The Surrogate Colony

It’s been sometime since I read a dystopian novel and this one did not disappoint. For dystopian readers it may remind you of some of your favorites – The Handmaid’s Tale, Divergent or 1984. But unlike its predecessors, The Surrogate Colony is set in a post pandemic world where its citizens routinely scan their surroundings for microbes using their x-ray vision, carry out extensive sanitization procedures on a day to day basis and look down upon large gatherings. Needless to say, this dystopian world is built on our existing fears – the fear of catching a virus.

The system of governance is totalitarian and it is headed by the ruthless Arthur Mills who controls every aspect of human life from whom you can marry to who your children will be. It does so by a tech based algorithm that divides people into the different categories of surrogate, eunuch or perfect family match once they turn eighteen. While a majority of the citizens fall into the perfect family match, a selected few live off the grid; working towards the advancement of MicroScrep.

The protagonists of the story , Zach and Adriana are chosen to live off the grid. The story that alternates from their points of view, highlight the atrocities that exists in a supposedly peaceful society.

There were number of things I enjoyed in the story:

1)The writing
Boshra’s writing is comprehensive and clutter free. It is not littered with the scientific jargon that is present in most dystopian novels and flows smoothly from once incident to another. I am very selective with my dystopian novels as much time is spent with the world building. Boshra concisely explains how MicroScrep works and moves on to the central plot. The end result is an action packed, fast-paced novel that will keep you hooked to the last page!

2)The characters
All characters were realistic and wholesome. They do not have the super powers like the characters in Divergent nor are they completely “lost” to the system like those in The Handmaid’s Tale. Hence, as a reader, you’re invested in the fate of the protagonists- their fears, anxieties and curiosity resonate our own. The antagonists on the other hand, will leave you reeling.

3)The plot
By building up on our current fears, Boshra has added a rather novel realistic element to the story. As a reader you cannot help but wonder – would this be our future if the pandemic persists? The central plot follows the protagonists of the story trying to break free from the clutches of Harmony and MicroScrep. In the process they find that not all information fed is true and there are many enemies amongst friends.

Final thoughts

While the threads of the story are beautifully tied towards the end, I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed. Adriana’s sudden change of heart I felt, needed a bit more explanation. On the other hand, Isidro’s ultimate fate deserved a lot more attention. The time spent with the scientists also needed a bit more chapters to make it wholesome. However do not let this dissuade you from reading the book. It is definitely an absolute treat for both teen and adult readers and as Boshra states in her dedication – “for every innocent questioner and every faultless outcast”.