The Merge
Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the digital review copy and the opportunity to be an early reader. Happy publication day to this riveting debut!
In this dystopian future, population is out of control, resources are slim, and a private company has found a solution. Combine has created a process where two compatible people can be merged. One serves as the Host and one as the Transfer. Consciousness, memories, everything is united in one body. The UK government has embraced the process, incentivizing it with tax breaks, housing, etc. The story centers on Laurie, in her mid-60s, living with Alzheimer’s and her daughter, Amelia, an activist who surprises everyone around them by signing them up to be merged. The Merge has never been tried on someone with Alzheimer’s before; will this be a cure?
Wow. What a debut. I was at the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel. Here’s what made this one a winner for me:
two points of view
the portrayal of Laurie’s confusion and memory loss
the slow-unfolding backstory of their family history, including the loss of Laurie’s husband and Amelia’s father
the deep societal issues explored; Laurie writes in her notebook at one point: “Societal cleansing—only the rich and the healthy will be left standing.” This society discards the weak and vulnerable, but are we so different?
immersive writing
the very real reasons why all of the side characters have chosen to participate in this experimental merge program
plot twists that actually took me by surprise
What kept it from being a 5-star read?
a bit of sexual content, albeit very vague, that I found awkward and didn’t seem to move the plot much
a few moments I had to suspend my disbelief just a tad more than I’d like
Overall, I highly recommend this to fans of the genre. I can’t think of another novel to compare it to at the moment, but it had similar vibes to the serious sides of the shows Severance and Upload. It’s a story you won’t soon forget. I can hardly believe this was a debut and I’ll have my eyes and ears open for more from Grace Walker in the future.
-
Quite a few sensitive topics: vague sexual content, death, grief, illness, gaslighting, addiction, suicide, etc.
