ENHANCED

A university freshman straddles the line between two worlds in a futuristic dystopian Beijing.

It’s 2124. In the Asian Federation’s New Beijing Metropolis, a post–Genetic Revolution world sees those who can afford it living genetically engineered lives as the Enhanced, with modified attributes that determine their high social status. Seventeen-year-old Lee Urban was born a Natural in the dangerous Outskirts, without any genetic modifications, adopted by an affluent Enhanced family from the Metropolis, and forced to hide the truth about her DNA her whole life. Now, her dream to become an Artisan is predicated on her gaining a high enough social credit score and surviving unscathed the perils of attending Peking University without revealing that she is faking being an Enhanced. But as a mysterious hacker threatens to reveal her secret, Urban’s lies start to unravel, risking herself, her family, and her relationship with her Natural boyfriend, Everest, the only person who accepts her for who she is. The novel excels in its portrayal of an unequal, divided society obsessed with social status and genetic modifications, with technology present in every aspect of life. This premise sets the scene for Urban’s slow journey toward identity and agency. Despite some abrupt transitions, a vaguely defined political setting, and uneven pacing, Urban’s story flourishes in twists and turns that intrigue and engage. Most characters are assumed to be of Chinese descent.

Uneven but ultimately satisfying.