New You For Ever

Nominally set in 2070 but as the preface states ‘it could happen sooner than you think’. New You For Ever imagines a world similar to our own but with AI teachers deciding who can stay on at school and climate crisis an everyday occurrence with heavily polluted streets and truly catastrophic flood events. School drop out Anders Jones and his dad run a small agency that mainly do the jolly “And Finally” pieces at the end of  news reports. Anders’s mum was drowned during the Great Water War of 2064 a part of the new normal in Anders’ world. A somewhat shadowy organisation called The  New You Foundation claim they have the solution not only to the climate crisis but to old age and illness too. A Pleeka (derived from the word Replica) is a copy of your memories and personality incorporated into a permanent new body that looks just like “you”. Pleekas do not eat or drink and can be up-graded with language or skills packages that bypass the need for tedious learning that an ordinary human would undertake. Newer and better Pleekas are coming to the market all the time – with a new youth model that can be up-graded as the Pleeka “ages” -so that the recipient can decide how they would like to look at 16, 18 and 21.  Pleekas are powered by battery which is rumoured to last at least eighty years. It all sounds perfect – no need to get ill or age or pollute the planet. But all is not as it seems. Anders discovers that his dad is deeply involved with The New You Foundation just as they are about to film a big launch for the new youth Pleeka. There,  Anders meets the famous eco-influencer Tera Helstrom who had spoken out vehemently against Pleekas – (because making them is hugely polluting in itself) – but who now suddenly seems to be all in favour of them – what is going on? Can Anders discover the truth behind New You before it is too late and is going Pleeka the obvious choice people have been led to believe? New You raises ethical dilemmas in a pacy and interesting way –  where would everyone go if we all lived for ever? Would such a life style mainly favour the rich who can afford a costly up-grade when necessary and even what it is to be truly human. Should we just dodge pollution with clever hacks rather than trying to fix the issues that are already evident now. Never preachy and very accessible, New You raises issues that we and our young people should be thinking about now before it is too late. Barrington Stoke books are particularly designed to appeal to dyslexic or reluctant readers but it has a timely message for us all.