I enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale, and decided to try out another book by the author. The Heart Goes Last tells the story of a married couple participating in a social experiment which ostensibly exists to create a new form of society to counteract a severe economic downturn. The idea behind this Consilience experiment is that its participants spend alternate months pursuing their "normal" lives, working in a town which is effectively a compound, and in the town's fairly comfortable prison as inmates, in return for housing, food, and a reasonably level of comfort. From a practical standpoint, this reduces the amount of housing required, and creates additional jobs around the prison industry.
It's an interesting concept, though at first I found it a little unconvincing, due to a number of points which were later addressed by the author. The main characters, Stan and Charmaine are quite flawed and although neither are particularly likable, they are very believable. The novel has elements of slice of life and thriller with a background apocalyptic feel. It's well paced and consistently engaging. Whereas the writing style of The Handmaid's Tale was exposition heavy and poetic, The Heart Goes Last is lighter, faster and more darkly humorous. Recommended.
