The One by John Marrs

At the beginning of this year I joined a new to me book club run by an independent bookstore owner. She really has done a great job at choosing our reads. For May we read The One by John Marrs. When I went into the bookstore (The Bookends in North Myrtle Beach) to buy the novel, I told Mindy, the store owner, that I wasn't sure about this premise. Science fiction isn't my cup of tea. But I get it, one of the points of a book club is to read stories you would otherwise ignore.

This novel is one wild, wild ride! The idiom be careful what you ask for comes to mind.

The One by John Marrs is a fast-paced speculative thriller set in a world where a simple DNA test can match you with your perfect soulmate. The story follows five different people whose lives take dramatic turns after they’re matched. Mandy is heartbroken to learn her match has died, but gets pulled into his family's life in unexpected ways. Nick, engaged to a woman, is surprised when his match is a man, forcing him to reexamine everything he thought he knew about himself. Then there is Jade who travels across the world to meet her match, only to discover he’s not who he seemed, and Christopher—a serial killer—is paired with a police officer, which sets up a tense and dangerous game. Lastly, there is Ellie, the powerful CEO behind the matching service, who has to confront the personal and moral consequences of her own technology when she finds her match.

All the storylines are interesting and unique. But I think it is Christopher's and Ellie's arcs I found most engaging. Christopher is realistic about his psychopathic personality and the outcomes that personality manifests. However, once he meets his match, he starts to wonder if he can be different. His arc is fascinating as he works towards this possiblitiy. Ellie's narrative was sad. She is ambitious and lonely. Ellie believes her invention betters society and not unlike any start-up company, she did things in the early years of her business that are questionable. The best way to sum it up without giving spoilers is to say she comes full circle and ultimately, is the character that I disliked the most. Christopher I had some empathy for; Ellie I had very little.

John Marrs is masterful in the way he weaves speculative elements (in this case technology) into plot. It's not heavy and you don't even realize that you find yourself thinking this is totally plausible.

Marrs wants readers to consider the concept of soulmate - is it real and what makes one. Themes found within all these stories include love, identity, and the unforeseen consequences of interfering with fate. I would also add it's a cautionary tale on integrating technology into the very personal parts of our lives.

The One is the first in a five book series called Dark Future. I already add the others to my TBR tower.