, a little thought provoking but not too much. Sometimes you just want something that isn’t too deep and preach at http://you.It is what it is. You could say that it is just mutant children with super powers but that would do the book a disservice The story does highlight social issues and deals with injustice, discrimination and prejudice in all its forms.

There are tons of characters and its great fun to pick your favourite either mutant or human. There are some great creations like Dog, a boy covered with hair, razor sharp claws and desperate to be human and fit in. We have Brain, nearly indescribable, physically frail but blessed with a huge intellect and it is Brain that is the catalyst for the uprising and rebellion to come.
The human characters are good too although a little one dimensional and clichéd but they act as a perfect foil for the craziness around them.

The Pacing of the book is constantly ramped up; the author keeps your attention with the children’s development of their ‘special abilities’ along with the threat from the humans and their fear of what they don’t understand. The tension is heightened when the US government becomes involved, and decides that the Plague generation can be used to its own ends. Throughout the book there is a feeling of unease and dread that saturates the book making the reader uncomfortable waiting for the inevitable, explosive climax.

The book is cruel and violent and heart-breaking too. It highlights discrimination, intolerance and the need to take control of ones own destiny. This is a tense thriller with a social conscience about injustice and prejudice. A book about not belonging and finding kindred souls in the unlikeliest of places.

It’s also about mutant kids in the 8o’s with super powers.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC, in return for an honest review..

Wow, this is a truly hard-hitting read so hard-hitting that at times it makes for rather uncomfortable reading. I also found it a really emotional experience and I must admit I cried at certain points as it was easy to draw parallels with real life. The world building was excellent and the characters were engaging. DeLouie is certainly not afraid to explore deep and divisive topics and this book in particular deals with disabilities and prejudice. This is my first title from this author but I am going to check out the rest of his novels.

It's 1968 and a genetic plague has struck leading to a whole generation of babies that are born with extreme genetic mutations. Fast forward to the 1980's and there are rules set in place meaning that these children are taken away from their biological parents at birth and raised in group homes with other "special" kids. They are told that this is their home but there is a sinister reason behind them being rounded up. They are given limited education with a particular focus on skills that will make them useful labourers. "Normal" children are told not to engage with them but a chance meeting between the two groups of children seems to be heading towards breaking down the barriers. That is until a dead body is discovered and the home kids are blamed for it. This builds the barriers back up higher than ever.

"One of Us" is a powerful and meaningful book that I will remember for a long time to come. This is a radical and important story that has had a huge impact on me. As a person who is classed as having a disability this resonated with me even more than it may do with others. I have first-hand experience of the prejudice that is shown to those who are classified as not being "normal" and that are limited by their illness or disability. This book highlights the often daily torture that disabled people have to endure for something that is no fault of their own.

If you are looking for a book that explores topics that are relevant it today's society then this is a perfect fit. It will appeal to those who enjoy reading intelligent stories that have meaning that can be transferred to everyday life. I felt connected to the characters and they were both relatable and believable. Be warned - if you're thinking of picking this up prepare for a very emotional and heartbreaking rollercoaster ride. Kudos to the author for creating a story that centres around those with disabilities. We need so many more books that are inclusive but this is a great start.

Publishing Date - 19th July

Many thanks to Orbit for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I picked this book to read as part of my ongoing mission to diversify and read outside my usual comfort zone. There was something in the blurb that piqued my interest but it wasn't until I started that I realised exactly what I had let myself in for. A hard read for sure, hard as in hard hitting I mean, at times even uncomfortable, but I never got to the point of it all being too much both in content and context. It was a story that really touched me, got me completely involved emotionally in what I was reading. Had me really caring about what happened to certain characters. It has a message for sure but it is so much more than just being a bit preachy on tolerance and acceptance. It is a wonderful tale on what can happen when hate starts to feed hate and the gloves come off.
Set in an alternative 80s in the US South, there's been a genetic plague that has hit, rendering certain children to be born a little different to what would be considered normal. Children with special talents; physically, mentally and otherwise. Obviously, as with most things that people can't understand to the point of being afraid of, these children have been rounded up and pretty much dumped in homes. They are also being used and abused, treated like animals and slaves. "Normal" children are educated against mixing with them and taught to avoid them. But children aren't always black and white, sometimes they see good in what adults shun. At a chance meeting between a group from the town and a bunch of kids from the home these barriers show signs of coming down. Both groups learning something from each other. Could integration be possible? But then a body is found, home kids are blamed and the whole thing kicks off once again...
This is not a light read by no stretch but, and its a big but, it manages to keep itself balanced by the inclusion of some very tender moments. There is a lot to take in but the delivery is such that it never gets too heavy, lighter moments follow the really hard ones. And boy, are there some hard ones to be found. Tears were shed. Based around the fact that we, as humans, have a tendency to avoid things we do not understand. How instead of trying to get to know people who are different from ourselves, we fear them and hide them away for fear of further contamination. Blame them when things go wrong. Even when actually that blame should be closer to home. It's a simple premise but one that is still, in this day and age, oh so prevalent. Frankenstein's monster, burn the witch, you get the point!
There are some wonderful characters to be found within the pages of this book too. On both sides of the good/evil line. It is these characters and what they do that really makes this story flow as well as it does. Some show really great compassion, others joke about, some are downright creepy and despicable; all add something to the narrative, the message. I could explain and single a few out here in my review but I think its better if the reader gets to know them as the author intends, especially as I think each character will be further enhanced by the readers' own views and opinions as they go and it wouldn't be right to throw my opinions and ideals into the mix.
It's a powerful story with an important message, delivered in a very interesting way. It's a book that I am very glad I read and one that will stay with me for a while. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read it.

In an alternative version of earth, a bacterial plague struck in 1968 which resulted in the birth of a whole generation of altered children, each with their own deformities and abnormalities. Fourteen years later and society has developed a strategy to deal with them, taken away from their parents at birth, they are raised in group homes, and given limited education with an emphasis on skills which will make them useful laborers in the future. Segregated from the healthy children born to parents who do not carry the plague, they become objects of fear and ridicule, often regarded as more monster than human.
When the world of these so called monsters collide with that of the rest of the townsfolk in a dark and disturbing tragedy, the tenuous balance is dangerously tipped towards a conflict, where no one can really win.
I loved many things about this book, the setting in the South of the US allows for some very interesting parallels to race relations between black and white. The characters are very well imagined, particularly the younger generations of both "monsters" and "men", and I found myself growing attached as I read,so much so that some of the events later in the book were genuinely upsetting. The pacing is well handled too, there is a real sense of building tension as the book progresses to an inevitable conflict.
I did have one negative comment, despite really liking the book as a whole. Having a medical background, I know that terms such as mutagenetic and teratogenetic have a pre-defined meaning , which doesn't fit with their use in this book, and I found that distracting, but not so much so that it spoiled my enjoyment of the book.