Unfit
Debut novel by Karma Chesnut
What if you were judged entirely by the quality of your DNA? What would life be like after a pandemic? That's reality for John Hunter. Read his story.
Debut novel by Karma Chesnut
What if you were judged entirely by the quality of your DNA? What would life be like after a pandemic? That's reality for John Hunter. Read his story.
Nearly a century has passed since the world was devastated by pandemics and wars that wiped out over ninety-percent of the earth's population. To assure the survival of mankind, the leaders of the rebuilt city of Haven are breeding a better human race: meaning those deemed too stupid, too weak, too poor - too "unfit" - are arrested and forcibly sterilized.
John Hunter is a penniless, self-educated young man from the wrong side of Haven struggling to make something of himself to provide for his wife and their hopes of starting a family. Until the authorities show up and arrest him for the crime of being "unfit." Heartbroken and humiliated, will John abandon his aspirations and resign himself to quietly accept his fate?
Unfit is a powerfully dark post-apocalyptic story where the future of all citizens is determined by the quality of their genes. I thought the somewhat Romeo and Juliet type romance would be stereotypical, but I'm happy to report it's anything but! Unfit is also refreshingly diverse, realistically depicting an autistic side-character who became very dear to my heart. I am really looking forward to the second book!
Karma Chesnut takes a cold-eyed look at tomorrow's nightmares - when some people can be Unfit. This is dark science fiction for fans of The Hunger Games and Gattaca.
Having grown up devouring and loving dystopian novels, I am often critical of their cliches, abstract and unoriginal social critiques, unrealistic or incomplete world building, and more. That being said, this book is everything a dystopian, or any kind of book, should be...Read this book if you love dystopian or just a captivating story. If you’re looking to improve your craft, this would be a great one to read and analyze.
Unfit is a unique story full of characters I cared about. The plot kept me on my toes. The world-building pulled me in. I am so glad I had a chance to read this ARC before publication. It's definitely worth reading.
"As thrilling as The Hunger Games, as relevant as The Handmaid's Tale."
-D.J. Butler, author of Witchey Eye
"Unfit is Gattaca meets Shawshank Redemption. It's a dystopian Gone with the Wind, but this time with a heroic heroine." -Derick William Dalton, author of Houses of Common
"This book is everything a dystopian, or any kind of book, should be."
-Molly Fennig, author of Insomnus
