Reviewed by Rod McLary
Dystopian novels – and there are many of them from Brave New World to The Road to The Handmaid’s Tale – all attempt to anticipate the future and of course we have no way of telling whether they are or will be accurate. Some assume huge scientific advances, others a cataclysmic disaster; and others a totalitarian state in which human rights are severely compromised. These novels can be interpreted as political warnings against extremism; and indeed some elements in William Lane’s Saturation seem to echo recent events in the United States, especially the banning in some states of books which are seen as subversive or promoting the rights of minority groups.
Saturation is a dystopian novel with a difference: it sets out a glimpse of the future from the deeply personal perspectives of Ambrose and Ursula, both librarians who desperately want a child. Their world is one in which children are rare, knowledge of childbirth and child-rearing is sparse, and violence is as random as it is deadly. And it is no coincidence that they are librarians in a world where learning and education are not valued and books are systematically being destroyed. It is unclear how far into the future their world lies although there are some clues: there is a reference to the last sheep having been seen ‘decades ago’ and the Lennon/McCartney song Here Comes the Sun described as ‘an ancient traditional song’.
As Ambrose and Ursula pursue their daily routines, indicators of the nature of their world are gradually revealed. Some appear at first glance to be much the same as now – but are overlaid with sinister purpose. For example, the population is encouraged to attend ‘the games’ for which they can be awarded attendance points. The games often ‘morph into something more than sporting events’ [5] as the one attended by Ambrose and Ursula does. After the game, two men enter the arena – one with a trident and net and the other with a sword and shield – and fight to the death. Then a tiger is released and sets upon the dead man; ‘the crowd was beside itself at this spectacle’ [9]. Echoes of Spartacus perhaps?
Ambrose and Ursula are drawn to the country and the seaside where there may be some relief from the dystopian forces in the city. But neither can offer safety or security as the battle for political control extends even into the countryside, and the couple reluctantly returns to the city and their previous lives. It is at this point that the narrative’s pace accelerates and political and social forces become overwhelming – and this is reflected in the microcosm of the relationship between Ambrose and Ursula and subsequently their child.
As the novel is set some uncertain time in the future, so does the narrative unfold over an unspecified timeline. While the action appears to be taking place in real time, the events are clearly occurring over a much longer period. Rather than causing confusion, this device actually ensures that the reader’s attention remains focussed on Ambrose and Ursula – and their child – and their negotiation of an increasingly unstable and threatening world. It reminds us too that while world events happen around us, they have a deeply personal impact on our lives, our relationships and our wellbeing. It is this focus which makes Saturation a satisfying and rewarding read even if its subject matter is essentially dystopian.
William Lane has crafted a taut and moving novel which can comfortably take its place in the pantheon of dystopian novels.
Saturation
[2025]
by Willam Lane
Transit Lounge Publishing
ISBN 978 1 923023 35 2
$32.99; 288pp