Published in paperback 20th January 2022 by Sandstone. Originally published in hardcover 18th February 2021.
From the cover of the book:
She belongs to me – property rights will prevail...Evie is a near-perfect bioengineered human. In a broken-down future England where her kind has been outlawed, her 'husband' Matthew keeps her hidden.
When her existence is revealed, she must take her chances on the dark and hostile streets, where more than one predator is on the hunt.
Fear makes her human... humans make her fear.
The Actuality is a gripping, atmospheric speculative thriller from a powerful new voice.
Fear makes her human... humans make her fear.
The Actuality is a gripping, atmospheric speculative thriller from a powerful new voice.
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Evie is a bio-engineered android, designed to appear and behave as human-like as possible. She hasn't always been aware of the reality of her beginnings, but during the 40 years of her 'marriage' to her 'husband' Matthew she has come to understand that the memories she has been implanted with are not her own, and even though she may look like the woman Matthew lost so many years ago - Evelyn, his one true love - she is not, and can never be, her.
The ownership of such a marvel of science has been outlawed since the love affair with AI brought unexpected chaos years ago, and Evie's existence must be kept a closely guarded secret. A fact that has kept her confined to an 'ivory tower' apartment for her whole life. She longs to know what lies beyond this luxury prison, but must content herself with what she can hear from the walled garden high above London, and what she has read about the world in the books from Matthew's library.
When tragedy strikes and Evie's presence is discovered, she has to to leave the safety of her enforced sanctuary. The streets in the broken down society that she has never been allowed to be a part of are a shocking and dangerous place, and she must learn how to survive on her own, while keeping one step ahead of those who would dearly love to possess her.
It's time for Evie to learn some harsh lessons, and through them to finally understand who she really is and what she is capable of...
Actuality (noun): The state of existing in reality.
The Actuality is a cracking speculative thriller from debut author Paul Braddon. There are two, closely woven themes to this tale that feed into each other to make it a fast-paced, visceral thrill ride, with lashings of emotional and philosophical depth, that holds your full attention from the very first page to the last!
The first is the setting in a dystopian world that, while reminiscent of a Philip K. Dick scenario, at no time feels like a near future that is beyond the realms of possibility if we continue down the paths we are travelling. Society has broken down as the result of climate change and pollution, and an ill-judged pursuit of AI as a solution to all our ills has brought consequences that have had ramifications for everyone. While the infrastructure crumbles, a gulf has opened up between the rich and the poor, breeding discontent and violence on the streets, and a deep suspicion of technology. Peril abounds where Evie must now venture, and for someone like her it is almost impossible to know who she can trust - something she learns to her cost.
"And is she... like you too?""If you cannot tell," Evie replies slowly, "then does it really matter?"
The second is the beautifully judged way Braddon threads the exploration of what it means to be human throughout the story, comparing and contrasting Evie and the fellow cybernetic characters she meets, with each other and the mortal players that they encounter. Evie is sure she knows who and what she is at the beginning of this tale, but she undergoes an intriguing transformation, going beyond what she has been programmed to think and feel into the realms of genuine self-awareness, encompassing all that it means to become authentically human, as she is forced to confront the light and dark of humankind. The story also delves into the nature of consciousness, class, and ethics in an intriguing way through the bio-engineered characters, which I found fascinating to ponder upon too.
Braddon reveals snippets of the truth of this world with perfectly paced precision, deftly spinning the threads of a tale that brings in the best of sci-fi, with brilliant touches of horror and literary fiction in a way that is most impressive for a debut. All the separate elements combine perfectly to produce a story that keeps you teetering on the edge of your seat, rips out your heart, and sets you thinking at the same time. I absolutely fell in love with Evie and found myself profoundly moved by this story in a way that really surprised me. I can understand why this has been snapped up by BBC Studios and will be interested to see how they develop Evie's tale for TV or film. I highly recommend reading the book first though, because it's a corker!
The Actuality is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats from your favourite book retailer.
About the author:
Paul grew up in Surrey and lives in London with his wife Mary and son Thomas. He has a degree in English Literature and Language from Reading University. The Actuality is his debut novel.
Thanks so much Sue for such an amazing review. It's so special when someone reads your work, totally gets what you were trying to achieve and takes away such a thought provoking experience. For anyone in book groups, there is a super pack put together by the publisher which you can access from their website or from mine at paulbraddon.com. You can also join there my reader's club and receive a free standalone story about Evie.
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