Ben Hamilton

… and soon will be

In Byers’s novel, set in the near future, no one in Edmondsbury, a small town in eastern England, is quite who they appear to be

issue 04 August 2018

Edmundsbury, the fictional, sketchily rendered town in which the action of this novel takes place, is part of a social experiment — its inhabitants lab rats for a digital overhaul that goes beyond surveillance. Everything they do is measured, tracked and recorded in exchange for treats, such as heightened security and increased download speeds.

Sam Byers focuses on a handful of characters who are aware, to varying degrees, that something is badly wrong.

GIF Image

Disagree with half of it, enjoy reading all of it

TRY 3 MONTHS FOR $5
Our magazine articles are for subscribers only. Start your 3-month trial today for just $5 and subscribe to more than one view

Comments

Join the debate for just £1 a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.

Already a subscriber? Log in