The Disappeared

I’m actually a fan of Unbound Publishing. Normally I might be somewhat questioning the quality control of self (kinda sorta) published work, especially one supported by fans, I’ve had enough experience on GR alone with rabid fans of crappy authors and books, but…something about Unbound really works and well. The quality of their books is consistently on par with major publishers and this book is no exception. To be fair, I would have wanted to read it even if it didn’t come from Unbound, because I love, love, love a good dystopian story. And actually that’s what you get here…a good dystopian story. Maybe all the more so (major kudos to the author) by not taking the well trodden road of reproduction related situations and instead going straight for the bleak totalitarian sort of tale straight out of the much mentioned within the book Orwell. I mean, I read a lot of dystopias and can’t even think the last time a female author wrote one that didn’t have something to do with baby making. Which isn’t to say it isn’t an important subject, it is a huge important subject, especially in the present political climate. But books don’t seem to be having any effect there, are they? No matter how magnificent Atwood’s long awaited sequel might be or a myriad other books in the same vein, things seem only to be getting consistently crappier for women’s rights (at least in this new America made great), so why not have some reading variety at least. And anyway, this book takes place in Britain. Another country that used to be great. In this fictional near future military junta took over and instilled a brutal regime straight out of Stalin (or insert a socialist dictator of your choice) playbook. People are forced to live in fear and privation, their basic freedoms oppressed and basic rights denied. It is in this forbidding political climate that a college teacher, who father was disappeared by the government years ago, decides it’s time to make a difference by educating the young minds in her charge. She enlists the assistance of her partner, a fellow teacher, but whether for one or for two, the undertaking is still much too dangerous, especially when there is a renegade guerilla group making a stand of its own against the powers that be. And on top of it all, the man who arrested, disappeared and replaced father is no other than a Major within the Authorization Bureau and its most feared and brutal interrogator. So the entire time this daring act of defiance is as terrifying and claustrophobic and the world that inspired it. It creates for great dramatic suspense, the characters are interesting and well developed, nuanced even, especially the terrible Major. The ending seemed slightly rushed, but worked. For a novel with a fairly straight forward black and white premise, there are terrific moments of moral complexity, such as the casual indifference to the value of individual lives displayed (horrifyingly enough) by both side. Something about the end justifying the means and all the heavy implications of that. But the main protagonists carry a finely tuned moral compass and strive, always, for the greater good. Because, of course, evil is what takes place when good people do nothing. So yeah, read this book and find out how it all plays out. Read it to contemplate modern politics that are all too often stranger than fiction. Read it simply because it’s a powerhouse of a story about a frighteningly plausible future. One that was and is a reality in some areas of the world today. Really good book and a most auspicious debut. Not to mention a refreshingly gender neutral estrogen free work of dystopian fiction. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

I actually enjoyed this book. It was interesting. The main character is CLara and she lives with her family with this dystopian world that's impoverished and militarized. Her father gets arrested one day because he owned a private collection of books. From that point, persecution becomes a big stress for them, There;s referral to 1984 in this book.
I liked the writing, the idea and characters. I wish events and characters were a bit more fleshed out, but overall I enjoyed this book.

Thanks a lot to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Set in the U.K in the near future, Clara is haunted by the arrest of her father, Matthew, by agents of the Authorisation Bureau and Major Darius Jackson. He has disappeared.

Major Jackson becomes besotted by Clara’s mother, Lucia and to keep her family safe, she has her marriage to Matthew annulled and marries Darius. A violent, evil man to say the least.

The government controls what books can be read, or taught, that free thinking is dangerous and so just owning banned books is enough to be arrested.

As Clara grows, literature is her passion and like her father, she becomes a teacher. She meets and falls in love with Simon, and together they begin teaching a few select students from the banned books…will they be found out? Or will they too disappear?

This is a fraught, dystopian tale (reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, which does get a mention) that feels all too real in the current political climate of ‘fake’ news and hate.

This is full of fear, violence and tension, but also love and hope. Compelling and disconcerting writing by Amy Lord. A thought provoking read… I loved every minute…..

Thank you to The Author and NetGalley for a free ecopy of the book in exchange for my honest, unbiased review

"The Disappeared" is the "Nineteen Eighty-Four" for a new millennium. This dystopian novel takes place in a city in which most books are banned, most technology is banned, and a brutal government rules with an iron fist.

College professor Clare has experienced more loss than most since the new government took control. Her father was dragged out of their home and imprisoned for breaking the rules when Clara was a kid. Now, she struggles with teaching literature to college students when most literature is banned. When Clare decides to do what she thinks is right, her entire world changes.

This novel is powerful, scary, and frankly it seems not very far-fetched. I highly recommend it.

Wow. Just wow. Just finished this morning. I found this troubling - in a good, thought provoking way, so had to stop early on to gather myself and come back to it. One bonus was that I could fly through the chapters! I’m not quite sure it was what I expected from the blurb, but the story actually surpassed my expectations and I absolutely loved it. The writing is so captivating and the story - and the thought of this happening here in the UK - really hooked me. The moral questions this poses about who decides what is ‘good’ - terrorist vs freedom fighter - really does make me think carefully about the current political climate which, sadly, may make this fiction a reality sooner rather than later. Fantastic work Amy and I sincerely hope this flies off the shelves. Thanks as always to Pigeonhole for the read.

The Disappeared is a dystopian novel by Amy Lord that is sure to give readers vibes of 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, without being derivative. Lord's written the book about the war on books for 2019.

Clara's father was taken away from her because of his teaching banned books to students. Following in her father's footsteps, Clara begins a resistance movement of her own. The question is what will the consequences be, and is her pursuit worth the risk.

Some readers may be put off by how prescient this dystopian novel feels - as in not quite far enough removed from reality. That, however, is what makes it important. It's a book for lovers of books and those who wish to protect the power of books.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.