The author swings and largely hits with this entry. The premise is dark but it's wrapped in a lightness that makes it accessible to the average reader. While the plot and its devices are clever and ultimately a good choice, the central characters let the story down somewhat.
As the reader you want to buy into the central narrative and the push and the pull but I myself, as a reader, couldn't find myself being immersed in the way that I know the author wanted me to be. I do enjoy this infinitely more than this author's other dystopian entry, namely Never Let Me Go, but there's something missing.
The author is talented. His voice is clear. His narrative is strong and tight and not meandering as he sometimes does. At its core this story doesn't deliver on its stakes. The story promises an exploration into what it means to have a relationship and what a relationship is at its core, as well as the fine line between living actively and passively, as well as that obvious exploration into what it means to be. But I didn't buy the main character enough to really care about exploring any of those stakes beyond how they appeared on the page.