Recently Read – Echo Boy by Matt Haig

The Recently Read posts are not typical book reviews. As a writer, I do not believe I should be reviewing the hard work of other writers. These posts are simply books I have recently read and enjoyed and will share with you. They will not always be crime books as I am trying to widen my reading selection. I hope you enjoy some of these with me.

Echo Boy by Matt Haig

Audrey’s father taught her that to stay human in the modern world, she had to build a moat around herself; a moat of books and music, philosophy and dreams. A moat that makes Audrey different from the echoes: sophisticated, emotionless machines, built to resemble humans and to work for human masters. Daniel is an echo – but he’s not like the others. He feels a connection with Audrey; a feeling Daniel knows he was never designed to have, and cannot explain. And when Audrey is placed in terrible danger, he’s determined to save her. The Echo Boy is a powerful story about love, loss and what makes us truly human.

 

My Thoughts;

Well, let’s first deal with the fact that I have a crush on the writerly goings on that is Matt Haig. I’m not sure there is anything he could write that I wouldn’t like. He could probably write a shopping list and I’d adore it (a bit cliché maybe?) . So, that’s out there, you basically know what you’re going to get from my thoughts from here on in. I will try to do the book a bit more justice than just gush though. (And bear in mind I said I’d try, so if you can’t cope with that thought, you may want to click away now.)

Now to Echo Boy. A YA novel set a hundred years in the future where global warming has indeed had its impact and technology has advanced enough to create Echos. Not robots, not quite human, but with all the rights of a tin of beans. A world divided on the technological advancements being made, some dire living conditions and you get the setting for what is in essence really, a much more contained novel. A novel about fear, love, loss, hope, desperation, determination and heart.

With The Radleys and The Humans, Haig’s settings were familiar even if the cast were slightly unfamiliar. Here he has switched it around for his younger readers, but his core belief shines through and this is what makes it such a wonderful novel, to be enjoyed by young adults and older adults alike.

Another book to grab hold and pull you in, from Haig. He needs to write faster. I need the next one!

 

You can find a full list of the Recently Read posts Here. And you can find me on Goodreads Here.