Common Sense, a mercifully short novel by Colin Wreford. The précis looked good as I particularly like political thrillers, however it had all the complexity and intrigue of an ingénue at a cocktail party. It was true to the writing of Lord Acton though, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely" as paraphrased in Netgalley's description of the novel. The ending of the novel makes that very clear.

Sorry, but there are no other words to describe this book. It is a foul, obscene book with detailed descriptions of extreme punishments, including the sadistic and brutal caning of young school girls in the name of corporal punishment. A limp plot relating to a dystopian nightmare following the election of a far right government committed to reducing crime and restoring moral standards sets the scene. This context is then used in an attempt to provide a flimsy justification for what is difficult to describe as anything other than a sordid attempt to titillate a readership looking for excitement from descriptions of actions that, were they to be rendered in a video, would be regarded as extreme pornography.

I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read. Common Sense is a dystopian novel set in the very near future but unlike some other books of this genre you get the feeling that this really could happen. Like really, really could happen. Telling my daughter about the book she reminded me that in many countries in the world now in 2022 have governments that rule in a similar manner with homosexuality being illegal and adultery being a crime.
This book is a cautionary tale of how much power we allow our government to have and to think about what our prejudices and desires for criminal punishment really mean. This story is graphic but necessarily so.
I love how Wreford set out the novel. The little case histories showing how the criminal justice system was operating were perfect. Each vignette was short but impactful and because of this is kept the writing taut with no background padding required to build characters back stories.
The ending when it came was a shock on more than one level. Had I been reading on paperback I’d have been looking on the floor for pages that had fallen out. I still can’t decide if leaving it there was utterly perfect or if I wish it had continued for another fifty pages or so.

What a different kind of book Thanks for the opportunity to review this was an ok book for me not my usual style generally stay clear of political thrillers.

Common Sense is not just by Thomas Paine! It is also a dark dystopian piece set in England in the year 2029.
A new political party has taken control and within the party, a no-name man has wrested the power from the founders and become prime minister overnight. Prime Minister Bob Godwin. PM Bob is interested in rules, rules and RULES and legistlates everything, including sexual activity (marriage license, virginity checks). Corporal punishment, extended prison sentences...it is quite the dystopian nightmare.

Through a series of vignettes, we witness the implementation of the rules at the most personal level. It's incredibly interesting.
I did like this book quite a bit, but found the end rushed and a bit confusing. I think a bit more narrative to tie everything all together would help as well.

However it was a quick read and a sobering tale. A definite addition to the dystopian book shelf! #NetGalley #Matador #CommonSense