Grey

It's probably my fault, but I didn't "get" this book. The setting is clever: dystopian near-future where the ultra-rich have become even richer and more decadent. What's a 19 year-old to do in this world? Why, reject all excesses and embrace a yearning for monochromatic prints and suits, of course.

Unfortunately, the story itself doesn't live up to the cleverness of the setting. The story is supposed to be about a love story--comparisons are made to Romeo and Juliet, but I think they only hurt the novel. The protagonist, Michael, doesn't do much more than whine and bitch his way through his privileged life, and his love affair with Nora, fellow adorer of all things gray and somber, feels stiff. There's no chemistry between the two, just a vague parroting of their favorite fashion magazine.

Worst thing is, Michael and Nora are the characters with the most nuance and color (hah!) in the story. The rest of the characters, except perhaps Joelene, are clownish to the point of being satirical. Michael's father, the antagonist of the story, is so over-the-top crass as to be annoying. He humps and curses his way through the story, while the entire world around him talks about semen and other bodily fluids.

Don't believe me? Early in the novel, there's a woman with a vagina in surgically implanted in her belly. No, it's not relevant to the story. It's just there to show us that this fashion-obsessed society is depraved. They don't come across as depraved to me, as much as Idiocracy casting rejects. Popular bands are called Alüminüm Anüs and Tôxic Tësticle Färm. Michael's father calls his girlfriends 'cunt spaceships'.

So yeah, the story and the characters didn't do anything for me. Still, the setting of Grey is a clever one. It's haute couture SF, with over-the-top decadence. The competitive ironing idea was cool. There's still potential for interesting stories to happen here; I just don't feel Grey was one.