Individutopia

A Novel Set in a Neoliberal Dystopia

By: Joss Sheldon

Narrated by: Douglas Thornton

Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

The #1 best-selling author has returned with an orwellian classic....

Beloved friend,

The year is 2084, and that famous Margaret Thatcher quote has become a reality: There really is no such thing as society. No one speaks to anyone else. No one looks at anyone else. People don’t collaborate, they only compete.

I hate to admit it, but this has had tragic consequences. Unable to satisfy their social urges, the population has fallen into a pit of depression and anxiety. Suicide has become the norm.

It all sounds rather morbid, does it not? But please don’t despair, there is hope, and it comes in the form of our hero: Renee Ann Blanca. Wishing to fill the society-shaped hole in her life, our Renee does the unthinkable: She goes in search of human company! It’s a radical act and an enormous challenge. But that, I suppose, is why her tale’s worth recounting. It’s as gripping as it is touching, and I think you’re going to love it....

Your trusty narrator,

PP

Perfect for fans of 1984 and A Brave New World. Not so great for neoliberals....

©2018 Joss Sheldon (P)2019 Joss Sheldon

Critic reviews

"Sheldon's gloriously colourful writing makes leaping from our world to Individutopia's wholly believable... (It's) like the book is speaking to you, and you alone... The roller coaster ride it creates is stomach churning. Suffice to say, Sheldon has once again created a fictional masterpiece grounded in an unnerving reality. Engaging, thought-provoking, and morally arousing, Individutopia serves as a stark warning about where we'll end up if we don't change... One of the most important books of 2018." (The Canary)

"Time will tell if Sheldon's prophesies come to pass. The novel will do well to predict the future as well as novels such as 1984. But one thing is for certain, even now. This rebellious author has spun an exciting tale, filled with twists and turns that will make you want to finish this book in a single sitting. The plot is as well-formed, short and snappy, as any of the great works which have come before it. It really is a modern classic in the making." (The Dallas Sun)

"The author has built an incredibly rich and well-developed dystopian world.... It's very hard to write a sympathetic character in a world where no sympathy exists, but Renee's evolution and eventual exit from Individutopia are believable, and her slow discovery of her humanity is riveting." (The Booklife Prize, Publishers Weekly)

This is the funniest book you will ever listen to

I am not going to waste your time giving you a recap of the book, I am going to tell you straight up this is the funniest book you’ll ever listen to. If this book and narrator doesn’t win any audio awards then I will know they don’t count all The Audiobooks. This narrator when putting Josh Sheldon’s words in action was the funniest thing I have ever heard and I mean on a movie, a comedian… Anywhere. This guy has true talent and I think him in this book were one of those things you only experienced once in a lifetime. The book is genius The narrator is so freaking talented but this is the absolute perfect audiobook and should win every award it qualifies for. I loved it so much I wanted to listen again right away. I know I will listen again but I’m going to make myself wait. This is the best book ever!

Stellar and thought-provoking.

“THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOOD MODERN LITERATURE.”

Except this, I suppose.

The political commentary is a bit too on the nose at times, but that comes with the nature of the work — especially given the lessons the book will have you contemplating.

There is too much to unpack in just a review. You may feel bored at the start, but it’s worth cutting through — the last chapter and epilogue will really make you wonder who you are, and what you have done (and not done) for others.

A part of me, the part that looks for a happy resolution, is never perfectly satisfied by any dystopia. But that’s why we read them, so we don’t have to undergo what happens to the other characters… in Renee’s case, the other 80 million people in London.

Hearing this, in audiobook format, is even better than reading it. The voice matches the style of narration perfectly… especially, once you realize “who” in the story is reading it — that makes it so much better.

Truly a unique piece of art — just like Renee Ann Blanca, “it’s the best!”