THE OFFSET by Calder Szewczak – Review

The nitty-gritty: The Offset presents a grim future, but gives readers plenty of food for thought.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it ended up surprising me in many ways. This is a dark, gritty look at a future where things are so bad that extreme measures have been adopted in order to keep the human species going. Some of Szewczak’s ideas have been explored many times before—for example, how do you handle overpopulation when there aren’t enough resources for everyone?—but I found this to be a fresh, new take on this idea. The Offset isn’t a cheery story by any means, though, and I found some of the elements to be on the depressing side, but the book definitely gives readers a lot to think about, and I find myself still mulling over many of its ideas days after finishing it.

The story takes place in a future England where extreme climate change has decimated the Earth’s resources. A brilliant scientist named Jac Boltanski might be humanity’s only hope—she is the mastermind behind Project Salix, a years-long attempt to restore the planet’s livable carbon dioxide levels by planting thousands of genetically altered willow trees in Greenland. And it seems to be working. Jac is praised by many and is literally famous—everyone knows her name.

But until the project is complete, England has adapted an unusual method of combating overpopulation. Having children is frowned upon, but those who decide to have them anyway must abide by the rules of the Offset. On the child’s eighteenth birthday, he or she must pick one parent to die—”For every birth, a death” as the saying goes. This death “offsets” that child’s existence and keeps the population in check. The Offset is a public execution, as a way for the authorities to reiterate the rules. Despite this horrific practice, many people still have children, knowing that their impending death is worth it.

Jac and her beloved wife Alix have a daughter named Miri, and when the story opens, Miri is about to turn eighteen. Miri has grown up horrified that her parents broke the law to give birth to her, and she ran away from home two years ago because she doesn’t agree with what Jac is trying to do. The story alternates between Miri, who decides to visit her mothers right before her Offset, and Jac, who is away on business and has just made a shocking discovery about her work. As her eighteenth birthday nears, Miri reunites with Alix, who is desperately waiting for her wife to come home so they can see each other one last time. Meanwhile, Jac decides to take on a dangerous mission to prove her startling findings about her project, knowing that she might not make it back alive.

The opening chapter of the book dumps readers right in the middle of an Offset—people have gathered to watch a woman die from electrocution—so it’s clear from the beginning that the story deals with dark, serious themes. Even more disturbing is that Offsets are considered normal and positive experiences. Sure, you don’t like the idea that on your eighteenth birthday you have to choose one of your parents to die, but you’re fulfilling your destiny as a child and helping to make the world a better place. And because this story is specifically about Miri, Alix and Jac, it was shocking to hear that all three are taking the Offset in stride. Miri has already made her choice, and both Alix and Jac are aware of who is going to die, yet Alix is determined to change her mind. This casual approach to sentencing a parent to death was simply chilling!

A good portion of the story revolves around Jac and her discovery that all the work she’s accomplished over the years could be for nothing. If her calculations are correct, her willow trees are dying, which means the eventual end of life on Earth. I enjoyed these sections because the authors did a great job weaving scientific facts into their story, giving credibility to the harsh realities of climate change. I’ll admit most of the science went over my head, but it didn’t matter because it was fascinating. There is also a “countdown” scenario going on that added lots of tension. Jac finds out about her project mere days before the Offset, and she decides to investigate the reason for the anomaly, rather than spend those last few precious hours with her family. But she knows she has to finish her investigation in time to be at the Offset, so it’s a race against the clock.

The story also sets up some complex and thoughtful political themes that I really enjoyed. There are groups of people who hate the “breeders,” as they are sometimes called, the selfish ones who insist on bringing a child into the world. Miri is torn between wanting to join this radical group, and loving Alix (Jac and Miri, however, don’t have a good relationship at all). Miri also understands that Project Salix, which seems like a positive step for the world, is also repressing the lower classes. Instead of housing and feeding the poor, government funds are funneled into the Project, and many people are upset about that.

I mentioned before that The Offset is a serious story with barely any gimmers of happiness, so do be aware going in. I also want to make readers aware that there is some animal cruelty in the story. At first I was charmed by a white rat that befriends Miri and “adopts” her, and it was fun to see Miri carrying the rat around on her shoulder, or tucked into her hand. But things don’t go well for that poor rat, and I had a hard time with those sections.

But for readers who enjoy the social ramifications of climate change and population control, The Offset offers up a lot to think about. Combined with Calder Szewczak’s solid, no nonsense prose, this is a fast-paced, cautionary tale about a plausible and terrifying future.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.