Genevieve Valentine: Persona

[bibliogramma]

Genevieve Valentine's near-future political thriller is a roller-coaster read with a strong protagonist and a lot to say about colonialism, ecological racism, international politics and power.

Earth is loosely governed by the International Assembly (IA), which appears to function rather like a beefed-up United Nations. Global issues are decided - at least nominally - by the assembly, but most decisions are made behind closed doors, side-deals between countries are common, and the votes are just for show. In an extension of the cult of personality, the representatives of the various countries - known as Faces - are trained and groomed to be public presences, under the guidance of their handlers. The media - called snaps, the new generation of politically savvy paparazzi - follow the Faces, merging personal and policy narratives for the public.

When Suyana Sapaki, Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation (UARC) narrowly escapes assassination thanks to the intervention of Daniel Park, a free-lance snap looking for the big story that will make his reputation, they are both thrust into a shadowy world of shifting alliances where they can trust no one, not even each other.

The political background of the story deals with corporate First World imperialism, the destruction of Developing World ecologies for First World profit, and the internecine battles for personal and political power that lie behind the often shiny surface of hierarchical power structures. The protagonists are both from countries outside the global seats of power; Suryana is Quechua by heritage, from the Peruvian half of the UARC, while Daniel is Korean.

By the end of the novel, both have navigated a precarious path through intrigue and danger - an I can hardly wait to see what comes next in the sequel, Icon, coming this summer.