Stan and Charmaine are a married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of economic and social collapse. Living in their car, surviving on tips from Charmaine's job at a dive bar, they're increasingly vulnerable to roving gangs and in a rather desperate state. So when they see an advertisement for the Positron Project in the town of Consilience - a 'social experiment' offering stable jobs and a home of their own - they sign up immediately. All they have to do in return for this suburban paradise is give up their freedom every second month, swapping their home for a prison cell.

At first, all is well. But slowly, unknown to the other, Stan and Charmaine develop a passionate obsession with their counterparts, the couple that occupy their home when they are in prison. Soon the pressures of conformity, mistrust, guilt and sexual desire take over, and Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled.

A dark dystopian comedy thriller which reminded me a lot of the film ''The Truman show'' with its alternate realities. At times very funny but also quite disturbing but as always with Margaret Atwood an excellent read.

Bookclub Sept 17

Reserved for Foreign Author bookbox #3

Welcome to Bookcrossing.

Thank you for catching this book! I hope that you enjoy it and will consider exploring this site and possibly joining. It is free and loads of fun, as you can track your released books in their travels, possibly all over the world!

Please feel free to keep this book for as long as you wish, and whenever you're ready, pass it on. Then watch its journey - you'll be alerted by email each time someone makes a new journal entry. It's all confidential, free and fun (and addictive - but in a GOOD way)!

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Congratulations on finding a Bookcrossing book and Happy Reading!!!

Taken from kinedi's Foreign Authors bookbox

On it's way to Nu-knees as her TBR pile is getting dangerously low😉

Thank you very much for this and other very welcome books that arrived in a lovely postal package this morning, plum - much appreciated! I'd have said I'd read pretty much everything that MA had published but for some reason this one had escaped my notice, so thank you for the chance to remedy that omission! With generous BookCrossers like you being so kind and helpful my dwindling supplies will soon start looking healthier . . . :-)

I can't write what I'm thinking because I don't use language like that :-) But a paraphrase would be something like: this book really messes with your mind . . .

Ms Atwood has an immense imagination, leading her into strange new worlds where the rest of us can only follow in awe. The twin communities of Consilience/Positron, the nightmare world outside, not to mention the craziness of Las Vegas, and the adventure that unfolds within them are all too believable, all too easy to get sucked into . . . It's great fun and a real page-turner!

Plus, I'll never look at a knitted teddy bear in the same way ever again!!!

Thanks again and greetings to both previous owners :-)

In the post as a surprise bonus for a BookCrossing friend to do with as she will :-)

Thank you for this surprise book :-) I'll try to read it before October, however if that's not possible it will be added to the unconvention Newcastle book buffet !

I don't know why but I've been avoiding picking up a Margaret Atwood novel for some years. I seem to remember reading one I wasn't keen on. I loved Blind assassin and can't recall what I read after that and I hold no record.

My faith has been restored after reading this book. I loved it! I'll definitely not pass over any more of her novels, that's for sure!

Reserving for the Newcastle unconvention book buffet :-)

Welcome to Bookcrossing!

You have found a travelling book. Why not join in the fun? Read, release and pass on but don't forget to write a Journal Entry telling us where you found the book, if you read it what you thought about it and where you are going to leave it. If you join bookcrossing before you do the entry you will get an alert when the next person writes up about it and can track its travels. If you prefer to just leave an Anonymous Journal Entry, it will brighten up my day either way. Oh and if you like the book sooooo much you just don't want to let it go that is fine too, maybe one day eh ☺

Enjoy!!

Picked up from the book buffet at the BCUK Uncon in Newcastle.

Thank you so much for this book Yorkshire-lass.

I do like a darkly comic novel and this is a good one.

On shelf if not taken during meet-up.

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