The most precious of human resources

In a dystopian future less than 200 years hence, the loss of much of the earth's livable land mass combined with rising population levels, had forced a world-wide no growth limit on numbers. No further child can be born without an equalizing death. Consequently, when Janice, against fantastic odds, finds herself pregnant she is not only horrified, but terrified. If she cannot find a 'donor's willing to sacrifice his or her own life, then the birth of her baby will be a death sentence.

The basic story concept, though not entirely new, is a good one and the plot line includes betrayal and conspiracy. But although I enjoyed this tight plotted novella, the actual world setting just did not seem sufficiently well conceived. Although the general population might be very long lived, they are not immortal and fatalities of various kinds must occur on a very regular basis (including murder where there is potential for two or more population openings since the sentence for the killer is automatic donorship.) In so close pressed a living situation, anger and violence must have been a near constant companions to almost everyone. Also, in a world so unwilling for new lives to be born (Only 170 children worldwide at the time in which the book is set - and a very foolish notion to so fiercely limit birth of new people if there is an actual wish for any a population in the future), why would birth mother's be given political power privileges? This reader felt side tracked by these, and other, speculations which rather interfered with the overall premise of the book.

That being said, it was an enjoyable thriller, the solution dropped like bread crumbs for the reader to find along the way. The narration was fine, the book read with clarity and a certain emotion, the individual protagonists given personal voices. I was fortunate in being freely gifted a complimentary copy of The Cost of Living by the rights holder, at my request via Audiobook Boom. Thank you. It is a book which will certainly appeal to many future dystopian readers: it is, after all, an intriguing idea.

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