Subnormal by Stuart Kenyon – My Review!!

Subnormal – My Review!!

Subnormal by Stuart Kenyon showed up in my Amazon recommendations. Although I don’t read dystopia often, the blurb interested me and I picked it up. The book didn’t disappoint! Read on for my review!

Synopsis (from the author):

Imagine a utopia where every person has a purpose and not a single life is wasted.

Britain has become a hive-like world, with even the weakest and most vulnerable playing their part in the nation’s transformation. Crime is low, employment high.

But all is not quite as it seems. Though the revolution was quiet and bloodless, countless lives have been torn apart before our very eyes. Whilst the silent majority are mysteriously duped into collaboration, dissenters are ignored or punished. Democracy, civil liberties and equality are replaced by corruption, discrimination and segregation.

Paul, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, knows slavery in the Zone is intrinsically unnatural. His first personal rebellion at Industrial Zone Four is crushed and he is forced to suffer alone for years in silence. Until his younger brother, Tommy, is also declared “subnormal” and sent to the Zone following an accident.

Allied with a handful of fellow Zoners and free-thinkers from the outside world, the brothers defy the powers-that-be. Can they beat the odds and restore to the British people a freedom few can remember?

What I liked:

Subnormal presented a dystopian UK, where the government systematically and silently controls the populace. They classify citizens they can’t control or who have issues (as defined by the government) as subnormal and place them in work zones. The Zoners face horrible treatment and brutal control. Despite the odds, our heroes, all considered subnormal, band together and strike out against the oppression. Will they succeed? No spoilers from me! Paul and his brother are great characters, and Paul’s Asperger’s is key to the story. The other well-developed characters include a former soldier, a scientist, and a single mom trying to regain her son. Each plays an important role in the story. All told, a scary but entertaining read.

What I didn’t like:

it was difficult for me to accept the ease with which the government controlled the populace. In addition, the evil government was too stereotypical. Lastly, the Zoners’ took action too easily in a police state.

Overall impression:

Subnormal by Stuart Kenyon was a gritty, disturbing look at a dystopian UK. Filled with both good and evil, the story moves quickly. If you enjoy dystopia, give this one a read!

My rating:

4 Stars

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Have you read Subnormal? What about Stuart Kenyon’s other books? If so, please consider leaving a review where you purchased the book(s). Connect with Stuart Kenyon through his website.

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