The best lies to tell are the ones people want to believe.

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Wordies, I got this book recommendation from the wonderful Claire Linney’s TikTok page (she has a bunch of amazing reviews on social media, so highly recommend looking her up). I love all sorts of speculative fiction, but dystopian fiction has a special place in my heart and this book now has a large area of floor space there!

Unless the hole is MEANT to be square,’ I said with a sudden erudition that surprised me, ‘in which case, all the round pegs are the ones that are wrong, and if the ROUND hole is one that is not meant to be square, then the square ones will, no, hang on–‘
‘Shame,’ said the historian, ‘and you were doing so well.’

This book seemed light hearted and quirky dystopian read but it was so much more and left me thinking about all the clever parallels for weeks after I finished.

Set in a futuristic world vaguely modelled on British society, social status and prospects depend entirely on your ability to perceive colour. Marriages are strategic, and moving up the ladder means marrying well.

The story opens with main character Eddie Russet reflecting on recent revelations while being slowly digested by a carnivorous plant. Having being banished to live at the Outer Fringes temporarily as a punishment, he finds that all is not as it seems in the society he had complete faith in… mainly because of a lowly grey he met who seems hellbent on killing him.

This book is intellectual and satirical, with that specific dry, dark humour that I feel is quite unique to the British. It meant that the social commentary was, for me, among the cleverest I’ve ever read. Every time I thought I got it, I’d randomly realise that there was some deeper and more precise criticism there. And it uses this method discuss religion, discrimination, racism, corruption, and various systemic issues. This book is definitely one for the socially conscious overthinkers (who think a lot of the rules we mindlessly accept are stupid).

Characters are ridiculous and brilliant. Eddie is an annoying and curious dipstick-turned-accidental-freedom-fighter who I couldn’t bring myself to dislike. Likewise, the rest of the cast range from amusingly unpleasant to violently unhinged, yet none of them were completely off-putting or evil, and it was clear what part society had to play in it all.

Pacing wise this is a slow book, with lots of exposition which I felt suited the book perfectly. I can also recommend the audiobook as it captures that wry humour and Brit context perfectly.

Lovers of Terry Pratchett books might like this.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

If you were a colour, which one would you be and why?

Format: Audiobook

Listening Length: 13 hours and 31 minutes

Category: Dystopian Fiction

Published: 16 December 2011

About: Hundreds of years in the future, after the Something that Happened, the world is an alarmingly different place. Life is lived according to The Rulebook and social hierarchy is determined by your perception of colour.

Eddie Russett is an above average Red who dreams of moving up the ladder by marriage to Constance Oxblood. Until he is sent to the Outer Fringes where he meets Jane – a lowly Grey with an uncontrollable temper and a desire to see him killed.

For Eddie, it’s love at first sight. But his infatuation will lead him to discover that all is not as it seems in a world where everything that looks black and white is really shades of grey . . .

If George Orwell had tripped over a paint pot or Douglas Adams favoured colour swatches instead of towels . . . neither of them would have come up with anything as eccentrically brilliant as Shades of Grey.

Get Your Copy (Amazon Link)

Buy Shades of Grey (Bookshop.org)