A savage science-fiction satire posits an alien invasion that leaves the human underclass dependent on the ruling vuvv for access to food and jobs. Enamoured of 1950s movie values, the vuvv can be charmed by artificial displays of chaste, “gee whizz” romance – but can artist Adam earn enough from such displays to afford medical care, even as he and his girlfriend start to hate each other? Mordant and meditative, Anderson’s writing intertwines social satire with ideas of despair, hope and the nature of art.
IMOGEN RUSSELL WILLIAMS Guardian Review
