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Reviewed by:
  • Pills and Starships by Lydia Millet
  • April Spisak
Millet, Lydia. Pills and Starships. Black Sheep, 2014. 283p Trade ed. ISBN 978-1-61775-275-9 $18.95 Paper ed. ISBN 978-1-61775-276-6 $11.95 Ad Gr. 7-10.

Nat doesn’t want to go along with her parents’ plans to end their lives in a week, but she doesn’t see that she has much choice; in this near-future dystopia where resources are scarce, deciding to commit suicide is strongly encouraged. The death package involves a trip to Hawaii, lots of mood-numbing drugs for everyone, and a cultish set-up where the whole family is brainwashed and doped up into submission. Nat’s resistance strengthens when she realizes that there may be a growing opposition to this practice, and that she can perhaps save her family by allying herself with them. While the main concept is gripping, the storytelling lacks edge and impact—this in itself is intriguing given the overwhelming use of “pharma” to dull all sorrow or even strong emotions, but it is difficult to connect with a narrator who seems indifferent to everything. In addition, the fact that these are diary entries written to an unknown being who may find the book in the future dulls the immediacy and suspense of the plot. Patient readers may still find much to consider in this ultimately contemplative glimpse into what might happen if our ability to prolong life exceeds our resources to support it.

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