Life is tough for Tamsyn and Ed, with their money problems, long work hours, and rebellious daughter, Scarlet. But when a tragic accident leaves Scarlet comatose and little chance of recovery, Tamsyn and Ed find themselves in a bind: do they keep Scarlet on life support until their health insurance runs out in two weeks or enroll her in a medical trial? This seemingly easy decision soon escalates into something bigger and more complicated than ever imagined, and Tamsyn & Ed must do everything they can to save their family.

What I love about this type of sci-fi isn't necessarily how fancy the technology is (even though that is still pretty freaking cool), but the moments when tech urges me to think about humanity and those "what would I do?" moments. In THE NEW ONE, Tamsyn and Ed face such junctures of using technology to "save" their daughter in desperation while not knowing much about the underlying science.

As someone working in biotech developing drugs for cancer patients, THE NEW ONE also urges me to consider the ethics behind experimental treatments. I can confidently say that THE NEW ONE dramatizes how patients are usually enrolled in clinical trials. Nonetheless, it always reminds me of how my work affects actual human beings and should help patients rather than just answer interesting science questions.

THE NEW ONE has similar settings to Kazuo Ishiguro's NEVER LET YOU GO & KLARA AND THE SUN, but it's more fast-paced that doesn't have too much science jargon in it. This book is perfect for those seeking a thrilling read and who don't want to spend too much time figuring out the science.

Thank you to Berkley for the gifted copy