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84K

Claire North

3.29 · Rating details · 2,869 ratings · 540 reviews

What if your life were defined by a number?

What if any crime could be committed without punishment, so long as you could afford to pay the fee assigned to that crime?

Theo works in the Criminal Audit Office. He assesses each crime that crosses his desk and makes sure the correct debt to society is paid in full.

But when Theo's ex-lover Dani is killed, it's different. This is ...more

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Hardcover, 480 pages

Published May 24th 2018 by Orbit (first published May 22nd 2018)

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Jun 17, 2018 Phrynne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5000-books

I would know this book was written by Claire North if I was to read only one page of it. Her style is so unique and distinctive. Sentences are left unfinished, sometimes words and phrases just pile up on themselves and yet it always makes perfect sense. Did I mention that she is one of my favourite authors? In my eyes she can do no wrong but I can understand why some people find her hard to read.

84K is set in a dystopian near future in England. The country is in a sorry state since the Company ...more

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Jun 01, 2018 Bradley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-shelf, sci-fi, worldbuilding-sf

I really had to debate between giving this a full five stars or the four, but ultimately it all boils down to whether or not the heavily ambitious tale was pulled off in spectacular flavor or whether it must remain a disquieting tale with an end that will either leave a bittersweet taste in your mouth or leave you anxious.

I personally think it'll be a bit of both.

I'm reminded of a bit of Les Miserables and a bit of Charles Dickens in this one, which is either odd or awesome when you consider I really had to debate between giving this a full five stars or the four, but ultimately it all boils down to whether or not the heavily ambitious tale was pulled off in spectacular flavor or whether it must remain a disquieting tale with an end that will either leave a bittersweet taste in your mouth or leave you anxious.

I personally think it'll be a bit of both.

I'm reminded of a bit of Les Miserables and a bit of Charles Dickens in this one, which is either odd or awesome when you consider that this is a high-concept SF dystopia where everything boils down to a price tag.

Lives, crimes... ANYTHING can be paid for. If you're unproductive, it's much easier just to liquidate the asset. Namely, you. Pay the blood price. And if you're rich enough, then anything can be had. It's the ultimate capitalist nightmare.

Fine. We've had stories like this before. Even recently. But here's where Claire North really shines. She never rests on any kind of concept. She dives deep, retaining a lyrical air with complex and satisfying novel structures that focus more on telling highly personal and emotional thematic threads for her characters. Linear storytelling is not a high priority.

And in that respect, she has a lot of giant storytellers' shoulders to stand on. She's carrying on a very creative and complex tradition and owning it for the SF community. For that, I must applaud. :)

For this tale, however, we go from apathy and invisibility to the realization that the MC has had it all wrong the entire time, that missed opportunities and reveals such as his high-school flame having his child and he never even knew... and especially in this world... would have truly nasty consequences. Especially when that old flame is murdered. She was worth only a measly 84k.

After that, it's a tale worthy of a mighty revenge couched in the simple statement that he will find his daughter.

Usher in some truly horrific worldbuilding, degradation, gruesome deaths, and revolution, all the while seeing how the other side lives... and dies... and we've got something quite epic. Without quite feeling epic.

The MC's quest is monomythical. Nothing else matters. The pendulum has swung.

The resolution is fascinating and complex and not easily digestible. Everyone seems to have a hard time living in this world. There are no easy fixes. This is not a place for heroes.

I would not expect any readers to come away feeling happy... but that's not the purpose of this tale. It's meant to make you think. And it does that in spades.

Not a traditional blockbuster, right? Right. And that may be its ultimate strength. ...more

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Jun 15, 2018 Vanessa rated it it was ok

1.5 stars. I’m so bummed. I love North’s book “The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August” and had high expectations for this one. But sadly, I find myself very disappointed - this is another perfect example of a book that has a unique and interesting premise but falls completely flat on execution. First, the writing style leaves much to be desired. Incomplete, repetitive sentences that just trail off. Over and over and over again. It wasn’t dreamy or poetic; it was frustrating and clumsy. Second, ...more

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Feb 10, 2018 Liz Barnsley rated it it was amazing

Easy 5* for me. EASY. Claire North writes so beautifully and in such a unique way sometimes I think it doesn't matter what story she is telling, it is all in the way she tells it. As it happens 84K has a brilliantly engaging theme and the whole thing is just wonderful. And a bit scary.

Full review nearer to publication.

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Jun 17, 2018 Justine rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-read

Very, very, dark. This isn't unexpected from Claire North, as her view of the future in previous books has always been slanted in that direction. But 84K is definitely her darkest vision of our near future world yet, written in a form that edges on experimental fiction.

North's work has always been infused with politics, and 84K is no different. What makes this book so chilling to read is that, particularly with the state of the world now, with the apparent strengthening of the right wing agenda, Very, very, dark. This isn't unexpected from Claire North, as her view of the future in previous books has always been slanted in that direction. But 84K is definitely her darkest vision of our near future world yet, written in a form that edges on experimental fiction.

North's work has always been infused with politics, and 84K is no different. What makes this book so chilling to read is that, particularly with the state of the world now, with the apparent strengthening of the right wing agenda, and the further entrenchment of big corporate interests, 84K doesn't seem all that far fetched. The protagonist, Theo, at one point muses on his role in creating the horror of a world he now inhabits:

I am, fundamentally, a failure. I've known this for most of my life. Since I was a child, it was always clear to me that the world I inhabited was not one I had contributed to. Everything that was good, other people made and paid for with their own sacrifice. Everything that was bad, I couldn't control. All the ideas and dreams I thought were mine were in fact someone else's, and the more I talked about taking control, being my own man, all the things you're meant to say, the more I was talking to cover the very simple truth, that I wasn't. I am not. I made some choices, of course, but they weren't defiant acts of judgement. They were made because the alternatives were significantly worse. I coasted down the path I had with the feeling that it was the only path that was really before me, and when I chose to choose to do nothing, it felt like a kind of release, an admission that this was my life and I may as well live it. Nothing changed. Murderers walked free, people died and begged and grovelled and lives were destroyed for so little, for fear and anger and...but it didn't matter. None of it mattered. Because it was just the way the world worked.

And there it is. The world North envisions became that way through the small, collective inactions of a populace that feels their efforts don't matter in the scheme of things. That isn't too hard to imagine, is it? ...more

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Jun 07, 2018 Lata rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi-fantasy, auth-f, x2018-read

This was a dark book, a what-if story, taking the idea of privatisation of all sorts of public services to an extreme though logical conclusion, with government and one, all-encompassing company in bed together while they destroy a country together.
While the narration of the audiobook is good, I found my attention wandering frequently. And with the multiple storylines going back and forth in time and the frequent repetition of phrases and ideas, I kept tuning out, partly because of the ...more

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Jun 03, 2018 William rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

5-Stars

Another masterpiece of heart and genius, this one dark and sad, not an easy read but very rewarding. North creates a living, plausible, even probable world in which greed has triumphed. Everything has a price, every crime a monetary indemnity. The rich can do what they wish, and escape with only a fine. Even murder is excused for 84,000, more or less.

This story of the near future is a clear warning about the 1,000 year Tory dream: Lords in the castles and the rest of us dead or naked in ...more

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Apr 24, 2018 Andrea rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

I've just read the first five chapters of this new book by Claire North - a pre-publication teaser - and now can barely wait to get hold of the full book. I haven't learned a great deal about the story beyond what's in the blurb, but I want more!

So far I've liked everything by this author that I've read, and 84K looks to be no exception. The author quickly establishes the setting as London; a London that is kind of familiar, but somewhat disturbing in certain aspects. It's a place where public ...more

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Dec 11, 2018 Olivia rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi

An innovative and clever thought-experiment. A dark, dystopian future. A world in which we pay for our crimes with money. Every crime has a price. Pay it and you're good to go. Yes, even murder.

What makes this a difficult read is that North chose a style depending heavily on fragments. It's somewhat jumpy and didn't read as nicely as some of her other books.

A must read for Claire North fans, but not the one I'd recommend to readers new to her work. Please consider reading The First Fifteen Lives ...more

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Jun 19, 2018 The Tattooed Book Geek (Drew). rated it really liked it

As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...

I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What is the value of a human life? Well, honestly, it varies, are you young? Are you old? Are you a benefit to society? Are you a burden to society? Are you valued? Will you be missed? Do you have the potential for future greatness? Will you always wallow in mediocrity? Are you a somebody? ...more

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May 20, 2018 Lashaan Balasingam (Bookidote) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018, science-fiction

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Claire North, also known under the names of Catherine Webb and Kate Griffin, brings us a brand-new dystopian sci-fi story with 84K. Although I’ve only known her for her huge success upon releasing The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August—which I have yet to read myself—this introduction to her mind has been truly eye-opening. The world she creates in this story comes to life thanks to some of the most meticulous world-building and attention to You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Claire North, also known under the names of Catherine Webb and Kate Griffin, brings us a brand-new dystopian sci-fi story with 84K. Although I’ve only known her for her huge success upon releasing The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August—which I have yet to read myself—this introduction to her mind has been truly eye-opening. The world she creates in this story comes to life thanks to some of the most meticulous world-building and attention to detail. It easily sucks away any sign of happiness fancied in the near future, and I simply love it for being able to achieve such a result. In 84K, readers are bound to be shaken up by the ideas explored with razor-sharp rigor, but also by the hauntingly mesmerizing writing style that Claire North utilizes to mold her story.

What is 84K about? This is the story of Theo Miller, an employee of the Criminal Audit Office. His job is to assess every offense that is put onto his desk and make sure that every criminal in question pays his debt to society. Debt as in time in community service? Time in prison? Capital punishment? No. In this world, each crime has a value and once those indemnities are dealt with, as in payed in full, the criminal is free of any charge against him. While Theo Miller lives his life trying to stay as irrelevant as possible to society, a figure from his past suddenly emerges from the dirty corners of his memory and flips his life upside down by dragging a past he has always tried to detach himself from back into his reality.

In this world, human rights are abolished and the rich reign with countless privileges under their belts thanks to their very deep pockets. Imagine a place where those who have the money can get away with anything, including murder. Anyone who is unable to pay their debt are however sent down to the “patty line” which essentially comes down human slavery. This whole premise alone strips this world down to an extreme form of capitalism and hammers in a whole new array of values and priorities in individuals. The story in essence explores humankind’s one true treasure in the most cautious and subliminal way possible: choice.

While Claire North blankets her world in an eerie and depressive coat, she repeatedly assaults the readers attention by playing around with the writing and the timeline. This is not a linear story whatsoever. It is fragmented into multiple timelines and sometimes a same chapter can contain two different events and invite readers on a transcendent experience through the mind of Theo Miller. The writing style also contributes highly to the experience by playing around with the formatting and the sentence structure. Certain sections are pervaded with page breaks that messes around with the formatting, while sentences are sometimes cut short and free of punctuation or capitalization. These moments are often dealt in rapid-fire and quickly grows on you. In fact, you’ll find yourself accustomed to it and identify it as part of this story’s signature; it easily compels you to enjoy this story not only as a simple reader of words, but as an analyst trying to piece the events together.

Claire North’s latest novel is a truly original and cleverly-crafted piece of literature. Its take on capitalism is astounding and effortlessly stimulates the reader’s critical thinking. There are moments in this story where it pauses to reflect upon society in such a convincing tone that you can’t help but reflect for a second on the role of money, the value we attach to it and the structure of the society we live in. Just look at how much importance we accord to money and how society is built upon one business’ success after another. 84K is not an easy story to read, but it a sublimely scary dystopia that should be sought by readers.

Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada and Orbit Books for sending me a copy for review!

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/ ...more

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Aug 24, 2018 ashley c rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, contemporary, social-commentary-in-fiction

I am a sucker for two things - first of all, anything written by Claire North, which basically encompasses this whole review, but I do want to touch on the second thing as well which is character-driven plots. Also a third thing - the ability for an author to pen down the complexities, beauty, and ugliness of the human condition in its multidimensional state into a 2D paper world.

"You were, in fact, a moral vacuum. Oh, not in a spectacular way. You were no more or less evil than anyone else in

"You were, in fact, a moral vacuum. Oh, not in a spectacular way. You were no more or less evil than anyone else in society, and in fact evil isn't even the operative word. Apathetic, perhaps. Yes, that's it. You were as apathetic as everyone else."

Theo lives in a society rather like our own but feels ominously like it's about a few decades into the future. He works in Criminal Audit, a government (in a world where the government is joined with a private company called the Company) department where the punishment for all crimes are fines, and the audit calculates these fines. He goes about his life rather apathetically until he was contacted by his old lover, a young mother working the patty line who's given up her daughter to the system, asking him to help her find her daughter.

North cleverly uses a fictional world to dramatise certain aspects of our society that we are already familiar with. The apathy of a regular citizen in regards to politics, the resignation of that's-how-life-is, the huge poverty problem and the glaring divide between different socioeconomic statuses. I'm struck by such a overwhelming sense that Theo, and me, could not change anything. Theo fights against the system with a group of like-minded activists, but he encounters many, many obstacles larger than him. He has many multifaceted motivations for springing into action, and we are treated to a very uncomfortable insight into our own motivations, the motivations of the average person who many think they are morally good, or at least morally neutral, but when you weigh up all the things you've actually done and all the things you've chose to ignore... do we really score positively on the moral scale?

One does not have to operate with great malice to do great harm. The absence of empathy and absence of understanding are sufficient (Charles M. Blow)

...more

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May 19, 2019 lucky little cat rated it really liked it

You'll always remember this as the one where Claire North leaves a multitude of sentences unfinished

and that's
We wouldn't have it any other
Naturally North isn't going to do dystopia like any

But it's worth it. North's near-future England is finally so completely privatized that entering the Cotswolds (here a bastion of thoughtless 1% entitlement) requires the proper border permit.

The 1% are firmly in charge, and they keep the less privileged 99%, that horde of hapless, unconnected nobodies, in ...more

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Sep 24, 2018 K.J. Charles marked it as pass

Shelves: dnf, dystopia

My second DNF of Claire North, one of my favourite authors, which is disheartening. In part it's the bleakness. This is a very plausible dystopia where all crime is punished by fines, meaning the rich can do anything while the poor are sent into slavery to work off debts for small offences. It's incredibly dark and depressing and I just don't feel like being any more miserable about the world than I am.

That may change with my mood, but also the narrative style is kind of exasperating. We jump ...more

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Mar 06, 2018 Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: out-in-2018-and-read, favourites-read-in-2018

A clever and challenging read with a great premise - every crime has a price. This is a world in which only the poor are guilty. While this is probably my least favourite of North's novels, largely due to its fragmented and jumpy style which meant I couldn't engage with characters or story as much as I would have liked, this author continues to astound with her imagination and ambition. Full review to follow closer to publication on For Winter Nights. 3.5 stars.

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Aug 12, 2019 Alina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, dystopia

As in every book by Claire North that I've read, I was delighted with this premises: a dystopian London, where public services were privatized and the Company owns almost everything (ex. even the emergency ambulance service asks if you’re insured, tries to upsell the service, and if you’re not insured, they don’t help you). Human rights have also been abolished and the crimes are paid for in fines determined by the Criminal Audit Office: kill a person and you pay 84k credits for a patty line ...more

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Jun 27, 2018 Justine rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I'm so very disappointed. I love Claire North, I automatically buy her books regardless of what they're about. She's unique in her writing and ideas and I love her books. Usually.

Except this one.

There's this thing happening where she writes unfinished sentences. I get that she has her own writing style but this was just irritating and confusing and just too quirky. Yes, if it's explained it can add to the story but this was just half sentences with no context or explanation.

I was really looking ...more

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Jul 17, 2018 Gary rated it liked it

7/17
High-concept SF premise marred by style-over-substance execution.
Full RTC

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Jun 26, 2018 The Nerd Daily rated it really liked it

Originally posted on The Nerd Daily | Review by Jess Magee

What if every crime had a value? And as long as you could pay up, you were a free man? In a world abolished of human rights and the rich can get away with murder, literally, we follow Criminal Audit Office employee, Theo Miller. His job is to catalogue every offence and make sure the crime matches the payment, discounts are even offered for circumstances such as if a ‘lowlife’ was the victim or the offender turned himself in. If anyone is Originally posted on The Nerd Daily | Review by Jess Magee

What if every crime had a value? And as long as you could pay up, you were a free man? In a world abolished of human rights and the rich can get away with murder, literally, we follow Criminal Audit Office employee, Theo Miller. His job is to catalogue every offence and make sure the crime matches the payment, discounts are even offered for circumstances such as if a ‘lowlife’ was the victim or the offender turned himself in. If anyone is unable to pay for their crimes, they are sent to the ‘patty line’ to pretty much becoming a slave for society. Even though the Government are still in power, it is really ‘the Company’ that run the show. Although he has spent years trying to remain anonymous, a figure from his past could jeopardise everything he has tried to hide, when they turn up murdered. Putting a measly $1 value for her life is the final straw and he sets out to end a world he can no longer stay quiet in.

Claire North is an icon when it comes to the fantasy and sci-fi universe! With books such as The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and The End of The Day winning countless praise and awards, the hype around this book was insane and so the pressure was on!

The world itself she creates is absolutely astonishing and coupled with her writing style, you truly feel as if this could become a reality. Unlike most science fiction, this novel’s premise was a lot closer to real life workings, allowing for you to truly picture yourself within this dark world. Her attention to detail leaves you mesmerised and somewhat haunted from start to finish. When imagining this world, it does give you a feel of a 1984 by George Orwell kind of society.

The book jumps between different time periods, making sure you don’t lose focus on the true story at hand. Although, this can become a little confusing at times and leaves you rereading pages to figure where we are in terms of time. However, this lack of order really made sense with the plot of the novel, making it just as unique as the story itself.

The character Theo progresses so well throughout the novel. At the beginning, he is seen as somewhat a kind soul who just wants to live a normal life, but as we get further through the story, we learn that this not entirely the case. Whilst admitting he will do anything to get his daughter, we start to see more and more what he is willing to do to get what he wants, showing he is just as dark as the world he lives in.

Overall, this book was an insane ride from start to finish. Although I did worry if it would live up to the hype of her other works, Claire North did not disappoint with her new novel. She has really tapped into a section of the science fiction genre I didn’t even know we needed until now. I will warn that this is definitely a heavy read and you may find yourself needing to walk away to take what Claire North has thrown you. However, for anyone looking for an action-packed book, I think you have found your answer! ...more

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Aug 11, 2018 Josh rated it did not like it

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, Claire North’s first book, was the best book I’d read in years. The concept and the writing style immediately hooked me, and I had to see what else she had written. The Sudden Appearance of Hope and Touch were similarly really strong, original concepts with well-written, robust plots. Without question, I bought The End of the Day when it came out and found it to be vapid, lacking any plot and devoid of the charm and originality which characterised North’s ...more

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Jul 03, 2019 Maja Ingrid rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, fiction

While not as great as The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, it's definitely better than Touch and The End of the Day.

North's writing alone makes her books deserve 5 stars because her style is so unique and beautiful. With that I mean half sentences, repeated words and at times lack of punctuation and sentences beginning in the middle of the line. It might sound bad but it's actually really good.
It's a love or hate kind of style. I love it to bits.

84K is one of North's books where my rating While not as great as The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, it's definitely better than Touch and The End of the Day.

North's writing alone makes her books deserve 5 stars because her style is so unique and beautiful. With that I mean half sentences, repeated words and at times lack of punctuation and sentences beginning in the middle of the line. It might sound bad but it's actually really good.
It's a love or hate kind of style. I love it to bits.

84K is one of North's books where my rating opinion stayed more or less even throughout the whole book, around 4 stars. If you've read my reviews for some of her other works you'll see my rating was between dnf to 5 stars and it was basically just a mess. I think it's the lack of plot that causes that. Her books isn't heavily plot-driven, but more focused on characters, examining them, their lives. About life and death and stuff. This one is no exception, dealing with the value (price) of one's life. It does have some plot in that the main character, Theo finds out he may or may not have a daughter and the mother to the child is killed (the blurb says ex-lover but I think that's an exaggeration they were friends who had sex like once). But what keeps you in is just that, her unique writing, her way to tell the characters stories.

Another thing are the jumbly time-lines. North don't follow the most one-linear way of writing her stories. There are lots of jumping back and forth in the timeline, which sometimes can feel very jarring. I has lots of issues with it in her novel Touch but in 84K I found it easy to handle.

I don't think North's books is for everyone. Her writing style, lack of substantial plot and jumbly timelines will not fall into everyone's tastes. I also think you need to be in a certain mood to read her books. She does get easier to read once you know what to expect from her books. If you like some aspects of her books, but still feels she isn't for you I recommend you to read her Matthew Swift novels, starting with A Madness of Angels followed by the duology Magical Anonymous, starting with The Glass God, which she wrote under the name Kate Griffin. They have a wonderful writing and got more substantial plot and less messy timelines. Really great books. ...more

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Jul 09, 2018 Marianne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed-copy-returned, wishlist

84K is the fifth novel by British author, Claire North. Theo Miller (not his real name) works at the Criminal Audit Office. When a crime has been committed, his job is to calculate what the cost to the guilty will be. It can be a little complicated, but he has formulae and algorithms to guide him. It’s a job. He hasn’t given much thought to what happens to those too poor to pay.

But then, from his deep past, when he wasn’t yet Thomas Miller, comes Dani Cumali, wanting him to help her find her 84K is the fifth novel by British author, Claire North. Theo Miller (not his real name) works at the Criminal Audit Office. When a crime has been committed, his job is to calculate what the cost to the guilty will be. It can be a little complicated, but he has formulae and algorithms to guide him. It’s a job. He hasn’t given much thought to what happens to those too poor to pay.

But then, from his deep past, when he wasn’t yet Thomas Miller, comes Dani Cumali, wanting him to help her find her daughter. His daughter. Could it be? When he finally overcomes his reticence, it’s too late: Dani has been murdered. Her case crosses his desk at work, and after the legal wrangles are done and her assassin pays a paltry 84,000 pounds (84K) to avoid jail and publicity, perhaps that’s when it finally sinks in for Theo: it gets personal.

What The Company, the one that effectively runs the country, doesn’t realise is that Dani has dirt on them, important dirt. And her last words to Theo were “She’s your daughter. Don’t f##k it up.” Theo’s had a pretty mediocre go at life; could he do one good thing? Could he save Lucy? And ensure that she has a better life?

Perhaps the best dystopian stories are those that vary from the way of life with which we are all familiar by a matter of mere degrees. The suspension of disbelief required is then minor and that makes it all the more alarming. North achieves this with consummate ease. Most of us have by now experienced victim blaming and lesser rights for aliens (Trump era): North takes it just a bit further, so that Thomas’s Criminal Auditing job, the epitome of dehumanising crime, is not such a far stretch.

We’re already seeing gated communities, relocation of the aesthetically distasteful poor, corporate sponsorship/ownership of sports teams and venues, privatised public services (police, hospitals, prisons) with the attendant increase in prices and decrease in service. The world North presents is not so far from that; in fact, it rings so frighteningly true that we have to hope she’s not too prescient.

While most of the story is told in two time periods, there is, throughout both, constant recall of past events, as well as multiple echoes of recent incidents, repeated almost like reminders. While times are not clearly marked, the context precludes ambiguity. And despite the nature of the tale, there is humour, some of it quite dark: Theo is unable, as he commits all manner of crimes, to stop himself from auditing his own misdeeds in a running mental commentary. Topical and salutary, this is another brilliant read.
...more

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Jul 08, 2018 Robyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018

3.5 that I'm rounding up. This was a bit of a rough one to listen to; the ever changing timeline was hard to grasp at the beginning, but it became clear soon enough (plus wonderful narration). The real issue was that this is a dark book, one that is scarily plausible - not much of an escape in this day and age! If you like Claire North's other books, you'll probably like this one!

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Jun 19, 2018 MTK rated it liked it

A startingly unoriginal book from a startingly original writer.++

For me, Claire North is one of the few writers whose books I buy automatically. And one of the things I always appreciated most about them is how different they are to anything else published today. Not only does she have a truly unique voice, but the premise of all her novels has always been something new, exciting, innovative. The stories are timeless, but always told from a different angle, like being seen though a lens not only A startingly unoriginal book from a startingly original writer.++

For me, Claire North is one of the few writers whose books I buy automatically. And one of the things I always appreciated most about them is how different they are to anything else published today. Not only does she have a truly unique voice, but the premise of all her novels has always been something new, exciting, innovative. The stories are timeless, but always told from a different angle, like being seen though a lens not only new, but not even invented before. Certainly it helped that I love magical realism, even when it's not very well-done, and North, again and again, did magical realism incredibly well. And I love her writing style, whimsical, a little bit "vague", a little bit "fey", though I realise it's entirely a matter of taste.

This book was a great disappointment. It was not magical realism; fair enough, it never claimed that it was. Sadly, what North decided to write, when she abandoned her usual genre, was the 849,954,654th dystopian novel published in the last year. Yes, I exaggerate, but it certainly feels true that everyone and their grandmother is writing dystopian these days; steady fantasy readers, like myself, feel like they have read these stories before, again and again. I sincerely hope this change of direction wasn't a conscious choise on the author's part to cater to perceived demand, just bad luck and timing. However, that's not the worst part.

Since the market is flooded with dystopian novels, it would be very hard to write an original one, I imagine. North, who pulled one original idea after another for five books in a row, certainly found it impossible to do so. A society in our not-so-distant future taken over by a corrupt goverment and a soulless company driven by profit to destroy the world. Freedoms taken away, opression, economic slavery. An unlikely hero who tries to conform but after a time finds it impossible to do so. A new religion taking root amid violence and terror. Blah, blah, blah. Been there, read that. Not once, but plenty of times. Worst of all, this book is reminicent of Octavia Butler's "Parable of the sower". Too reminicent of it, not quite a rip-off, but very derivative.

I give it three stars, because North remains an excellent writer, though her whimsical writing style doesn't work as well in this kind of book. It's a interesting take on how the world can go to hell via rampant capitalism, it's well written, it's not a bad story plotwise. But I hope the change of direction is not permanent. ...more

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May 14, 2018 Aneta Bak rated it it was amazing

This book is told from the perspective of Theo Miller, and is told in many different time lines. At times, the different time lines seem to blur together, but I think that made me want to read it even more. Theo Miller works in the Criminal Audit Office, where he evaluates crimes and puts a number to said crime. If the “criminal” can pay, they are free, if they cannot they go to the “patty line” where they practically become slave workers. Essentially, if you are rich, you can do anything you ...more

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Jul 22, 2018 RG rated it liked it

3.5* Claire North has a very distinct style. Her prose and writing style in 84k is the what shines best in this novel. The sheer word use and stylistic breakdowns of chapters and sentences would sometimes leave you breathless. Her novels of late have had amazing concepts, this being one of them. The world these characters live in could be some element of the present past or even future unfortunately. However I felt like this was a little more style over substance. The narrative was a little slow ...more

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Jun 02, 2018 Bella rated it really liked it

I was given the first five chapters as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review:

I really enjoyed this excerpt of the first five chapters. It makes me want to know more and what will happen in this world

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May 22, 2018 Kopratic rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

84K was my first foray into the writing of Claire North, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. The description intrigued me, though, so I decided to give it a go. And wow.

This book made me angry. It made me despair. At times it almost made me lose hope, but there was always a thread of hope running through the text. In short, I loved this book.

The most frightening part about this book is that we aren’t really sure the time period it’s set in. It’s at least the future in England and probably 84K was my first foray into the writing of Claire North, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. The description intrigued me, though, so I decided to give it a go. And wow.

This book made me angry. It made me despair. At times it almost made me lose hope, but there was always a thread of hope running through the text. In short, I loved this book.

The most frightening part about this book is that we aren’t really sure the time period it’s set in. It’s at least the future in England and probably the very near future. Money is everything. Is it profitable? It’s worth it. There is a company, which is owned by a company, which is owned by a company, all in turn and ultimately all owned by the Company. They rule everything essentially. The government and all that still functions normally, but everyone knows it’s the Company who really runs the country.

Crimes are audited. If the perpetrator can pay the fee, they go free. If not, they go to the patty line where they have to work odd jobs for the prisons--writing 5-star reviews for companies for example. Did the offender call themselves in? Discount. Was the victim a lowly nobody? Discount. Did the victim have health issues, physical or mental? Discount.

There is such blatant disregard for humanity that it’s sickening. The book does a fantastic job of portraying both the cruelty of the situation and the apathy expressed by the citizens. It does a very good job of showing the inhumanities without condoning them or, at the same time, being overly preachy.

There is a man called Theo Miller. That is not his real name. His friend Dani was killed. She needed his help with something. Taking down the Company maybe. But in this world, where the rich can pay to be stainless, that’s not so easy.

The plot’s not important. Well, it’s not the most important element. The characters and the world drive the story. The characters are incredible. You feel their pain...their apathy...everything. We see flashbacks and glimpses of pivotal moments. We begin in the present...maybe the future...of Neila taking the man known as Theo into her boat, where she lives. He has been badly wounded. The ambulance won’t come. Nobody will. She has no insurance.

The writing especially is spectacular. It messes with time. Time is...was...is

Sometimes the past becomes the future becomes the present. Maybe everything is the present. I’m not saying there’s time travel or anything of the sort. This book is speculative fiction in the sense that it’s a dystopian, not anything magical. (Well, there’s one small part, but whether or not that really happened is up to you, I’d say.) The book plays with the order of things, jumping around different moments of time.

I had to put the book down a few times. This is a heavy read. It’s a slow burn. At times, you may wonder what the point of it all is. I don’t think this book is for everyone. I would suggest reading it slowly. Don’t go in expecting a fast, action-packed story. 84K is the definition of bleak. It sheds a light on the side of society some would prefer to stay hidden. It is a worthwhile read. A spectacular one. One that will haunt you for time to come. ...more

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May 10, 2018 Sandra "Jeanz" rated it did not like it

Shelves: dnf, dystopian

I have attempted to read this book more than once and just cannot get into it.
Its a shame as I loved the sound of the blurb, it sounded like it would be a fascinating read. However the pace of the book was too slow for me and it jumped about a lot. It basically left me feeling like it wasn't going anywhere fast.
I'm afraid its a one star and a Did Not Finish from me.
On a positive note I love the cover image, it's simplistic yet very intriguing at the same time. I would certainly pick this book up ...more

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Jun 30, 2019 imyril rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: subjective-chaos-2018

This started out okay, but I ended up bored and mildly irritated. The dystopia was a little too close to the bone, but the plot was ultimately fairly linear in spite of the non-linear storytelling - and the narrative style eventually got on my nerves. That said, there's some lovely character work along the way (good luck finding anybody to root for, except maybe the insufferably privileged Helen Arnsdale) with a clear-eyed judgement that everybody's a wanker one way or another (except maybe ...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Modern fiction/contemporary/almost science fiction about a man whose past catches up with him in a dystopian United Kingdom, set not too far distant from now. [s]	6	629	Jan 09, 2020 08:56AM
The Blackfalds Pu...: Introduction to the Group	8	6	Jul 14, 2019 02:42PM
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About Claire North

Claire North

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Claire North is actually Catherine Webb, a Carnegie Medal-nominated young-adult novel author whose first book, Mirror Dreams, was written when she was just 14 years old. She went on to write seven more successful YA novels.

Claire North is a pseudonym for adult fantasy books written by Catherine Webb, who also writes under the pseudonym Kate Griffin.

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“I have lead a thoroughly despicable life. Or rather... not despicable. My evils have been ordinary evils. My sins against the world are daily, little sins that no one would question. I am a normal man. I am a normal man, and have done no wrong, and there is a place in hell waiting for me.” — 4 likes

“We all knew, of course. Everyone knows, but no one looks. We don’t look because if we look it makes us evil because we aren’t doing something about it, or it makes us sad because we can’t do anything about it, or it proves that we’re monsters when we always thought we were righteous because we won’t do anything about it. Either way, safer not to look.” — 3 likes

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