Neon Empire by Drew Minh – Reviewed by Guy Portman
Set in the near future, Neon Empire is a dystopian sci-fi novel based in a high-tech city called Eutopia. The place is a latter-day combination of European cities, including Paris and London. Eutopia’s population are embroiled in a social media frenzy; an all-consuming obsession with superficial attention — likes, followers etc. The book centres around three characters — film director Cedric Travers, model and social media influencer A’rore, and reporter Sacha Villanova.
The scant storyline is submerged beneath a sea of detail entailing brands, clothes, beauty products, appearances and a plethora of names. To such an extent is this the case with this frenzied-paced, depthless offering that this reader was unable to discern the plot, and his confusion soon gave way to apathy.
Neon Empire’s digital strategist author may well have created an accurate reflection of where we are invariably heading as a society, but it comes at the expense of engagement and entertainment.
