Title: The Separation
Author: Thomas Duffy
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 978-1-9835-2087-7
Pages: 306
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Carol Davala
Hollywood Book Review
Through a powerful and thought-provoking premise, Thomas Duffy’s futuristic novel “The Separation” focuses on a society where the government has sanctioned the separation of the sexes at birth, in an effort to alleviate the chaos of the world.
With teenage pregnancies on the rise, college graduation rates falling, and crime reaching new heights, to help restore order and financial stability, the controlling hierarchy have implemented a strict dividing protocol. Here, newborns are taken from their parents, moved to single-sex states, and raised and educated by single-sex instructors until the age of twenty-two. Eventually they are schooled about the opposite sex, pills are given to suppress human desire, and they are introduced to the “real” terms of the world.
Such is the plight of the central protagonist, Finn Parker, a questioning young student and ace mathematician who advances as a top executive and eventually a dedicated teacher. When Finn marries Harvard educated Angela, the couple conceive a child, then in turn must give up their son to society’s dictates. This forced separation becomes the crux of Finn’s ponderings as he begins to question the control of a life’s path that solely values work, money, and stability. His willingness to challenge the edicts of “the powers that be”, land him in precarious circumstances that not only place his child in a position to suffer the sins of the father, but also may force Finn’s demise.
With hints of George Orwell’s “1984”, and the totalitarian rule of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”, Duffy fills this dystopic narrative with timeless themes of money, power, class, gender equality, and career fulfillment, intended to cast a formidable shadow over basic human longings and a quest for love. Clearly many of these critical topics share a relevance with the present day. From childhood to manhood, Duffy’s visionary take goes far beyond the scope of a traditional coming-of-age reveal. Finn’s journey includes interactions with a bevy of characters, some more sympathetic than others. Real growth and self-discovery come about through the twists and turns of a storyline that moves Finn to confront this new world’s edicts of socially accepted government restraints with their strict, harrowing agenda.
In a nod to the adage of “knowledge is power” Duffy has given teachers an important role, in raising the new generations of this society. Unfortunately the information they share is limited, particularly in terms of acknowledging the importance of personal growth and emotional freedom. However, Duffy does incorporate the concept of art and culture as an enriching life component. Here, the beautiful operatic music of Pavorotti serves to give Finn a sense of the true greatness in the world. In a similar vein, religious thought is showcased as a significant element. Though early on Finn perceives religion as a hoax, and Heaven and Hell as unrealistic, later Duffy pointedly places this central character in the suffering circumstances of Jesus.
While the consequences of Finn’s violations may seem extreme, Duffy’s book paints a conceivable anti-utopian picture. This cautionary tale moves at a steady pace and is complimented by intrigue and atmospheric detail. Though there are moments when the dialogue seems a bit forced, perhaps this is an intended reflection of the emotional disconnect of this stoic society.
“The Separation” is a dark, imaginative foray into the future. Provocative and timely, readers will experience this new world via the inquisitive nature of a likeable character, hopefully to come away pondering what is truly important in life.