The Cost of Living

De: Marla L. Anderson

Narrado por: Brenda Scott Wlazlo

A life for a life. No one need die until someone new is born. Then you've no choice.

This novella will take the listener to a dystopian future - a world of adults where birthmothers are a privileged class and every child is a celebrity. Death has been conquered, but overcrowding has led to a government-enforced zero population growth. When Janice learns she is pregnant without authorization, she must find a life donor or forfeit her own. For every child born, someone must die. The math is simple, but the politics are complicated. Janice soon finds herself diving into a deep conspiracy.

For those who love The Handmaid's Tale, this is another take on what the future may hold.

©2018 Marla L. Anderson (P)2018 Marla L. Anderson

Very bleak but interesting look at the future!!!

The Cost of Living tells a very tragic tale of a future gone wrong. Janice is an intricate character. She has the will to continue living in this oblique world but is also willing to give it up so her child can live. When the possibility of having both arises, she will do whatever it takes to make it happen. This was a very gripping story. It will pull you in and keep you guessing. Very well painted picture of the world she lives in.
I really enjoyed the narration.

I was given a free review copy of this audiobook and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Short but Great!

How so much greatness was packed into a short story is beyond me, but it's here.

More please!!

I knew this was a novella but I wasn't prepared for loving it so much that I didn't want it to end. The world development was incredible! Dystopian worlds when well-done are a special treat. This was sorbet in the heart of the Sahara desert.

That ending absolutely blew me away!!! It ended too soon. I wanted more.

Interesting dystopian

Janice finds herself pregnant in a world where one must die whenever there is new life in order to keep the population controlled. In a world where nothing is what it seems including the politics that created the law to control the human population Janice must find a way to not be the one to lose her life for her child.

Janice's Run

This story takes place in a dystopian future where population control is enforced by an elite group of people. Not a very uncommon plot line for dystopian stories. Within this future there are different classes of people who have different levels of freedom from the next class. Life is good for those who have a priority code A pass. Sometimes people may be willing to trade their life for another’s if they are able to live the good life of a priority code A recipient for a few months.

The story is told over a six-month period and moves along quite fast. The plot feels familiar and borrows from a few different ones to form a nice well-rounded story. I think the length was perfect, even though, this world could have easily been expanded upon for a full novel. The two main characters were quite interesting and well rounded. They kept you on your toes wondering what was going to happen next, especially since they were polar opposites. The ending really comes out strong. Definitely worth a listen.

Wlazlo has a nice voice and did a good job telling this story. Her cadence and pacing are spot on and I enjoyed her character voices. She really brought the story to life.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

A Fascinating Twist on the Future

When in this futuristic overcrowded world, Janice discovers she's pregnant without government authorization, she's in big trouble. The rule is a life for a life and the life to be forfeited will be hers if she can't find a substitute donor. Enjoyed the narrator and the story.

The Cost of Living

Fantastic!

I was mesmerized by this dystopian future where over population is controlled by exchanging a life for every new life. The twist at the end was awesome!

I was very impressed with this story by Maria L. Anderson, and I looks forward to seeing more from her.

This was the first narration by Brenda Scott Wlazlo that I’ve listened to, and it won’t be the last.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Entertaining Sci-Fi Short

I really enjoyed the dystopian future setting and background for this novella. The take is one I found very absorbing and thoroughly enjoyed the world building and set up. The narration by Brenda Scott Wlazlo was very good and I look forward to hearing more from her. Her pacing and voices were very good to me, but there was a little bit of background noise for me. Short and entertaining with good narration throughout.


I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

Scifi dystopia in the vein of PKD

'The Cost of Living' is a dystopia in a similar vein to some of the stories of Philip K Dick, or classic movies like Logan's Run or Soylent Green (or less classic movies like Justin Tinberlake's In Time).

Set in a dystopia future the population limit has been set, and if you want to have a baby approval for an increase in population must be given, or someone must die for the baby to live. When Janice get accidentally pregnant she must find a life donor, or forfeit her own life in place of her baby. when an old man offers to be her life donor, she gets more than she bargained for in the deal.

The story is quick and tightly told. There is a lot more going on in this world that could have supported a longer book, but rather than give you everything this short story gives you just what you need. It is well told, with some interesting ideas and backstory. Well worth the time.

Narration by Brenda Scott Wlazlo is very good. Well paced and clear. For a short story she really shines, providing a wide variety of voices, characters, emotions etc. She brings the book to life.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this review voluntarily.

Interesting

This was actually an interesting listen but I found myself asking a lot of questions that were never answered. I believe because it is short they had to fit things in and were not able to explain everything.
There were questions like who is the father. I mean she found out she is pregnant the first thing I would expect her to think about is the father of the baby. But not once did she ask or think about him. Also these people live a long life yet some still look young how? I would have liked more explaination about what happened in the past.
Other than this it was an interesting story with a twist at the end.
There is mention of sex (happens behind closed doors) and use of drugs. Violence is mild.