Reviewed by Dan
TITLE: Meatworks
AUTHOR: Jordan Castillo Price
PUBLISHER: JCP Books LLC
LENGTH: 239 Pages
BLURB:
Desmond Poole is damaged in more ways than one. If he was an underachiever before, he’s entirely useless now that he’s lost his right hand. He spends his time drowning his sorrows in vodka while he deliberately blows off the training that would help him master his new prosthetic. Social Services seems determined to try and stop him from wallowing in his own filth, so he’s forced to attend an amputee support group. He expects nothing more than stale cookies, tepid decaf and a bunch of self-pitying sob stories, so he’s blindsided when a fellow amputee catches his eye. Corey Steiner is a hot young rude boy who works his robotic limb like an extension of his own body, and he’s smitten by Desmond’s crusty punk rock charm from the get-go. Unfortunately, Desmond hasn’t quite severed ties with his ex-boyfriend, and Corey isn’t known for his maturity or patience. Meatworks is set in a bleak near-future where cell phone and personal computer technologies never developed. In their place, robotics flourished. Now robots run everything from cars to coffee pots. Taking the guesswork out of menial tasks was intended to create leisure time, but instead robots have made society dependent and passive. Desmond loathes robots and goes out of his way to avoid them. But can he survive without the robotic arm strapped to the end of his stump?
REVIEW:
Where to start….ok, I’ll say it, sometimes the main character in this book, Desmond Poole, isn’t very likeable. Honestly, I much prefer that. I really don’t like books where the sky is blue, there are rainbows, six pack abs and unfettered romance. Yuck…other reviewers can keep those books.
I much prefer books with characters like Desmond. Desmond, how do I describe Desmond? About eight months prior to the story’s current timeframe, Desmond did something really stupid. To prove himself to a guy he has had a crush on since he was nine years old, he tried to rig a robotic device with a pocket knife. The device slammed down and severed Desmond’s arm between his wrist and his elbow. Pretty good description of a REALLY bad day.
Now, eight months later, Desmond has a state of the art robotic prosthetic but he has refused to learn to use it. Instead he spends every day drowning in vodka. He is living in a filthy apartment and surviving on dried up old burgers, ramen noodles and the aforementioned vodka. He has also been ignoring his mail from Social Services and not answering their phone calls, both of which are about to get him into major hot water.
Things change when Desmond is forced by Social Services to attend an amputee support group or be cut off from his monthly checks. At the very first meeting Desmond notices a young guy, who not only interests him sexually, but also uses his own prosthetic arm in ways Desmond has never dreamed possible.
Corey Steiner notices Desmond right away. The guy is just his type and he isn’t shy about showing it. It was quite predictable that they would hookup almost immediately, but what wasn’t predictable was the repercussions. The group is run by Corey’s sister-in-law, a total bitch. She reports they are “fraternizing”, which Social Services does not allow and Corey is forced into another group.
This story is really quite dark. Desmond continues to make bad decisions, continues to drink vodka straight out of the bottle, messes up a job training program, sees two different psychiatrists, and faces some old issues related to the loss of his arm. He has PTSD from the accident that took his arm and as a result he not only isn’t willing, but more likely isn’t able, to do anything to help himself.
Will Desmond and Corey ever find their way past all Desmond’s issues? What about Desmond’s ex-boyfriend who, in a bizarre turn of fate, is the rep for both of them at Social Services? Will Desmond ever figure out how to work with his robotic arm? Is he really Robophobic? All questions that kept me turning pages. And when I say turning the pages, I mean start to finish in one sitting. I didn’t want to stop reading!
I started this review by saying sometimes Desmond isn’t very likeable. To clarify, what I really didn’t like was his wallowing. I just wanted to jump into the book, grab him by the scruff of his neck and drag him to get some help! To instill those feelings in me while I was reading the book, it is apparent that the author did a really good job getting us into Desmond’s head. Admitting the issue he has with robotics is only the first step Desmond needs to take.
I really liked the book. The story is predominantly a sci-fi story of an alternate universe, where robotic technology rules instead of computers and cellphones like in our world. Imagine a world where you scan in and out everywhere you go, your car is robotic, your coffee maker and house “learn” about you and make your coffee just right, suggest the right music and right movies. You scan at the grocery and liquor stores so they know what you bought. It might sound idyllic to some. To me, it sounds frightening. Do you really want THEM (whoever they are) knowing where you are…..all the time? Sound paranoid? Maybe…maybe not. I have friends with tape over the camera on their laptops for similar reasons…..
I highly recommend the book if you’re into a sci-fi, alternate reality type story with a lot of dark angst. This author doesn’t write bubblegum fluff fiction. Everything I’ve read by her has really made me think and I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read. This book is no exception. Pick it up, I think you’ll enjoy it!
RATING: 
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