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Enclave
From the critically acclaimed author of Terra Nullius comes a novel in the tradition of Margaret Atwood and Naomi Alderman that explores a future of surveillance, disruption and segregation that echoes the horrors of a colonial past.
'These are troubling times. The world is a dangerous place,' the voice of the Chairman said. 'I can continue to assure you of this: within the Wall you are perfectly safe.'
Christine could not sleep, she could not wake, she could not think. She stared, half-blind, at the cold screen of her smartphone. She was told the Agency was keeping them safe from the dangers outside, an outside world she would never see.
She never imagined questioning what she was told, what she was allowed to know, what she was permitted to think. She never even thought there were questions to ask.
The enclave was the only world she knew, the world outside was not safe. Staying or leaving was not a choice she had the power to make. But then Christine dared start thinking . . . and from that moment, danger was everywhere.
In our turbulent times, Claire G. Coleman's Enclave is a powerful dystopian allegory that confronts the ugly realities of racism, homophobia, surveillance, greed and privilege and the self-destructive distortions that occur when we ignore our shared humanity.
'These are troubling times. The world is a dangerous place,' the voice of the Chairman said. 'I can continue to assure you of this: within the Wall you are perfectly safe.'
Christine could not sleep, she could not wake, she could not think. She stared, half-blind, at the cold screen of her smartphone. She was told the Agency was keeping them safe from the dangers outside, an outside world she would never see.
She never imagined questioning what she was told, what she was allowed to know, what she was permitted to think. She never even thought there were questions to ask.
The enclave was the only world she knew, the world outside was not safe. Staying or leaving was not a choice she had the power to make. But then Christine dared start thinking . . . and from that moment, danger was everywhere.
In our turbulent times, Claire G. Coleman's Enclave is a powerful dystopian allegory that confronts the ugly realities of racism, homophobia, surveillance, greed and privilege and the self-destructive distortions that occur when we ignore our shared humanity.
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2022
21 people are currently reading
715 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
August 12, 2022
What an amazing dystopia Safetown is! Not that the residents, including Christine and her family would know. It’s the best, safest, most exclusive place, with every need catered for, and an army of servants to allow the residents the best time of their lifes. No work, just enjoy! The news feeds show them what a horrid world it is outside their walls: poverty, wars, civil disruption…How lucky they are to live in Safetown with The Agency looking after them.
But Christine sees the cracks..all of the residents are white, and the staff, bussed in every day…aren’t. Against the grain of the township, Christine starts to think..and then after a shocking turn of events, she is turfed out, and starts discovering life for herself, where every day is a struggle between life and death. Gradually, she survives, and makes her way to Melbourne - surprised to see it as a thriving metropolis despite everything she’d been told, and there she makes her new life - still with the threat of The Agency hanging over her.
With parallels drawn from everything from apartheid to homophobia to climate change to media control (cough Fox News cough) on the population, it’s easy to see this engrossing novel as a modern life gone too far.
But Christine sees the cracks..all of the residents are white, and the staff, bussed in every day…aren’t. Against the grain of the township, Christine starts to think..and then after a shocking turn of events, she is turfed out, and starts discovering life for herself, where every day is a struggle between life and death. Gradually, she survives, and makes her way to Melbourne - surprised to see it as a thriving metropolis despite everything she’d been told, and there she makes her new life - still with the threat of The Agency hanging over her.
With parallels drawn from everything from apartheid to homophobia to climate change to media control (cough Fox News cough) on the population, it’s easy to see this engrossing novel as a modern life gone too far.
January 15, 2023
I think I need to accept the author isn't for me as I had the same issues with this novel that I did with "Terra Nullius"
- Writing style that just doesn't engage my brain. Cannot explain it, but the writing style just does nothing for me, and I find it hard to focus when reading it. And also overuse of cliches when describing thoughts/feelings.
- Lack of character development / very one dimensional characters which leads to me just simply not... caring
- Heavy reliance on a plot twist as a writing device, but lack of originality in dystopian themes. Making it predicable and kind of underwhelming
- More just related to this one but I found a few scenes kinda cringe. The melbourne praise + Halal snack pack moment really
A shame because I want to love this author, hence giving her a second try, but it just didn't work for me
- Writing style that just doesn't engage my brain. Cannot explain it, but the writing style just does nothing for me, and I find it hard to focus when reading it. And also overuse of cliches when describing thoughts/feelings.
- Lack of character development / very one dimensional characters which leads to me just simply not... caring
- Heavy reliance on a plot twist as a writing device, but lack of originality in dystopian themes. Making it predicable and kind of underwhelming
- More just related to this one but I found a few scenes kinda cringe. The melbourne praise + Halal snack pack moment really
A shame because I want to love this author, hence giving her a second try, but it just didn't work for me
August 2, 2022
I was really looking forward to this book but it was kinda bad.
The first third was incredibly slow, and then all of a sudden it’s like a bomb exploded and everything started happening.
There was no build up and there was no suspense. I didn’t really get a sense of what was so bad or dangerous about this town other than there are cameras everywhere and your phone knows more than you want it to - which isn’t really that foreign a concept. There was no alluding to what would be so bad if she broke the rules or even what the rules were.
The way the author described Christine’s interest in Sienna made it sound like it was purely an ‘exotic unknown’ interest rather than sexual desire.
One of the most unrealistic parts was how on earth did this 21 year old mathematician who did nothing for herself survive after being exiled. In ~30 days she learned to trap, skin, and cook animals, build fires, avoid being spotted or captured by drones, fought off and killed a very large man intent on raping her, discovered spots to safely sleep, foraged for safe food. She has an innate sense of direction through the wild, overgrown forest. Slept in, and ate out of dumpsters.
I was thinking of a 2 star rating perhaps 3/4 through and my decision was confirmed when Sienna announced “I’m a spy”. It just felt predictable and lazy, no really unique twist.
Oh and next minute, Sienna tells Christine her mum has orgies with all the ladies she lunches with (ok she didn't say orgies but that’s what I read between the lines)
Towards the end it felt like the author either got carried away and excitedly added in all these unoriginal ideas (spies, orgies, free accommodation, hunted by The Agents (are we in the matrix?) etc), or alternatively she couldn't wait to finish and took the obvious, lazy storylines.
The one good thing that came out of this is that despite my lack of enjoyment of this book, reading it did affirm my relatively new inkling that I unexpectedly kinda like dystopian or speculative fiction stories!
The first third was incredibly slow, and then all of a sudden it’s like a bomb exploded and everything started happening.
There was no build up and there was no suspense. I didn’t really get a sense of what was so bad or dangerous about this town other than there are cameras everywhere and your phone knows more than you want it to - which isn’t really that foreign a concept. There was no alluding to what would be so bad if she broke the rules or even what the rules were.
The way the author described Christine’s interest in Sienna made it sound like it was purely an ‘exotic unknown’ interest rather than sexual desire.
One of the most unrealistic parts was how on earth did this 21 year old mathematician who did nothing for herself survive after being exiled. In ~30 days she learned to trap, skin, and cook animals, build fires, avoid being spotted or captured by drones, fought off and killed a very large man intent on raping her, discovered spots to safely sleep, foraged for safe food. She has an innate sense of direction through the wild, overgrown forest. Slept in, and ate out of dumpsters.
I was thinking of a 2 star rating perhaps 3/4 through and my decision was confirmed when Sienna announced “I’m a spy”. It just felt predictable and lazy, no really unique twist.
Oh and next minute, Sienna tells Christine her mum has orgies with all the ladies she lunches with (ok she didn't say orgies but that’s what I read between the lines)
Towards the end it felt like the author either got carried away and excitedly added in all these unoriginal ideas (spies, orgies, free accommodation, hunted by The Agents (are we in the matrix?) etc), or alternatively she couldn't wait to finish and took the obvious, lazy storylines.
The one good thing that came out of this is that despite my lack of enjoyment of this book, reading it did affirm my relatively new inkling that I unexpectedly kinda like dystopian or speculative fiction stories!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2026
‘Safetynet knew everything.’
This is an uncomfortable look at an uncompromising world, in the near future in southeastern Australia. A world in which those not privileged are excluded from a gated, privately controlled community. Our journey starts on the inside of the community, where Christine (aged 20 something) lives with her parents and seems to be drifting through life. Her father is a powerful man, her mother is remote, and everyone seems to drink far too much. This is a community in which every need of the privileged is catered for, where thinking is discouraged.
Citizens within this community are looked after by servants, everyone is under surveillance and security is tight. Christine is trying to find her best friend, but he seems to have disappeared. And then Christine does something which sees her ostracised from the community and disowned by her parents. She kisses another woman and in this racist, homophobic society that is unforgivable. Christine is sent outside the wall and learns how to survive.
Christine’s journey outside the wall is far more interesting than her existence within it.
Ms Coleman may have set her novel in the near future, but elements are already recognisable. The reliance on smart devices, the data captured about individuals, the existence of enclaves both of privilege and disadvantage.
'These are troubling times. The world is a dangerous place,' the voice of the Chairman said. 'I can continue to assure you of this: within the Wall you are perfectly safe.'
Yes, you are safe: if you conform, are white, heterosexual and cisgendered. Those who are not white are servants (and live outside the wall), those who are not heterosexual or cisgendered are banished. Those who think are in danger. Not all walls are physical: many of us already live within the barriers constructed through our own fears and prejudices.
Confronting, uncomfortable and not at all subtle. And nor should it be: how else can messages of exclusion be made clear? Many of us are blinded by our own privilege.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This is an uncomfortable look at an uncompromising world, in the near future in southeastern Australia. A world in which those not privileged are excluded from a gated, privately controlled community. Our journey starts on the inside of the community, where Christine (aged 20 something) lives with her parents and seems to be drifting through life. Her father is a powerful man, her mother is remote, and everyone seems to drink far too much. This is a community in which every need of the privileged is catered for, where thinking is discouraged.
Citizens within this community are looked after by servants, everyone is under surveillance and security is tight. Christine is trying to find her best friend, but he seems to have disappeared. And then Christine does something which sees her ostracised from the community and disowned by her parents. She kisses another woman and in this racist, homophobic society that is unforgivable. Christine is sent outside the wall and learns how to survive.
Christine’s journey outside the wall is far more interesting than her existence within it.
Ms Coleman may have set her novel in the near future, but elements are already recognisable. The reliance on smart devices, the data captured about individuals, the existence of enclaves both of privilege and disadvantage.
'These are troubling times. The world is a dangerous place,' the voice of the Chairman said. 'I can continue to assure you of this: within the Wall you are perfectly safe.'
Yes, you are safe: if you conform, are white, heterosexual and cisgendered. Those who are not white are servants (and live outside the wall), those who are not heterosexual or cisgendered are banished. Those who think are in danger. Not all walls are physical: many of us already live within the barriers constructed through our own fears and prejudices.
Confronting, uncomfortable and not at all subtle. And nor should it be: how else can messages of exclusion be made clear? Many of us are blinded by our own privilege.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
August 3, 2022
3.5 stars
Claire G. Coleman is one of the authors I can blindly buy every novel of. Her writing style is perfect to my taste, her ability to create the feeling of silent oppression always makes me turning pages. The expectation of something going wrong is very addictive while reading.
The same atmosphere is present in her latest novel. In a slow pace we get to know a seemingly perfect world of the rich and the beautiful, but in every scene the realisation of emptiness and uselessness shines through in glimpses.
The slow buildup of the uncomfortable feeling held until nearly the end.
Unfortunately said end felt way too rushed, too convenient. It was as if all the built up suspension was released in the way of a balloon with a hole. Instead of an explosion a flat feeling was left.
Still the rest of the book gets under one's skin in Coleman's skillful ability to incorporate the oppressed first nation experience.
The next book by Coleman will again be an instant buy for me.
Claire G. Coleman is one of the authors I can blindly buy every novel of. Her writing style is perfect to my taste, her ability to create the feeling of silent oppression always makes me turning pages. The expectation of something going wrong is very addictive while reading.
The same atmosphere is present in her latest novel. In a slow pace we get to know a seemingly perfect world of the rich and the beautiful, but in every scene the realisation of emptiness and uselessness shines through in glimpses.
The slow buildup of the uncomfortable feeling held until nearly the end.
Unfortunately said end felt way too rushed, too convenient. It was as if all the built up suspension was released in the way of a balloon with a hole. Instead of an explosion a flat feeling was left.
Still the rest of the book gets under one's skin in Coleman's skillful ability to incorporate the oppressed first nation experience.
The next book by Coleman will again be an instant buy for me.
July 1, 2022
While this book had a somewhat slow start, I was intrigued right from the beginning.
Enclave centre’s on Christine, a girl living in a walled-off city where something isn’t quite right and everything seems uniform, predictable, monotonous. But inside the wall, they’re safe. Right?
Halfway through this book, the action really picks up and I was so gripped by Christine’s journey, just rooting for her to find her people and the life she deserves.
I also absolutely was not expecting our MC to be a lesbian which was a really pleasant surprise, and had I known, I would have included it in my pride reads! There’s also some side trans, nonbinary and other queer rep which I really appreciated. Queer diversity always makes my heart soar.
Plus, who doesn’t love a dystopian novel, and an Aussie one at that?
My only complaint is there were a few things I would have liked to have seen fleshed out more, like Christine’s relationship with her best friend before they went missing and what happened in the wastelands. Some of these things just felt a little too brushed over for my liking, but I do love me some intricate details.
Trigger warnings for racism, homophobia and transphobia.
Enclave centre’s on Christine, a girl living in a walled-off city where something isn’t quite right and everything seems uniform, predictable, monotonous. But inside the wall, they’re safe. Right?
Halfway through this book, the action really picks up and I was so gripped by Christine’s journey, just rooting for her to find her people and the life she deserves.
I also absolutely was not expecting our MC to be a lesbian which was a really pleasant surprise, and had I known, I would have included it in my pride reads! There’s also some side trans, nonbinary and other queer rep which I really appreciated. Queer diversity always makes my heart soar.
Plus, who doesn’t love a dystopian novel, and an Aussie one at that?
My only complaint is there were a few things I would have liked to have seen fleshed out more, like Christine’s relationship with her best friend before they went missing and what happened in the wastelands. Some of these things just felt a little too brushed over for my liking, but I do love me some intricate details.
Trigger warnings for racism, homophobia and transphobia.
November 9, 2022
While this book contends with many important ideas (racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, privilege, climate change), it tries to cover too much; instead of confronting these topics in any meaningful way, it feels confused and unfocused.
The pacing is off - the first part is so slow that the climax and resolution are rushed and unrealistic. I love speculative fiction, but I couldn’t really identify any nuance in this dystopian world. Also, there is a strange and unnecessary preoccupation with coffee, and one weird moment with a halal snack pack that did not fit.
Such a shame, as I loved Terra Nullius!
The pacing is off - the first part is so slow that the climax and resolution are rushed and unrealistic. I love speculative fiction, but I couldn’t really identify any nuance in this dystopian world. Also, there is a strange and unnecessary preoccupation with coffee, and one weird moment with a halal snack pack that did not fit.
Such a shame, as I loved Terra Nullius!
September 13, 2022
I've heard Claire G Coleman a few times in author conversations, she's always exciting. She is a fast writer/drafter with her own material. She noted that the recent time with the editors took nine months. I think her book has been over-edited for a large market so as to reach people, which is fine.
But I wonder exactly how much of this was deep structural editing, and also how much was asking for new material (the first section?). I got the sense a lot had been cut.
I really valued the utopian part towards the end, it's really important to imagine how things can be and the love story here was really engaging. More time with Christine's trans best friend in this section would have been great.
But I wonder exactly how much of this was deep structural editing, and also how much was asking for new material (the first section?). I got the sense a lot had been cut.
I really valued the utopian part towards the end, it's really important to imagine how things can be and the love story here was really engaging. More time with Christine's trans best friend in this section would have been great.
July 23, 2022
Searing speculative/dystopian fiction set in a near future South Eastern Australia where a high socioeconomic community unhappy with the changes in their world have created their own privately controlled city which protects their way of life.
Inside the walls their every need is catered for and they are kept safe from the chaos of the outside world by The Agency. There is no reason to think about the world outside the walls; that is unless it all starts to feel suffocating for reasons you can’t quite pin down.
Christine, the 20 something daughter of a powerful man feels a sense of dread about the life laid out before her.
What follows is the story of what happens if you feel you don’t fit the expectations of your community.
A powerful allegory about the polarisation of our communities, the power of social media to further divide us and the structures that benefit from the control it brings them.
As a dystopian novel this reads in extremes to deliver the point but many times the extremes felt all too possible. That we are already in gated communities, hemmed in by fear and metaphorical walls rather than physical ones.
Inside the walls their every need is catered for and they are kept safe from the chaos of the outside world by The Agency. There is no reason to think about the world outside the walls; that is unless it all starts to feel suffocating for reasons you can’t quite pin down.
Christine, the 20 something daughter of a powerful man feels a sense of dread about the life laid out before her.
What follows is the story of what happens if you feel you don’t fit the expectations of your community.
A powerful allegory about the polarisation of our communities, the power of social media to further divide us and the structures that benefit from the control it brings them.
As a dystopian novel this reads in extremes to deliver the point but many times the extremes felt all too possible. That we are already in gated communities, hemmed in by fear and metaphorical walls rather than physical ones.
July 22, 2022
Claire G. Coleman has written several books and I even own two of them but I this was the first one of hers I have read. Coleman writes and speaks extensively about the impacts of colonisation and her novels veer into dystopian and speculative fiction with a focus on Australian colonialism. In Enclave we are introduced to a dystopian vision of Australia where segregation and monitoring are the norm.
Twenty one year old Christine is unhappy but doesn’t know how to change her life. Her world is completely regimented but she has everything she could possibly need - a powerful family, unlimited money, black servants to provide everything they need at home. The staff are brought in on buses daily because Christine lives in Safetytown, safe within the walls of the enclave. And the all powerful Agency keeps them all safe. But safe from what?
I liked the initial world building as it took a while to slowly find out what Christine's world was really like. This gave the first half of the book an unsettling feeling as you know that things are off but you don’t really know what is going on. I also thought the queer representation was excellent and introduced trans and non-binary characters in ways that I would not have expected.
Towards the end the different characters and their relationships felt a little over simplified for me and almost felt more YA in delivery. The pacing was also a bit uneven for my taste. The set up and Christine's long journey to safety felt slow in comparison to the ending which moved a lot faster.
But the enclave was such an interesting concept especially as it was set in Australia. Themes of racism, homophobia and big brother surveillance were threaded through. This was an allegory for the evil of our modern world with a nod towards the experiences of First Nations people in Australia.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this. Dystopian novels are definitely my jam! Looking forward to reading both Terra Nullius and The Old Lie which are on my TBR shelf.
Thank you to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy.
Twenty one year old Christine is unhappy but doesn’t know how to change her life. Her world is completely regimented but she has everything she could possibly need - a powerful family, unlimited money, black servants to provide everything they need at home. The staff are brought in on buses daily because Christine lives in Safetytown, safe within the walls of the enclave. And the all powerful Agency keeps them all safe. But safe from what?
I liked the initial world building as it took a while to slowly find out what Christine's world was really like. This gave the first half of the book an unsettling feeling as you know that things are off but you don’t really know what is going on. I also thought the queer representation was excellent and introduced trans and non-binary characters in ways that I would not have expected.
Towards the end the different characters and their relationships felt a little over simplified for me and almost felt more YA in delivery. The pacing was also a bit uneven for my taste. The set up and Christine's long journey to safety felt slow in comparison to the ending which moved a lot faster.
But the enclave was such an interesting concept especially as it was set in Australia. Themes of racism, homophobia and big brother surveillance were threaded through. This was an allegory for the evil of our modern world with a nod towards the experiences of First Nations people in Australia.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this. Dystopian novels are definitely my jam! Looking forward to reading both Terra Nullius and The Old Lie which are on my TBR shelf.
Thank you to @hachetteaus for my #gifted copy.
July 15, 2022
Enclave by Claire G. Coleman is breathtaking. One of the most intense and uniquely Australian dystopian novels I have ever read. The courage and strength of the main character Christine as her journey unfolds just ripped my heart out. The landscape is familiar yet not. The sky and shore line altered. But it cried out to my soul. I have seen Australian dystopian novels get a lot of press over the last few years and they have been seriously disappointing. This, this novel, deserves to be read, to be shared, to hold a place on bookshelves. My copy wont be taking a trip to the second hand shop, it’s staying.
January 21, 2023
Slow and monotonous from its first page to where I couldn’t bear it anymore. Really hard to imagine finishing this book, particularly when it claims to deal with modern racism and then doesn’t even hint at that in the first 70ish pages. 1 star for the dystopian concept.
January 28, 2024
Yeah nah don't bother. Good concept executed poorly.
It starts with good promise and intrigue, tries to cover too much, and just drags on to a predictable end.
Yeah nah don't bother.
It starts with good promise and intrigue, tries to cover too much, and just drags on to a predictable end.
Yeah nah don't bother.
June 16, 2023
Coleman is great at plot and structure, and this is an enjoyably tense book which keeps you reading to learn more, but about the mysteries and to see what happens to our plucky if slightly clueless protagonist. Coleman also has strong social commentary, not exactly subtle, but definitely apt. She has a sharp eye for the connections between colonialism, power, wealth, gender and the Anthropocene and here there is a welcome celebration of the potential of queer activists of colour to build better things. I found myself a little distracted by parts of the book that I found implausible - this could be because, despite saying I want to read more hopeful books, I am leaning too hard on cynical pessimism rather than being Coleman's fault. I am also impressed by how Coleman manages to have a distinct style, but produce quite different variations of sf in her three novels. Given she doesn't seem likely to run out of tricks soon, I am intrigued by where she will go next.
July 19, 2022
This is the first adult book I’ve read in a long time and I’m not sure if it’s the fact that the quality of YA fiction is so low or that this was just really good.
Enclave centres around Christine of whom lives in a walled-in ‘enclave’ and doesn’t know what to do with herself now that she’s left uni and is struggling with the sudden disappearance of her best friend Jack.
It has all of the themes of those books that you would typically read in high school. Racism, secretive governments, lgbtqia+ etc. It was just so much better, it was well written by giving the reader enough information to understand what was happening whilst having some mystery there as well.
Overall I loved the writing style and just the general storytelling. I must say this definitely has the potential to become a modern classic (as someone who dislikes classics).
Ages 16+ due to confronting and potentially triggering themes including depression, suicide and torture.
Enclave centres around Christine of whom lives in a walled-in ‘enclave’ and doesn’t know what to do with herself now that she’s left uni and is struggling with the sudden disappearance of her best friend Jack.
It has all of the themes of those books that you would typically read in high school. Racism, secretive governments, lgbtqia+ etc. It was just so much better, it was well written by giving the reader enough information to understand what was happening whilst having some mystery there as well.
Overall I loved the writing style and just the general storytelling. I must say this definitely has the potential to become a modern classic (as someone who dislikes classics).
Ages 16+ due to confronting and potentially triggering themes including depression, suicide and torture.
January 13, 2024
I haven't read a lot of dystopian fiction, but tend to enjoy it when I do. This one was no exception. A predictable storyline, and it felt quite drawn out in parts, but still a good read. Definitely plays on current concerns around increasing surveillance and people being kept in or out of spaces for the "safety" of others. Homophobia, racism, and greed. All the fun stuff.
September 21, 2022
This novel confused me. The first act was very slow, which I could reason was intentional in matching the main character’s ennui and sheltered upbringing. But then the second and third acts felt very rushed, with a few too many coincidences. Whilst most questions were answered about how the Enclaves were formed and the truth about Christine’s family, I was left feeling a little dissatisfied by the ending.
The themes of racism, sexism, capitalism and homophobia were good in theory but I didn’t feel they were explored on a deep enough level where I learned anything or gained new perspectives. A shame as I expected a deep dive into these considering the setting of the novel.
The themes of racism, sexism, capitalism and homophobia were good in theory but I didn’t feel they were explored on a deep enough level where I learned anything or gained new perspectives. A shame as I expected a deep dive into these considering the setting of the novel.
October 29, 2022
A bit like an episode of Black Mirror. Had some interesting concepts and I liked aspects of the world building, I wanted to know more though. Ultimately I didn't find the world very credible, and I didn't buy into the relationships either, it was a bit too 2-dimensional and contrived.
September 6, 2022
This is a super unsettling read with a lot of relevant context despite its future dystopia setting.
Christine has been born into Safetown, a walled off community feed a constant diet of fear and vigilance of the outside world. Every need is meet and looked after, almost before it even occurs to you due to the hyper surveillance and monitoring of every resident. Despite this Christine is caught in a malaise, unsure of her future, her place, but most importantly despondent at the disappearance of who she considered her one true friend, Jack.
The first half of the book that takes place in Safetown is hard to get into. Christine seems naive of what is truely happening around her. Though, you do come to realise that is because she is a product of her environment. Her questioning of the status quo and her situation is a half hearted internal dialogue, a dithering that borders on frustrating. It's not until an event that leads to seeing the unfiltered world beyond the walls that this book truely comes to life.
This is a novel that examines the world's current reaction to climate change and it's possible future reaction. It's a study of our evolving (and non-evolving) relationships with race, class, sexuality, gender and colonisation. Christine is a hard protagonist to grapple with. At times she is impossibly ignorant, her mind is slow to open to the possibilities of the deception of her upbringing and the realities of what that entails, like I said, this is of course a by product of her sheltered life but it does make it frustrating to read. This often makes the pacing of the book a bit uneven, between the action (especially in the second half) to Christine's inner thoughts.
A couple of things could have been more fleshed out. Christine's friendship with Jack seemed very shallow compared to the more complex thoughts she seemed to entertain around her relationships with her family. The reunion between Christine and a former servant, Sienna, felt rushed too... a focus but not a focus and the complexities of what that reunion meant for both characters too glossed over. But I dream of Melbourne utopia. Vertical walls of green. Universal income. The fantasy of it all was a delight in a novel that was heavy on the bleak possibilities of society.
Christine has been born into Safetown, a walled off community feed a constant diet of fear and vigilance of the outside world. Every need is meet and looked after, almost before it even occurs to you due to the hyper surveillance and monitoring of every resident. Despite this Christine is caught in a malaise, unsure of her future, her place, but most importantly despondent at the disappearance of who she considered her one true friend, Jack.
The first half of the book that takes place in Safetown is hard to get into. Christine seems naive of what is truely happening around her. Though, you do come to realise that is because she is a product of her environment. Her questioning of the status quo and her situation is a half hearted internal dialogue, a dithering that borders on frustrating. It's not until an event that leads to seeing the unfiltered world beyond the walls that this book truely comes to life.
This is a novel that examines the world's current reaction to climate change and it's possible future reaction. It's a study of our evolving (and non-evolving) relationships with race, class, sexuality, gender and colonisation. Christine is a hard protagonist to grapple with. At times she is impossibly ignorant, her mind is slow to open to the possibilities of the deception of her upbringing and the realities of what that entails, like I said, this is of course a by product of her sheltered life but it does make it frustrating to read. This often makes the pacing of the book a bit uneven, between the action (especially in the second half) to Christine's inner thoughts.
A couple of things could have been more fleshed out. Christine's friendship with Jack seemed very shallow compared to the more complex thoughts she seemed to entertain around her relationships with her family. The reunion between Christine and a former servant, Sienna, felt rushed too... a focus but not a focus and the complexities of what that reunion meant for both characters too glossed over. But I dream of Melbourne utopia. Vertical walls of green. Universal income. The fantasy of it all was a delight in a novel that was heavy on the bleak possibilities of society.
July 12, 2022
Christine lives in Safetown, a gated community/city where all their needs are provided for and every second of their lives is monitored. The media tells them outside the city isn't safe, there are wars, violence, inside they are safe and free. But after her best friend disapears Christine begins to wonder if her family and the media are telling the whole truth. When Christine is caught kissing a brown, female, servant, her life is turned upside down and for the first time she leaves the safety of her home to find the woman she has fallen in love with.
Although this novel is set firmly in a dystopian world, it isn't depressing, in fact many part were hopeful and uplifting. Though there is fear and violence in this world there is also hope and a beautiful love story between Christine and Sienna - two very different people who find and love each other despite the odds. Claire G Coleman is an automatic buy for me so I bought this without even reading the blurb. She has such a beautiful way of writing and weaving Indigenous stories and history, and current social issues into different genres. It brings a deeper emotion into the well trodden dystopian genre and I genuinely felt for Christine. Christine leaving the enclave reminded me of people leaving a cult and how they really are reliant on the kindness of strangers to find their way in a new world. It made me consider how we treat those who are exiled either from their countries or their families for being different, and how we can all do better. If you've never read any of Coleman's books do yourself a favour a pick one up, they are amazing
Although this novel is set firmly in a dystopian world, it isn't depressing, in fact many part were hopeful and uplifting. Though there is fear and violence in this world there is also hope and a beautiful love story between Christine and Sienna - two very different people who find and love each other despite the odds. Claire G Coleman is an automatic buy for me so I bought this without even reading the blurb. She has such a beautiful way of writing and weaving Indigenous stories and history, and current social issues into different genres. It brings a deeper emotion into the well trodden dystopian genre and I genuinely felt for Christine. Christine leaving the enclave reminded me of people leaving a cult and how they really are reliant on the kindness of strangers to find their way in a new world. It made me consider how we treat those who are exiled either from their countries or their families for being different, and how we can all do better. If you've never read any of Coleman's books do yourself a favour a pick one up, they are amazing
November 4, 2024
Content warnings: death, homophobia, racism, sexual assault, alcoholism, shitty parenting, gun violence, racial slurs, animal death, gaslighting, police brutality
3.5 stars
This......was odd. I've read and loved Terra Nullius and The Old Lie in the past, and yet there was just something about this one that had me putting off reading it. I couldn't articulate why, but every time I picked it up, I'd open it to page 1 and then put it back on the shelf again.
Anyway, I'm glad I finally read it but I don't think it will have the longer term impact on me that Coleman's previous books have had. It's dystopian rather than sci-fi, and it doesn't weave Aboriginal history into the future the way her previous books did. And don't get me wrong, it's still a powerful story. But at times I found Christine such an utterly unlikeable protagonist that I could only read small chunks of the story at a time.
Ultimately, the ideas were intriguing but I don't think those ideas were quite as developed as I would have liked them to be.
3.5 stars
This......was odd. I've read and loved Terra Nullius and The Old Lie in the past, and yet there was just something about this one that had me putting off reading it. I couldn't articulate why, but every time I picked it up, I'd open it to page 1 and then put it back on the shelf again.
Anyway, I'm glad I finally read it but I don't think it will have the longer term impact on me that Coleman's previous books have had. It's dystopian rather than sci-fi, and it doesn't weave Aboriginal history into the future the way her previous books did. And don't get me wrong, it's still a powerful story. But at times I found Christine such an utterly unlikeable protagonist that I could only read small chunks of the story at a time.
Ultimately, the ideas were intriguing but I don't think those ideas were quite as developed as I would have liked them to be.
August 9, 2022
This was a really thought-provoking speculative fiction read!! The novel follows a privileged 21 year old woman called Christine who lives inside the Enclave with her family and high-ranking father.
The Enclave is a city with a physical wall that keeps occupants inside and outsiders from entering. It also has internet firewalls stopping outside information or media from getting inside to the people living in the Enclave.
I found the first 1/3 of the novel a bit difficult to get through and I think this was partly by design. Safetown is a claustrophobic, racist, homophobic, Orwellian, white supremacy fantasy - making it a very dull and rather boring society to read about. It is a utopia for those at the top of Enclave’s hierarchy and a despicable dystopia to the people of colour employed to clean and cook for the white members of the Enclave society.
I listened to the Garrett: Writers on writing Podcast where Coleman was interviewed about this book. She raised some very interesting discussion points, the most significant being that every dystopia is a utopia for somebody or it wouldn’t exist. This also implies that every utopia is a dystopia for somebody and vice versa. This is something I hadn’t thought about before but through the lens of this work of speculative fiction and the world that Coleman has created, it really is incredibly obvious that this is the case.
It’s difficult to review this one without spoilers and since I don’t want to give too much away, I might have to leave it at that. Please give it a read if you like a thought-provoking and politically charged fiction novel or are in the mood for some Australian dystopia. It’s very clever and well written!!
Thank you Hachette Australia for the gifted copy!
The Enclave is a city with a physical wall that keeps occupants inside and outsiders from entering. It also has internet firewalls stopping outside information or media from getting inside to the people living in the Enclave.
I found the first 1/3 of the novel a bit difficult to get through and I think this was partly by design. Safetown is a claustrophobic, racist, homophobic, Orwellian, white supremacy fantasy - making it a very dull and rather boring society to read about. It is a utopia for those at the top of Enclave’s hierarchy and a despicable dystopia to the people of colour employed to clean and cook for the white members of the Enclave society.
I listened to the Garrett: Writers on writing Podcast where Coleman was interviewed about this book. She raised some very interesting discussion points, the most significant being that every dystopia is a utopia for somebody or it wouldn’t exist. This also implies that every utopia is a dystopia for somebody and vice versa. This is something I hadn’t thought about before but through the lens of this work of speculative fiction and the world that Coleman has created, it really is incredibly obvious that this is the case.
It’s difficult to review this one without spoilers and since I don’t want to give too much away, I might have to leave it at that. Please give it a read if you like a thought-provoking and politically charged fiction novel or are in the mood for some Australian dystopia. It’s very clever and well written!!
Thank you Hachette Australia for the gifted copy!
September 3, 2022
Enclave is the newest novel by Claire G. Coleman. Like with her other books, I find them so easy to read and love the way she builds the tension and leaves you the whole time feeling deeply unsettled.
Set in a dystopian Australian colony, Safetown, where "SafetyNet" knows and sees everything. Where being different is undesirable and those that don't fit the mold end up expelled and left in a literal wasteland. Christine is young and questioning, her best friend has disappeared and she's starting to feel like maybe things aren't as she's always been told. Is the world outside really everything she's been left to believe?
I love the way Coleman is able to write about the impact of colonisation in this way, in her own unique speculative dystopian way. Again Claire G. Coleman confronts the realities of racism, homophobia, power and privilege. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5).
Set in a dystopian Australian colony, Safetown, where "SafetyNet" knows and sees everything. Where being different is undesirable and those that don't fit the mold end up expelled and left in a literal wasteland. Christine is young and questioning, her best friend has disappeared and she's starting to feel like maybe things aren't as she's always been told. Is the world outside really everything she's been left to believe?
I love the way Coleman is able to write about the impact of colonisation in this way, in her own unique speculative dystopian way. Again Claire G. Coleman confronts the realities of racism, homophobia, power and privilege. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5).
August 31, 2022
I absolutely loved the vivid world building in this book - I feel like I was inside the Enclave, seeing it all first hand; and I can’t wait to live in the luscious futuristic version of Melbourne - an urban jungle oasis!
If anything I wanted the take down of the Enclave to be drawn out a little longer - to savour that triumph… perhaps a whole second book?!
Great writing though and some serious food for thought about topics that we are dealing with in our society today. The enclave could easily represent any number of groups or organisations that are trying to control its members and is an example of the affects of censorship.
Amazing - thoroughly enjoyed it.
If anything I wanted the take down of the Enclave to be drawn out a little longer - to savour that triumph… perhaps a whole second book?!
Great writing though and some serious food for thought about topics that we are dealing with in our society today. The enclave could easily represent any number of groups or organisations that are trying to control its members and is an example of the affects of censorship.
Amazing - thoroughly enjoyed it.
September 4, 2022
What a great read. A bit too close to home with Safety net knowing everything. I am a fan of Claire's writing, it is so honest and real.
May 20, 2023
Cool concept, shitty execution.
July 28, 2024
A slow burn, character-driven dystopia. I enjoyed it, although I found the ending a bit unrealistic.
June 15, 2025
Enjoyed the start of this book, middle was slow and the end was very, very rushed with too much going on.
August 29, 2022
First Claire G Coleman book I’ve read and it’s made me want to read more. Lots of interesting concepts and timely topics around state surveillance, media & internet control/censorship. Opening setup probably dragged a little, but the pace picked up through subsequent parts.
July 19, 2025
If I was to sum up Enclave in one word, it would be "anemic."
That might be all I needed to leave my thoughts on this work, but simply saying a work is "anemic" isn't particularly informative, so while I don't have much to say about this work, here's my thoughts:
-The protagonist deals with Christine who lives in Safetown - a walled community replete with a wall (that the cover art makes look like something out of Super Mario Land for some reason 0_0), that's also replete with turrets, drones, and security. I'll deal with the worldbuilding elements later, but Christine is...alright, Christine kind of sucks. There's a saying in writing that states "give your character weaknesses, don't make them weak." Of course, another saying in writing is "you need to know the rules [of writing] so you know when you can break them," but reading this, the first saying comes to mind.
Christine is a character that's reactive for 90% of the novel. Things happen to her, there's very little she actually does for herself. Being as generous as possible, I could say that Christine gets as far as she does because of the kindness of strangers, which does tie into one of the book's themes, but even if that arguably works thematically, it still doesn't work on the level of character. While that's arguably damning enough, Christine's romance with Sienna has got to be one of the poorest romances I've ever seen in fiction. EVER. Basically, it can be summed up as:
1: Christine sees Sienna the first time, is attracted to her.
2: Christine sees Sienna the second time, they end up kissing passionately.
3: Christine pines for Sienna for 80% of the book
4: Christine reunites with Sienna, turns out Sienna loves her too for vaguely defined reasons.
5: Cut forward about a year, they're engaged
I, um, what? I was expecting through the novel that Christine's love would be unrequited, because interacting twice and having a fling on the second go is rarely the basis for a long-term relationship but no, Sienna truly loves Christine, despite only having interacted with her a handful of times.
It's made even worse because in their interactions, it's less that the characters are talking "at" each other, not "with" each other. It doesn't help that none of the interactions up to point 4 above have any real dialogue, and when we reach Point 4, Sienna's reasons for loving Christine are "I like you because you're not like the other residents of Safetown" (which is technically true, but Sienna has no real way of knowing that beyond Christine not being terrible), and "I know you're racist, but I love you anyway" (even though Christine's never actually done or said anything of the sort), and apparently that's enough to make Sienna love her because...reasons?
-The actual writing of the book is fairly anemic as well. It isn't uncommon for a chapter to be just a few pages - written in the style of snapshots, but not a snapshot style of story. I already mentioned that the interactions between Sienna and Christine felt like characters talking "at" rather than "with" each other, and this is true for a lot of the novel. As in, a character will come in, state what needs to be said, and move on. While this works at times (e.g. Christine is emotionally estranged from the rest of her family, so this kind of dialogue makes sense in these cases), it doesn't work as well for the rest of the novel. For instance, early on, an Agent (capital a Agent, as in...the Matrix? Can't deny I spotted the similarity) states that Christine has been exiled from Safetown, but the interaction is just a few paragraphs. The Agent says what needs to be said, then moves on. Christine finds a character outside the Wall, then moves on. Christine finds someone in Melborne who helps her, then moves on. Rinse and repeat.
-The worldbuilding of the novel is a mixed bag. Having read both Terra Nullius and The Old Lie, and now this one, I've noticed a trend with Coleman and that's that worldbuilding is really her Achilles heel. Terra Nullius suffered from enough plotholes to sink a starship. The Old Lie's setting suffered from being vaguely defined, and certain events that make no logistical sense. Enclave arguably has the tightest worldbuilding of the three, but that's not because the worldbuilding is particularly good, it's because it simply has fewer plotholes.
Here's what we know about the setting of the work. Enclave takes place in an indeterminate point in the future - late 21st or early 22nd century by my estimate, though the actual year is academic, granted. Christine and her family live in Safetown, which is a walled (literally) community that promises freedom from the outside world. We learn very little about the outside world, but the Enclave's Safetynet does allow us some peaks at the world. Apparently the US has annexed parts of Mexico, Mexico is taking things up with the United Nations, there's still war in the Middle East, and really, that's about it. Also, the world's grown hotter. You can guess, correctly, that Earth is being ravaged by climate change, though we learn very little about what I said above, apart from some islands being swallowed by the rising seas. However, Safetown's control on information is so absolute that despite being located off the coast of Australia, Christine has never even heard of Australia. So, the rulers of Safetown allow information on other countries to get through, but not the country they're located right next to? I'm not saying that's impossible, but it does strain credulity, and raises the question of just how much the average person in Safetown knows about the wider world. We can make a few guesses, but as it's established that Safetown survives as a de facto city state mainly through financial services, clearly there has to be some engagement on some level with the wider economy.
Regardless, we do learn more. While it's never really gone into in detail, we learn that similar enclaves exist (presumably in Australia, it doesn't really specify whether this is a global phenomeon or not) where people have grouped together based on financial, religious, and/or ethnic affilitation. While it's not stated, we can also infer that because of climate breakdown, certain people have grouped together. I actually can't fault this idea in of itself - certainly there's a precedent for this in the real world. However, it's left vague as to why Australia (the country) tolerates this, or whether Australia (as a country) technically exists anymore. We know that when Safetown was founded, the ADF still clearly exists, but by the timeframe of the novel, there's no mention of a federal government. Melbourne (more on that later) is presented as a 'good' type of enclave, almost (diverse, solarpunk, etc.), but taking things as writ, we're kind of left to assume that the entire continent has 'good' enclaves and 'bad' enclaves. I wouldn't mind so much if the novel hadn't already established that countries and the UN still clearly exist (and if they don't exist, there's no realization as such). One of the moments that caught my interest was when Christine gains access to information in Melbourne, but only a paragraph or two is spent on it. Similar to The Old Lie, it's not just that certain information is never presented to the reader, it's that the characters themselves seem so uninterested in at least asking basic questions.
-Concerning theme, I get what the novel is saying, and on that note, it more or less succeeds. If we go with the paradigm that places like Safetown are "bad enclaves," and places like Melbourne are "good enclaves," then the novel does put in the legwork to justify why that's the case, both on the level of worldbuilding and theme. On the latter, the core theme that prejudice is ultimately self-defeating, because even on a purely utilitarian level, places like Safetown are denying themselves human capital through ills like racism and homophobia, whereas a more welcoming place like Melbourne can succeed because it's more welcoming of all peoples, hence why it can thrive. Some of this is outright text, where it's established that places like Safetown are behind places like Melbourne in terms of technology and lifespan. Similar to the idea of enclaves as a whole, this idea has grounding in real life - dictatorships fare worse than democracies on the HDI for instance.
Still, on the level of worldbuilding, this doesn't work as well. As I said, the book leaves things poorly defined as to what the geo-political situation actually is, and Melbourne is stated to be the best city in the world (at least in terms of climate action) because...the people decided to? Considering Australia's been a laggard in this area for the past few decades, assuming that the world here is the same as our own (and there's nothing to suggest it isn't), there's no real legwork as to how or why this happened. I'm reminded of a line in 1984, namely "I understand how, I do not understand why," only for the answer as to "how" to come later. In Enclave, I, the reader, can only say "I understand why, I do not understand how," only the answer as to "how" is never really explained or explored. Similar to Coleman's other works, certain facets of the world are presented "as is," because the story demands them to be.
So, no. I can't give this book anything more than 3 stars. Enclave fits into dystopian sci-fi well enough, but when I think of the all time greats of the genre (e.g. 1984 and Brave New World), those books succeeded on every level, from characters, to worldbuilding, to themes. Enclave only really succeeds on the level of theme. Everything else is lacking.
That might be all I needed to leave my thoughts on this work, but simply saying a work is "anemic" isn't particularly informative, so while I don't have much to say about this work, here's my thoughts:
-The protagonist deals with Christine who lives in Safetown - a walled community replete with a wall (that the cover art makes look like something out of Super Mario Land for some reason 0_0), that's also replete with turrets, drones, and security. I'll deal with the worldbuilding elements later, but Christine is...alright, Christine kind of sucks. There's a saying in writing that states "give your character weaknesses, don't make them weak." Of course, another saying in writing is "you need to know the rules [of writing] so you know when you can break them," but reading this, the first saying comes to mind.
Christine is a character that's reactive for 90% of the novel. Things happen to her, there's very little she actually does for herself. Being as generous as possible, I could say that Christine gets as far as she does because of the kindness of strangers, which does tie into one of the book's themes, but even if that arguably works thematically, it still doesn't work on the level of character. While that's arguably damning enough, Christine's romance with Sienna has got to be one of the poorest romances I've ever seen in fiction. EVER. Basically, it can be summed up as:
1: Christine sees Sienna the first time, is attracted to her.
2: Christine sees Sienna the second time, they end up kissing passionately.
3: Christine pines for Sienna for 80% of the book
4: Christine reunites with Sienna, turns out Sienna loves her too for vaguely defined reasons.
5: Cut forward about a year, they're engaged
I, um, what? I was expecting through the novel that Christine's love would be unrequited, because interacting twice and having a fling on the second go is rarely the basis for a long-term relationship but no, Sienna truly loves Christine, despite only having interacted with her a handful of times.
It's made even worse because in their interactions, it's less that the characters are talking "at" each other, not "with" each other. It doesn't help that none of the interactions up to point 4 above have any real dialogue, and when we reach Point 4, Sienna's reasons for loving Christine are "I like you because you're not like the other residents of Safetown" (which is technically true, but Sienna has no real way of knowing that beyond Christine not being terrible), and "I know you're racist, but I love you anyway" (even though Christine's never actually done or said anything of the sort), and apparently that's enough to make Sienna love her because...reasons?
-The actual writing of the book is fairly anemic as well. It isn't uncommon for a chapter to be just a few pages - written in the style of snapshots, but not a snapshot style of story. I already mentioned that the interactions between Sienna and Christine felt like characters talking "at" rather than "with" each other, and this is true for a lot of the novel. As in, a character will come in, state what needs to be said, and move on. While this works at times (e.g. Christine is emotionally estranged from the rest of her family, so this kind of dialogue makes sense in these cases), it doesn't work as well for the rest of the novel. For instance, early on, an Agent (capital a Agent, as in...the Matrix? Can't deny I spotted the similarity) states that Christine has been exiled from Safetown, but the interaction is just a few paragraphs. The Agent says what needs to be said, then moves on. Christine finds a character outside the Wall, then moves on. Christine finds someone in Melborne who helps her, then moves on. Rinse and repeat.
-The worldbuilding of the novel is a mixed bag. Having read both Terra Nullius and The Old Lie, and now this one, I've noticed a trend with Coleman and that's that worldbuilding is really her Achilles heel. Terra Nullius suffered from enough plotholes to sink a starship. The Old Lie's setting suffered from being vaguely defined, and certain events that make no logistical sense. Enclave arguably has the tightest worldbuilding of the three, but that's not because the worldbuilding is particularly good, it's because it simply has fewer plotholes.
Here's what we know about the setting of the work. Enclave takes place in an indeterminate point in the future - late 21st or early 22nd century by my estimate, though the actual year is academic, granted. Christine and her family live in Safetown, which is a walled (literally) community that promises freedom from the outside world. We learn very little about the outside world, but the Enclave's Safetynet does allow us some peaks at the world. Apparently the US has annexed parts of Mexico, Mexico is taking things up with the United Nations, there's still war in the Middle East, and really, that's about it. Also, the world's grown hotter. You can guess, correctly, that Earth is being ravaged by climate change, though we learn very little about what I said above, apart from some islands being swallowed by the rising seas. However, Safetown's control on information is so absolute that despite being located off the coast of Australia, Christine has never even heard of Australia. So, the rulers of Safetown allow information on other countries to get through, but not the country they're located right next to? I'm not saying that's impossible, but it does strain credulity, and raises the question of just how much the average person in Safetown knows about the wider world. We can make a few guesses, but as it's established that Safetown survives as a de facto city state mainly through financial services, clearly there has to be some engagement on some level with the wider economy.
Regardless, we do learn more. While it's never really gone into in detail, we learn that similar enclaves exist (presumably in Australia, it doesn't really specify whether this is a global phenomeon or not) where people have grouped together based on financial, religious, and/or ethnic affilitation. While it's not stated, we can also infer that because of climate breakdown, certain people have grouped together. I actually can't fault this idea in of itself - certainly there's a precedent for this in the real world. However, it's left vague as to why Australia (the country) tolerates this, or whether Australia (as a country) technically exists anymore. We know that when Safetown was founded, the ADF still clearly exists, but by the timeframe of the novel, there's no mention of a federal government. Melbourne (more on that later) is presented as a 'good' type of enclave, almost (diverse, solarpunk, etc.), but taking things as writ, we're kind of left to assume that the entire continent has 'good' enclaves and 'bad' enclaves. I wouldn't mind so much if the novel hadn't already established that countries and the UN still clearly exist (and if they don't exist, there's no realization as such). One of the moments that caught my interest was when Christine gains access to information in Melbourne, but only a paragraph or two is spent on it. Similar to The Old Lie, it's not just that certain information is never presented to the reader, it's that the characters themselves seem so uninterested in at least asking basic questions.
-Concerning theme, I get what the novel is saying, and on that note, it more or less succeeds. If we go with the paradigm that places like Safetown are "bad enclaves," and places like Melbourne are "good enclaves," then the novel does put in the legwork to justify why that's the case, both on the level of worldbuilding and theme. On the latter, the core theme that prejudice is ultimately self-defeating, because even on a purely utilitarian level, places like Safetown are denying themselves human capital through ills like racism and homophobia, whereas a more welcoming place like Melbourne can succeed because it's more welcoming of all peoples, hence why it can thrive. Some of this is outright text, where it's established that places like Safetown are behind places like Melbourne in terms of technology and lifespan. Similar to the idea of enclaves as a whole, this idea has grounding in real life - dictatorships fare worse than democracies on the HDI for instance.
Still, on the level of worldbuilding, this doesn't work as well. As I said, the book leaves things poorly defined as to what the geo-political situation actually is, and Melbourne is stated to be the best city in the world (at least in terms of climate action) because...the people decided to? Considering Australia's been a laggard in this area for the past few decades, assuming that the world here is the same as our own (and there's nothing to suggest it isn't), there's no real legwork as to how or why this happened. I'm reminded of a line in 1984, namely "I understand how, I do not understand why," only for the answer as to "how" to come later. In Enclave, I, the reader, can only say "I understand why, I do not understand how," only the answer as to "how" is never really explained or explored. Similar to Coleman's other works, certain facets of the world are presented "as is," because the story demands them to be.
So, no. I can't give this book anything more than 3 stars. Enclave fits into dystopian sci-fi well enough, but when I think of the all time greats of the genre (e.g. 1984 and Brave New World), those books succeeded on every level, from characters, to worldbuilding, to themes. Enclave only really succeeds on the level of theme. Everything else is lacking.
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