"This thought-provoking YA dystopian thriller sees two relatable teen protagonists battle to resist an oppressive regime."
October 2024 Debut of the Month
Set in a near-future version of Britain, S. J. Baker’s Calm sees a society populated by (mainly) compliant citizens who’ve undergone The Calm to lead apathetic, emotionless lives: “The Calm is both their strength and their weakness. Citizens are co-operative, yes. Comfortable lives — few worries. But people are sluggish. They do what the Servants want, but they are not alert. They do not keep their eyes open. They do not notice. They do not care”. Citizens’ dispassionate compliance is maintained by the state infiltrating the nation’s water supply.
Setting a suitably sinister vibe from the off, the novel opens with an arresting scene that puts you right into its dystopian world: “Failure to report Resistance is a serious matter, Owyn…You know that. Compliance is the cornerstone of our society”. And so Owyn, an orphan who feels the jolt of Resistance run through him, is sent from school, with a note thrust upon him by a teacher urging him to “Leave now”, ominously warning, “If you stay, you’ll be lost”. Like thousands of others, Owyn lost his parents in the Great Calm.
Then there’s 14-year-old Tiegan, whose Resistor parents have been taken, leaving her to take care of her little brother. Despite always knowing her family was different — and aware that “difference was dangerous” — the true reality of the dangers of their Resistor status hits harder when they’re forced to go on the run.
Thought-provoking on themes of state control, resistance, and finding the courage to fight for freedom, Calm also explores the value and power of emotions. Oh, and it also happens to be a first-rate page-turner.
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