Amatka

April 10, 2017
Tidbeck reimagines reality and the power of language in her dystopian sci-fi novel. Vanja lives in a world of small colonies where all produced objects revert back to primordial sludge if people do not constantly name them; the failure of one colony in this duty resulted in catastrophic loss of life. To avert similar chaos and destruction, a highly regimented communist collective tightly controls every activity (including recreation, job placement, and child-rearing) and encourages citizens to report any lapse in naming or other inappropriate behavior. The regime, however, has recently allowed some private enterprise, including Vanja’s employer, a producer of hygiene products. Despite her shyness, Vanja is sent to interview the inhabitants of the outer colony Amatka about what products would help them and their underground mushroom farms withstand the harsh tundra climate. In this new environment, Vanja encounters the small subversions of the local librarian trying to save history, her retired-doctor housemate whose questions rattle Vanja, and a famous poet who mysteriously disappeared years before. Emboldened by their actions, Vanja starts to doubt the commune’s motives and rapidly learns that there is more going on than anyone is willing to admit. Tidbeck introduces the mysteries and mechanics of her world slowly while leaving the origins of these pioneers opaque. Her ending takes a turn into much weirder territory, but her tense plotting, as well as the questions she raises about language, control, and human limits make this a very welcome speculative fiction novel.

In this audiobook's bleak future, words shape the existence of objects. When items aren't labeled, or their identity isn't confirmed aloud, they begin to dissolve. Narrator Kirsten Potter's voice is concise and clear, precisely evoking the cold, flinty environment of the colony called Amatka, in which an "information assistant" named Vanja finds herself. Vanja is sent to Amatka by "The Committee" to research the hygiene habits of the locals. What starts as a simple assignment takes a darker turn when Vanja discovers threatening evidence that will put Amatka in danger. Potter deftly alternates between the sharp tone of Vanja's housemate, Nina, and the soft uncertainty of Vanja's voice as a romance begins to bloom despite the icy atmosphere. E.E. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine