This was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it. thanks for letting me have an advance copy. I'm new to this author.

There was much to enjoy here, but I found I couldn't connect with it. I'd read more from this author in the future though.

DFN 39%

I really love Luke Kennard's poetry and I was excited to see him talk about a novel on Facebook, but this book felt like hard work to even get into. His style feels pretentious (and I'm aware that's part of Kennard's charm) but not in a good way - it mostly just made me feel stupid, which isn't encouraging or welcoming. I kept picking it up and putting it down and it's been several weeks now so I feel it's time to call it a day. I couldn't really connect with the characters or the plot, and the world felt pretty bland and uninteresting, and way too middle class to really engage with me, which is unfortunate AS I really was looking forward to reading this.

I love Luke Kennard's poetry and this novel also contains a lot of his wit and intellect. The plot is a bit weird but it's a very good reflection on current society

Thanks to NetGalley and to Harper Collins UK, 4th Estate for providing me with an ARC copy of this novel that I freely decided to review.
Just as a matter of curiosity and before I wrote this review, I checked if this novel had made it into the shortlist of the Desmond Elliott Prize for Fiction (a prize for what they call ‘future literary luminaries’) but it hasn’t. I have one of the three books that have made it in my pile of books to read so I’ll try and catch up and keep you posted. But now, the review.
I must confess that sometimes my list of books to read gets so long that when I try to catch-up I realise a long time has passed between my acquiring a copy of the book and the time I get to read it. Although in some cases it’s fairly evident, in others I’m no longer sure why I chose a particular book and can’t remember anything about it, so I plunge into it with few expectations. This novel is one of those. The cover is fairly non-descript and the title at best could be described as intriguing (but abstract. In fact, being Spanish, the Transition makes me think of the process of political change from Franco’s dictatorship into a democracy) but it doesn’t give much of the game away. The novel is a bit like that too. I suspect whatever I think of it right now, I’ll be mulling over it for a long while.
Karl, the protagonist, is a young man with a good English degree that he uses to try and make a living on-line, writing fake reviews and term papers for students. His wife, Genevieve, is a primary school teacher. They live well beyond their means (in what appears to be, as the book progresses, a general state of affair for young couples of their generation and that is uncomfortably close to reality) and, eventually, he ends up accused of fraud. (He is not wrongly accused, although the circumstances are easy to understand). Instead of prison, he is offered a way out; he can join a scheme that promises a step up the property ladder, help to start some sort of business, and a six month’s stay, rent-free with mentors who will help in the process of rehabilitation. Although his wife has committed no crime, she also becomes a part of the project. The details are somewhat fuzzy and we soon realise they don’t add up(Karl is told that the Transition is a new pilot programme but he later discovers it has been going on for well over ten years, who is behind it remains unclear, he starts hearing rumours about possible books that explain the philosophy of the programme, and the mentors they are staying with, Jana and Stu, seem to have more than a few cards up their sleeves) and what seems at first helpful and benign, soon morphs into something mysterious, seemingly conspiratorial and with a sinister ring, at least inside of Karl’s head. He pushes the boundaries, gets into more and more trouble and things take a turn for the worse. Has Karl been right in his suspicions all along?
The novel is narrated in the third person restricted to Karl’s point of view. As a writer (even if his content would not win the Pulitzer Prize), he is articulate and we get information about the variety of online writing projects he engages in. He might write an essay about fairy tales one day, several five-star reviews about a chair and then another essay about ellipses in Henry James. (He moves from the sublime to the ridiculous, the same as the novel does, but eventually, it isn’t clear if there is any substantial difference between the two). His sense of morals seems restricted to loving his wife and trying to ensure she is well, as she has mental health problems and he protects her and looks after her, even when she does not want him to. Karl is clearly besotted with his wife, despite the difficulties in their relationship, and his was love at first sight. Although we only have his point of view as a guide, judging by other characters’ reaction to her, Genevieve is an attractive and engaging woman whom everybody feels drawn to and Karl is convinced he is extremely lucky (and perhaps unworthy) to be with her. Other than that relationship, Karl does not seem to have any meaningful ones. He mentions his father but not with particular affection and his relationship with his friend, the accountant who suggested he joins the scheme, seems based more on past shared experiences than on a real bond (as becomes evident later in the novel). There are instances of Karl not being truthful (he keeps information hidden from Genevieve, some we are aware of but some we aren’t) and he does not fit in most readers’ idea of a hero. He has devious morals, he sabotages himself, he is self-interested, and yes, he is flawed, but not ‘deeply’ flawed. Personally, I could not find much to like or truly dislike in him. He has moments of insight and shares some interesting reflections about life, but like with the novel, there is some unfinished quality about him. He will only go so far and no farther and he can act rashly one minute and be truly passive or passive-aggressive the next.
The action seems to take place in a future not far from our present. There is no world building and the social situation seems pretty similar to that of the UK today. Computer technology has not advanced in any noticeable way and the problem with affordable housing seems to be only marginally worse than the present one, although self-driven cars abound. There are descriptions of paintings, some buildings, clothes, interior design, and some characters but dependent on what might catch Karl’s attention. I have seen the book described as a dystopia, but it is not clear to me that the whole world order is affected by the Transition (perhaps they have some designs towards world domination, but it isn’t that clear), and it does not fit neatly into the category of science-fiction either. Karl acts as an amateur detective at times, and the novel has touches of the conspiracy theory behind it, but they don’t seem fully formed. I have also read some reviews saying it is humorous, and there are funny moments, especially if one considers the contrast between the worst of our suspicions and what actually happens, but it is not a comedy in the traditional sense; even calling it a dark comedy would be a bit of a stretch. As a psychiatrist, I was particularly interested in the mental health angle and although it is not fully developed, it highlights some of the ongoing issues with such diagnoses, and it rings more true to me that some other angles of the story.
The author is better known as a poet, and the book is well-written although I wouldn’t say the language is particularly poetic or compelling. Like a post-modern puzzle, the book includes bits of the mentor’s book, diary extracts, documents, messages… Ultimately, it does not leave everything to the reader’s imagination and struggles to impose a meaning that does not sit comfortably with it.
I have read some of the reviews and I agree that the book’s beginning is very promising but it does not deliver fully. In my opinion, it might be a matter of genre and also tone of voice (the light and comedic touches didn’t always seem congruous with the background atmosphere, although that could be read as a reflection of the narrator’s state of mind). The characters are not that easy to engage with (I found Karl understandable but not always emotionally relatable) either and the action and the story are not fully realised. The novel is ambitious and tries to do many things, some which seem to be in contradiction to each other, and that creates a tension that makes it crack at the seams.
On the other hand, the ideas behind the novel are interesting, the book is easy to read and the reflections and social comments are spot on, even if they are not resolved. I can’t see this book causing extreme reactions on its readers, but it would be a source of lively discussion in a book club. And I’m intrigued to see what the author will write about next.

Karl Temperley has got himself into a spot of bother. In an attempt to pay his eye-watering credit card debt, he became involved in an online scam operation and stands charged with fraud. Facing prison time, he is offered salvation in the form of a little-known program called The Transition, "a helping hand for the younger generation." Along with his wife Genevieve, he is required to live rent-free in the house of a slightly older couple called Stuart and Janna, who will teach them how to be adults. They are assigned new jobs and urged to complete daily journal entries but after six months they are free to go. Sounds too good to be true, right? Genevieve excels in this new scheme but Karl is much more sceptical. Why is the message 'not_all_transition' scratched into the bed post? What's that crying noise coming from the house next door? And what's going on in the locked basement?

Set in the near future of autonomous cars and self-stocking fridges, The Transition serves as a cautionary tale for the direction society is headed in. In their own eyes, Karl and Genevieve work hard and have relatively well-paid jobs but they can barely afford to exist. They believe they are doing everything they can to get by. But the founders of The Transition see the likes of them as underachievers, "a generation... determined to self-destruct through petty crime, alcohol abuse and financial incompetence; a generation who didn't vote; who had given up on making any kind of contribution to society and blamed anyone but themselves for it."

This fast-paced, clever story has a fascinating set-up but it is let down by an underwhelming finale. Karl's showdown with The Transition falls a little flat and it felt like Luke Kennard was unsure of how to wrap things up. I did enjoy the sardonic musings on millennial culture and the shades of Black Mirror in the novel's unsettling futuristic atmosphere. Best of all though, was the moving exploration of Genevieve's depression and how the couple coped with her shattering illness. A harrowing breakdown at a motorway service station was a real stand-out scene for me. I may retain some reservations about the third act but The Transition is still a witty and intelligent parable about the pressures of life in the modern world.

This is a haunting insight into how our very close future lives could be led. Karl and Genevieve have been married for four years and been in debt for almost as long. Struggling to connect with a ever-increasingly online world and to consolidate their dwindling finances, their lives are burdened by stress. The Transition could be the answer to all their woes. This programme manages every aspect of the applicants' lives, in the hopes of churning out future versions of themselves that are well-equipped to handle society, their relationship and their own mental well-being.

I have to admit that I found the structure of this programme very alluring. There was something definitely spooky and yet altogether soothing about allowing a computer programme, and those with seemingly more knowledge in your own life, to take full control of all your struggles and woes. I was unlike the central characters in that way, as they entered the programme full of doubts and misgivings.

This novel follows in a line of dystopian imaginings of how our future world might look, and I found this to be not as bleak and unsettling as many others I have read. There was definitely an eerie atmosphere that haunted the book, but I found, for the most part, to agree with much of what was suggested.

The sinister turn of events divorced me from these feelings and yet I found them not as actually sinister as I had been expecting. I read the entirety of this awaiting for some dark happening. There was a realisation that not all was what it initially appeared, but this wasn't as big a shock as I had anticipated. This left me wondering what the whole point of this was? I enjoyed reading it, but without a thrilling climax it felt, dare I say it, a little pointless!

I found the ending to be an altogether unsatisfactory one. The protagonist was unlikable but a perspective I could bear, until he started to voice some startling concerns about his wife's mental illness. I found his approach to her mental health to be very demeaning and this aspect of his character wasn't given a chance to be reprieved. There was no grand awakening or heightened understanding and the ending allowed him to believe his micro-managing of another's illness to be the correct course of action. I was angered by this and it ruined all my previous enjoyment of the book.

This is a strange book about a possible near-future world, where criminals are offered a second chance, a rehabilitation. The choice is jail time – or the Transition – so not really a choice. The Transition involves the malefactor – along with their life partner – living in controlled environment for six months with an assigned model couple, who teach them how to develop their academic, physical and social skills, to become worthwhile and accomplished citizens who need never be a burden on society again. At the end of six months, they are to be provided with the deposit for their own home, and are set free to continue in their upward spiral of success.
There is so much to admire in the Transition. It is the gold standard of prisoner rehabilitation – what the prison service and parole officers are supposed to achieve – but seldom do. A redirection of all the squandered potential currently focussed on illegal activities, that could be used to instead benefit perpetrators lives and future prospects – and to benefit society as a whole.
The book follows Karl (tax fraud) and Genevieve (wife) as they embark on their Transition. They are part of a “generation who had benefited from unrivalled educational opportunities and decades of peacetime, who nonetheless seemed determined to selfdestruct through petty crime, alcohol abuse and financial incompetence; a generation who didn’t vote; who had given up on making any kind of contribution to society and blamed anyone but themselves for it”. Now it is time to turn their lives round. Karl and Genevieve are assigned sympathetic mentors, Janna and Stu, a lovely house to share, and – what appears to be – a perfect set-up. So why should Karl feel uneasy? He is not sure he wants to be a success – he just wants to love and protect Genevieve. Could the Transition just be too good to be true? What happens if you don’t play along? What sort of selection process goes into deciding who should Transition? And what does the mysterious book, “The Trapeze” have to do with anything?
The book is quite slowly paced, but Karl’s niggles keep you interested. You share his unease, while at the same time wanting to berate him for being such an ungrateful, self-destructive person. He should just knuckle down and make something of himself for a change. Or is he onto something?
Much of the book could be set in the present. Apart from the idea of the Transition, there are few futuristic elements. Though, one item really appealed to me: the idea of “The Great Unsharing” as a backlash against ubiquitous social media. A protest from all those people (especially children) about whom everything was “documented, stored and shared with complete strangers by … parents”: “‘Where was our opt-out?’ … ‘What choice did we have?”
I loved this book. It really makes you think about how social experiments – especially idealised ones – might impact on society. We all like to think that our own view of what makes a worthwhile and civilised citizen, is the one that should be adopted by everyone – but have we really thought through all the possible ramifications? However well-educated, liberal minded and tolerant we may be – are we entitled to, Godlike, create society in our own image?

This is in the style of Black Mirror , the future not as a world on the edge of collapse but its citizens being like that.
Social satire well done , characters dont feel totally rounded but the plot the situation and the sense of anger works.
Fantastic debut

The Transition is a satirical and probing novel about modern day crises of housing, jobs, and life, and how an escape from your failings might be merely a path to further troubles. Karl and Genevieve are thirty somethings trapped under crippling debt and when the opportunity to go on a new scheme - The Transition - which involves living with an older couple and surrendering elements of freedom in order to learn how to live successfully, they opt in quickly. But what appeared like a quick fix to their issues doesn’t turn out as ideal as the blurb made it out to be.

Whilst comparisons to TV series Black Mirror are inevitable due to the near-future, technological narrative and highlighting of issues in modern society, Kennard’s novel is lighter and less focused on the technological elements. Instead, The Transition provokes thoughts on streamlining society, surrendering control to those - in this case an older generation - who know better, and how the housing crisis and overeducation issues could result in drastic measures. Karl is a blundering main character who is occasionally frustrating, but this really sets him up as one of the ideal candidates for The Transition, someone who does vaguely unethical online copywriting and essay writing and aspires no further, caught in a web of debt. His point of view allows Kennard to lead the reader through the experience of The Transition and weave a dystopian tale with a fairly ambiguous ending that leaves room for thought.

The novel was more enjoyable than expected, with a good balance of social issues and dystopian plot line. Its satirical bent makes it a lighter near future dystopian option, though it still highlights a lot of issues, from the inadequacy of the minimum wage against rising rent cost to the lack of relevant jobs for well-educated graduates. The Transition is a gripping novel that is perfect for fans of dystopian looking for something more recent or fans of Black Mirror who want similar reading material.

The first 3/4 of this book was great - in terms of a near future vision this book was scarily plausible. So much of their world and professional life was like mine had been, failure to plan, lurching from job to job with self assurance that you were special enough for success to come eventually echoes so much of mine and my friend's lives. For 2/3 of the book I was still sure I'd enter The Transition (I'm still not sure I wouldn't!) The books tails off with little climax or conclusion, in fact I have forgotten the ending. This is a shame as a tighter finish would make an easier sell.

Luke Kennard is already a successful poet and academic. His debut novel is a witty, funny and tender take on the plight of the generation stuck in rental property with huge financial debts and uncertain job prospects.
Feckless hero, Karl is in his thirties, has a Masters degree in the metaphysical poets and debts of £78,000. Determined to use his literary talents, he writes ‘consumer reviews of products he had never used and bespoke school and undergraduate essays’. Karl is devoted to his wife, Genevieve, a primary school teacher who is sensible and bi-polar. They are falling deeper in to debt. To make ends meet he juggles credit cards in a ‘seventeen-card private Ponzi scheme’ and is finally driven to a dodgy job supervising two ‘click-farms’ to ‘generate false traffic for websites’ which turns out to be much worse when his boss is skimming off money for himself.
Faced with a prison sentence Karl opts for an alternative ‘the Transition’ – a ‘holistic approach to getting your life back on track’, like a speeding course ‘except your wife has to go with you and it’s six months’. Still carrying on with their day jobs, Karl and Genevieve have to give up everything and move in with their mentors, an older couple, Janna and Stu who will help them sort their lives out. Right from the beginning the marriage is threatened:
Genevieve is reluctant but takes the scheme seriously; Karl refuses to conform and constantly rebels in a low-level way, and they move further apart. Gradually the novel takes a darker turn as he discovers that the Transition is a social engineering experiment with sinister aims.
In spite of everything life throws at him, Karl never gives up on his devotion to Genevieve; he is a likeable and funny hero in an almost impossible world. A wry look at early 21st century society in the UK, The Transition is a thoroughly entertaining read.

At times biting, very relevant and topical.

A contemporary couple find themselves in more debt than they can manage, living outside their means on credit. The solution? Instead of jail time, the wife agrees to join her husband in a six-month-long programme called 'The Transition' where grounded and successful couples take you under their wing and retrain you for the modern world of being an adult.

Sounds condescending? Patronising?

It's darkly funny, and then works its way towards simply 'dark'...

Karl and Genevieve seem to be a devoted couple, both with jobs (she a teacher, he a slightly more dubious essay writer for students looking to pass courses). It's a fascinating look at the idea of such a programme (who knows, this sort of thing could easily spring up). Karl is our view on the world, one only slightly different from our own, and it turns out to be no less a world of hidden secrets and agendas than the one we live in.

It can seem sinister at times, never did I feel that the programme was exactly as it seemed on the surface, and I enjoyed the twists Karl worked through until he found out what was going on, as did we.

He was not the most likeable character, with definite flaws, dubious morals (using his considerable talents to help students cheat in their A-Levels and degrees) and he does make some bad decisions. But he's in a strange position, living with his wife in another couples' home, as a guest/tenant/pupil.

I wanted to know more about The Transition itself, we only get snippets from books and glances at the training, it would have been great to delve more deeply into what the programme expects of its participants.

Quite an involving world and an interesting concept. One for those who like dystopian novels, social commentary and satire.

With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy.

This is an interesting concept - Karl and Genevieve live a lifestyle many may recognise as a real risk to millennials... married, paddling through life on jobs they dont love in 'keep up' lifestyle funded by credit cards.

However when Karl gets into serious debt he is given an alternative to prison... they must live with a 'model' couple for 6 months learning how to live a more meaningful life without debt.

However, whilst Genevieve quickly settles in to her new life, Karl soon realises that things may just be too good to be true.

I enjoyed this and found it an easy read - the characters were all likeable even if I regularly wanted to give Karl a good shake over his doormat like behaviour around Genevieve.

The biggest reason this only gets 3 stars is that the ending is a real anti-climax.... there is a whole book long build up and then its over in a rushed couple of pages. I even went back to the book a day later to make sure I wasnt going mad and missing a final chapter. Sadly no.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review :-)

I reviewed this book for independant honest review for Harper Collins UK via Net Galley.
This is a dystopian novel which depicts I believe life for offenders in the not too distant future. A thirty something male has commited credit card fraud and instead of a prison sentence, he is placed on a community programme known as The Transition. He has to move with his wife, to stay in the Transition village and the home of another couple who will be there mentors. Great respect for any spouse that would do this.
This is a well written book with well created characters whom I didn't feel a real affinity too and this is possibly why this wasn't a five star read for me.
All isn't what it seems in this community ! I personally had the feeling it was more like a cult ,with far from virtuous leaders. It is well worth reading so that you can form your own opinion on this.
I wanted it to deliver more for me in way of plot and ending. However that is my personal opinion. If you are a fan of dystopian literature then this is worth a try. It is certainly thought provoking.Big brother is watching you!

This dystopian novel begins with a reflection on the current issues facing many in a spiral of temporary jobs, high rents and student loans. Karl Temperley finds himself facing jail due to an ill-advised job skimming credit card details. To save himself from jail his friend Kenyon suggests he joins ‘The Transition’, a six months programme whereby he and his wife Genevieve will be mentored by Janna and Stu in all aspects of their lives. Their finances will be managed so that at the end of the six months they will be able to buy their own home, and they are expected to abstain from alcohol apart from one night a week and their sex life nosedives (intimated that this is managed by the Transition also). Karl realises that they are in fact part of a modern system of social engineering, or ‘willowing’ when society will benefit by picking the best partners and banishing the other.

This is an excellent concept and the new world (perhaps 10-20 years from now) is extremely real and plausible, however for me some of the characterisations, particularly the secondary characters, were not well-drawn or believable to me, often introduced purely to provide a piece of information and disappear. The reader is told what the characters motivations are on the most part and more on their inner lives would have enriched the novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins, 4th Estate for an advanced copy for review.

I am still umming and erring about my opinion of this book. I thought the beginning was really good, it lost its way in the middle and the ending felt a bit rushed. I think 3.5 stars rounded up is a fair enough rating though as I think the book overall had potential, even though at times it didn't quite manage to realise it.
Karl is a bit of a chancer. He makes his "living" writing reviews for products he has never used and supplements this with ghost writing essays for students to pass off as their own work. He also juggles credit taking the phrase "robbing Peter to pay Paul" to a whole new level. His wife, Genevieve is a teacher and to say that they live in rather dubious rented accommodation is a bit of an understatement. It is set in what appears to be the not too distant future, this is unspecified but with technology very similar to today, it could also be a parallel universe rather than a time shift. Well, that's what it felt like to me anyway.
When Karl's credit shenanigans catch up with him, he is given the choice, prison or a place on The Transition which is explained to him as the chance to be re-educated. Choosing this latter option will see him, together with his wive, moving in with and being mentored by a couple already in the organisation. They will be able to reduce their debt, save some money and, on "graduation" get a kick start into a new, better life. It's a no brainer really and, luckily for Karl, Genevieve accepts her fate accordingly.
But, as with all these sorts of schemes, there are the flip sides and, as Karl discovers on digging deeper, things are not really as appear on face value. He follows a series of "clues" and talks to a whole host of people all of whom have very different stories about The Transition that contradicts the information that has been imparted by his mentors and paints a different picture to that depicted in the shiny brochure.
And then, for me, things go a little bit off key and admittedly my attention began to wander as I lost concentration. I guess that maybe I missed the point on occasion but then again, I really loved the setting up first 30% or so and at that point I would have considered that I was OK with the author's wavelength so, to me, this about face didn't really make sense. But, on the back of what I had already read, I carried on and just accepted the things I had issues with, hoping that it would come back together in the end. Well, it did, sort of. It kicked in again for me around the 70% or so mark and I was hoping that it would tie up nicely but, again for me, it fell short of that and I finished the book with more questions than answers. Thinking again, maybe that's the point. But for me personally, that's not really how I like to finish a book. Yes, I accept the not every book ends with every thread tied up neatly, but I always get some feeling of satisfaction as I close the book for the final time. Here though, I was left flat and somewhat bereft. Again, this could very well be a me thing, hence rounding up my 3.5 star review to 4 - benefit of the doubt and all that.
It also didn't help that, even though I started off connecting with the main characters, that connection was stretched through the middle third and pretty much non existent for some by the end of the book. I ended up not really caring about what happened to them which would also probably explain the flat feeling at the end.
On a more positive note, there are some very funny parts to this book. Some cracking one liners that had me chuckling to myself. There are also quite a few brilliant life observations which I found very clever.
According to his biography, this is the author's first novel although he is already an established poet. Although not the best for me, it does show a lot of potential and I would be interested in seeing what he delivers for his second book as I think he definitely has more to give and I would like to see how he matures from this debut.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This was a strange book, I thought it would be from the description and was looking forward to reading some thing different.maybe it was too different for me though as I found it very hard to get into,It started out ok but I quickly realised that as I didn't much like the main characters i couldn't care too much what happened to them I am always intrigued when the main character/s are not very likable I think it takes a brave writer to do that but it put me off.Maybe it was just me and others might like them and that would make a lot of difference so don't be put off by my opinion if in doubt try the book for yourself.

This was a great read. There's a mystery, charm, sharp wit and an intriguing self-discovery of what happens to the someone from the generation that has everything but still says 'meh' when put on the 'cult-like', (or is it?) Transition programme.