McNaughton, Janet. The Secret under my Skin. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2000.

Continuing my adventures in reading the Science Fiction genre, I choose this book because it has received both the Mr. Christie’s Book Award and the Ruth Schwartz award. It took a little bit to really get into the plot line, as the first 20 pages or so introduce the characters, and explain their circumstances. However, after getting past the first 20 pages, I was once again pleasantly surprised at both the quality of the writing, the development of the plot, and the blossoming of the characters.

Set in the future, The Secret under my Skin creates a scenario where we, in the present and in the not so distant future, destroy the planet, leaving a state of chaos behind. Slowly, our descendants start returning the earth to a harmonious state, but with the fear of technology placed in their hearts by the authoritarian government, it is a hard battle for many. When Blay Raytee is taken from a government workcamp to assist in the training of Marrella, the new bio-indicator, her only possession is a small black box, and the memory that perhaps at some time, she was loved. When her new employers show Blay that not everyone agrees with governing Commission, she must choose whether to believe in what she has always been taught, or change her thinking, and enlist in a battle for the return of freedom and democracy that has existed since before her birth.

Your response: