Suicide Club – Rachel Heng

When I requested Suicide Club it appealed because it was different. When my request was approved I just didn’t feel ready to read it. It felt like I needed to be in the mood. I was wrong, its an incredibly positive book about human behaviour.

This is a story about people who live longer, chasing immortality, but not everyone is on board. In a world where cuts heal to quickly to bleed out and organs can be replaced, can you really die?  The not so secret suicide club is a movement trying to remind people that you have a right to die.

The people who control everything  want perfect health. That’s how you survive longer, make more money. It’s almost like a cult. You don’t eat food like meat, its not good for you.  Just nutritional pouches. You don’t run because its bad for your muscles.  You have a weekly maintenance check up making sure you re okay, doing everything right. And, if they think you ve tried to hurt yourself you have to attend counselling session and are put on a watch list. You are observed.  Everywhere.  Even music is controlled, some music can be damaging and shouldn’t be listened to.

Lea is perfect. Perfect job, perfect fiancé, perfect stats. She loves life, and cant wait for the Third Wave when they re closer to immortality. Suddenly everything changes. She shes her father, the man who walked out on them 80 years ago. Is it really him – next thing she knows shes in hospital.

This is when her perfect life changes,  and the future she had planned disappears.

Despite the morbid topic of suicide being the main story in the book, its really heartwarming, and relatable. Yes the storys set in a near future New York, but it doesn’t feel like its much different than today. Instagram is a brilliant example of botox, plastic surgery, nips tucks and fillers people put themselves through, Just look at the Geordie Shore cast, or Heidi Pratt for evidence, of people trying to live their perfect life, with their perfect body;  And all while showing them that their life is better because they have money.  This is a book that should be on everyones reading list.