Upgrade

My July Book of the Month selection was Upgrade by Blake Crouch (the other options were First Born by Will Dean, The Bodyguard by Katherine Center, You're Invited by Amanda Jayatissa, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin). I had never read anything by this author before but the premise was really intriguing to me so I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did! In a dystopian future where genetic engineering has wreaked havoc on the environment, Logan Ramsay works for the Gene Protection Agency out of a sense of guilt because his mother was the cause of the catastrophe. He helped her create a genetic modification that was meant to improve the rice plant's resistance to a virus but it ended up destroying the world's supply instead and caused millions of deaths. Genetic modifications are now outlawed. In the course of an investigation for the GPA he is unwittingly exposed to a virus which changes his genome and dramatically improves his strength and intelligence but takes away his ability to feel emotion. His agency sees him as a threat but this upgrade might be a way to save the human species from the disaster he and his mother set in motion. This is a tense science-fiction thriller, to be sure, but it is also a cautionary tale about the fate of the planet because the description of a world not too far in the future shows the logical progression of the problems we face right now, including climate change, environmental disasters, and the scarcity of resources, and it is quite sobering. I enjoyed the inclusion of specific details, such as the use of electric cars and innovative mass transportation systems as well as synthetic food sources, because they are so clever (some of the brand names are very amusing). All of the action and plot twists kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen but I also found the discussion about intelligence vs. empathy to be incredibly thought-provoking. The science is absolutely fascinating! Even though it is extremely complicated, I never felt like it was over my head enough to detract from my understanding and enjoyment (it reminded me of Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir in that respect). This is one of my very favorite selections from Book of the Month and I highly recommend it!

Note:  While I was reading this I kept thinking that it would make a great movie so I was excited to learn that the film rights have been acquired by Amblin!