Docile

The more I think about this book the more I don’t know what to think about it. At the same time, I have so many thoughts about this book I don’t know how to express all those thoughts without writing a whole essay, because this is the kind of book that I believe asks for critical thinking and analysis to get a solid understanding of what it’s saying and what it means.I can say for certain though that this is the best book I’ve read/listened to in 2020 so far. Unfortunately, I’ve only read 13 due to Covid making it hard for me to concentrate and sleep. I can also say that this book made me cry a lot and feel a lot of things. I can’t say it gave me “all the feels,” because I didn’t feel the happiness and elation a romance novel would produce. But I loved how this book made me feel big emotions and think about it days after I’d finished reading it.I liked the ambiguous ending. I don’t know if Alex or Elisha should be together, but I do think Alex won’t ever hurt Elisha again. I think Elisha should take as much time as he needs to be a full human being and fully self-aware. What he went through was so sad and heartbreaking, yet I also felt Alex’s angst. I do understand how trapped Alex felt, but I hated how Elisha had to suffer because of Alex’s cowardice.So, yeah, I think Alex was a coward. He was addicted to his privilege and afraid of his father. In the end, he may have stood up and fought for Elisha, freeing himself at the same time. It was a win-win for him. He wasn’t impoverished and he wasn’t “imprisoned” or institutionalized. He may have lost his job, but it wasn’t the end of the world for him. I kinda hated that his voice was stronger than Elisha’s in the end, that he got the last word, because it meant that Elisha wasn’t completely free and wasn’t completely able to speak for himself. But I think that was the author’s point.I really liked the freedom and joy Elisha felt when he was with Onyx and their uncomplicated friendship, though their relationship began in such a disturbing setting. This book contained moral ambiguity in a horrifyingly one-dimensional, regimented world.I feel so sad for Elisha, what happened to him and how he became, and hope he does regain complete self-autonomy and agency. The author did such a good job communicating what Elisha and Alex went through and how they felt that I couldn’t help but sympathize with both of them.This book is like a horror story in some ways and could perhaps provide a lens through which we can view our own world and circumstances especially here in the United States during Covid. Where some Americans are forced to work in unsafe and life-threatening conditions just to survive, while others on the frontline are working in unsafe conditions due to poor public policy and a corrupt administration, whose only goal is to win re-election, stay in power, and enrich themselves, their donors, and their cronies.Finally, I have to say, the audiobook narration completely sold the story to me and bumped my review up to 5 stars.

Szpara's writing style is very beautifully descriptive. The scenes were set so well, and done in such an attention-grabbing way. Like this book read very quickly. Once it caught your attention, it really held it. I read this book in a couple sittings because I just didn't want to put it down. Whenever I did stop reading, I would think about it because my brain wanted me to keep reading. I was able to really get into the moments, I felt for the characters (even though I didn't quite vibe with Elisha; I'll get into it later). The way the book was written just really pulled you in and would not let you forget.I want to touch on the "romance" aspect of this book, though I'm not sure that romance is really the right word. Actually, that is really one of the plot points within the book. Can you call the relationship between Elisha and Alex "romantic." They have sex and interact as a couple would, but their relationship is built on an unequal power dynamic. As a docile, Elisha has no say in what happens to him. His every waking moment is controlled by Alex. Elisha grows to "love" it, but the question is if he really loves Alex, or if he's just been conditioned to think that he loves him. The same goes for Alex; does he really love Elisha, or does he love what he made him into? I really enjoyed the complexity of their relationship. There was really no clean-cut relationship. Honestly, I still don't know if they actually loved each other (but I like to think that they did). I thought that it made it a very compelling read.Let's talk about our protagonist and whatever you want to consider Alex (protagonist? antagonist? idunnoman). Elisha being a virgin was just kind of meh to me. Like, aren’t they always in books like this? I hate reading first-time stories/fics whatever. Personal preference, I won’t take off for that. Also, gotta be real, Elisha was super white-bread. Like, even when he was being feisty, he wasn’t. He submitted long before we ever even met him in the book. I didn’t dislike him, he just felt kind of pitiful. Like, you want to hug him, but you don’t really want to follow what he’s doing. Obviously he was forced to become one-note, but even before that I wasn’t impressed with his personality. Let’s be real, nobody noticed when he lost his personality because he never had one I’M SORRY. I like Alex (I'm not sure if I am supposed to).Though he's not like bad enough to be bad or good enough to be good. I'm kind of torn.I'm going to go into the negative aspects of the book. Keep in mind, I'm a hater at heart. So, I have an easier time pointing out flaws than I do positive things. Most of my qualms are small things that are more nit-picky and really only relate to the story. In terms of writing, Szpara did an excellent job. It seems to me, that when I focus on negative things regarding the story, it's because the writing itself doesn't need much critique. Some things I noticed in the book: there’s a lot of emphasis on the drug. Which I know it’s important, but it doesn’t need to be mentioned every paragraph. Trust me, I won’t forget it. Like maybe calm down with the mention of Dociline (great name by the way). In the same vein, I felt like I was constantly being spoon-fed information. Like, there isn't anything wrong with that inherently, but I think we could handle what's being thrown at us.I’m not sure if I’m supposed to like these Empower Maryland people. I don’t. They’re super annoying. Honestly, they aren’t really better than the rich people. They’re still manipulating poor people for their own means. I believe they weren't meant to be viewed as perfect. It seemed like they were purposefully made obtuse. Even at the end they were still kind of abusing their own power. Obviously they did good things, but they were making things worse for Elisha on numerous occasions. Like I don't blame him for denying Empower Maryland numerous times. If my cash flow were being threatened, then I would also get cagey and nervous.I can't end the review without addressing the "slavery" aspect of the book. I'm torn, obviously slavery was a huge occurrence in America, and it should never be overlooked. But, the author is a white man who, by all means, is not an authority on slavery and the oppression of BiPOC. I'm not sure how far in the future this book is set, though it clearly has a futuristic setting. In modern times, there is no arguing that BiPOC are the ones who suffer most from the wealth inequality in America. This fact did not feel as though it were properly exemplified within the story. It felt as though most of the people in the story who were at the mercy of the ODR and the docile system, were white. This doesn't seem like it would be realistic. Of course, I absolutely don't think that further oppressing BiPOC would be a good addition to the story either. What I'm saying is, it isn't an easy subject to breach, but it is important. I think a kind of timeline regarding slavery in America and how it evolved into the docile system would have been a good addition. The story needed to reference America's history with slavery, it should not have been brushed over. The historical aspect would have been a very pertinent and meaningful addition. (I really hope that this paragraph makes sense).

You may have noticed as America slides into an actual dystopia (upcoming elections notwithstanding) -- the thought that your debt could make you or your family/loved ones be able to be bought and sold by billionaires like 2008 mortgage loans isn't completely outside the pale. It's actually frighteningly realistic, and K. M. Szpara turned that premise into this devilishly prescient and bite-your-lips-as-you-read sexy book.Elisha has offered himself up as Docile to save his family from debtors prison. His debts are bought by Alex Bishop -- the scion of the laboratory that makes Dociline, the drug they give to debtors to keep them compliant. But when Elisha opts not to take the drug, by daring to be his own person under servitude and discovering what being a servant without Dociline actually means, he puts in motion a series of events that could cut the country's entire socioeconomic structure off at the knees.The characters are well written and fascinating, as is the world, and this book is also hot. H O T. I'd say it's got the angst of a L. J. Shen novel with the sex scenes of a Sierra Simone.Come for the near future SF, stay up all night reading because you might die if you don't know what happens to Elisha next.-- Erin, Paul's wife, whose reading ruins all of his kindle recommendations

I couldn't stop reading this. I highly recommend. It's great to read a book with LGBTQ+ relationships and Sci Fi too. What more could you want!

This is a great, great book. The author does not shy from the difficult conversations his two protagonist need to address, while I do think that this book will not please everyone (please be aware of the trigger warnings on the description) if you decide to pick it up you wont be dissapointed

This book captured me from the moment I read the excerpt and I’m so glad I splurged to buy it. I couldn’t stop reading it....and I’m rather sad that it’s over with now.The world in this book feels real and possible. The characters are believable and their motivation rooted in their reality. I loved reading about Elisha’s journey and watching him grow - the same for Alex.Do yourself a favour and read this book!

Nach der Empfehlung einer Freundin habe ich das Buch als ebook erstanden - und das, obwohl ich wirklich ungern englisch-sprachige Bücher lese. Doch das Thema klang so interessant, dass ich über meinen Schatten gesprungen bin......und was bin ich froh, es getan zu haben!!Ich lese echt viel, aber selten war ich von der Entwicklung und von den Emotionen der Hauptcharaktere so angetan und mitgerissen, wie bei diesem Buch.Elisha's Schicksal zu verfolgen, wie ihn sein Leben als Alex' Docile langsam verändert und zu dem macht, was er in der Mitte des Buches ist - schleichend und als Leser war man als es eskalierte selbst überrascht, dass man es gar nicht vorher bemerkt hat. Ich zumindest nicht.Genauso die Veränderung von Alex im Laufe des Romans.Selten habe ich so mitgefiebert, gehofft, gebangt, Angst gehabt, war wütend.Der Autor hat es geschafft, dass ich mit jeder Emotion der Protagonisten mitgefühlt habe, was das Lesen des Buchs zu einem einmaligen Ereignis gemacht hat (auch wenn ich es sicher noch ein weiteres Mal lesen werde - spätestens, wenn es hoffentlich auf Deutsch erscheint).Jeder, der auf gay-romance in einem Setting steht, was, wenn man sich die USA heute anschaut, gar nicht so weit weg erscheint, wie man hoffen möchte, ... gerne mit den Potagonisten mitfiebert und auch manchmal mitleidet, kein Problem mit D/s und teilweise non-consent hat...Dem sei dieses Buch wirklich wämstens empfohlen!Ich würde gerne 10/5 Punkten geben, geht aber leider nicht.

Like Captive Prince if they’d never left rape court in book 1. I’m all for getting your kink on and out there, but having this foisted on me as the Big Queer Critique of capitalism is a bit much, even for Tor. Not as smart about economics/society/dynamics of abuse as it thinks it is, also not as stylish as it wants to be. Sympathies for rapist billionaires even though they are ~nice~ is not a good look in 2020.Some of the sex was hot, though, hence two stars.