Living Proof [Hardcover]

Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. The story takes place in 2027 and it centers around a young doctor, Adriana Drake, who along with a small group of partners, owns a fertility clinic in midtown Manhattan, and a young man, Trent Rowe, an agent with the DEP (Department of Embryo Preservation). Other main characters are Sam Lisio, an embryonic stem cell researcher who works with Adrianna and her partners and Gideon Dopp, Trent's boss. In this future time it has become illegal to do stem cell research using embryonic stem cells and the DEP is a government agency entrusted with the task of policing fertility clinics to make sure that all embryonic stem cells which have been harvested from women wishing to have children are accounted for and that none of them are destroyed. Clinics are required to submit monthly reports to the agency, showing the number of stem cells they obtain and they have monthly unannounced inspections where an inspector counts the vials of stem cells and goes so far as to check each under a microscope to verify that is actually what the test tube contains.

Gideon Dopp, head of the NY division, suspects that something may be amiss in Adrianna's clinic because of the large number of embryonic stem cells they deal with and the popularity of the small clinic. The story unfolds from this point. This is one of those books where you really don't want to read any more spoilers before sitting down with the book on your own. I was so wrapped up in the story after the first few chapters that I would go to bed and then have to get up to read more. I became downright antisocial when family members tried to interrupt my reading. It was that engrossing. It's a story that, while definitely slanted in one direction, would make anyone do a lot of thinking regardless of where they stand politically on the subject. It also made me think about government agencies and overreaching by some of the people within. It makes a political statement, but goes far beyond that. The characters were well developed and I couldn't help feeling empathy for even the ones that I didn't agree with.

If there was any one thing that I thought was odd about the book, it was that things had changed socially and politically 16 years into the future, but technology, at least what was discussed in the book, didn't seem to have advanced much. Given the changes we've seen in the last 10 years, I would have thought they would have more fancy gadgets and capabilities. But I suppose that might have detracted from the story.

I completely enjoyed the book and I understand from the back cover that Kira Peikoff is working on a second novel. I'll be the first in line to purchase it.

The blurb above summarizes the plot nicely, but the book is more than a story--it's a philosophical narrative that presents a strong point of view about where our society might be going. The author's dystopia will join 1984 and Animal Farm as conceivable (but fortunately unlikely) extensions of our world today. In this case, it's the "right to life" that gets expanded and perverted by certain elements of society, to the point where the continued existence (with funding) of several large government agencies depends on their ability to find violators of the new laws that protect embryos and fetuses, as well as prohibit broad areas of scientific research. The author works through a number of possible philosophical positions via her narrative, with a suitably ambiguous conclusion. There are hard scientists that care only about their research, practitioners trying to save adult lives with new (and banned) research, fanatical government bureaucrats whose religious fervor is exceeded only by their need for continued government funding, and of course, Trent, the man in the middle. The book is very thought-provoking. The only difficulty I had with the book is that the author attempts to reproduce the complete unabridged stream of consciousness of every major character, and she also attempts to explain all the science and all the religion and all the politics involved throughout the book. Sometimes the plot is put aside for quite a while as one or another character reflects at great length about his or her upbringing, belief system, and actions. Virtually no thought or doctrine is left to the imagination, and I found the resulting over-written prose somewhat tedious after a while. Orwell and Huxley were both a little more subtle. Still, highly recommended as a cautionary tale about where some present political/religious views might lead us. The author, by the way, really takes no strong position on the underlying issues--she never tells us directly if she is for or against any of the different trains of thought (except I'm pretty sure she dislikes the corrupt politician immensely!).

In "Living Proof," author Kira Peikoff turns to the world of the near future. The year is 2027 and medical research has become much more conservative. Stem cell research is illegal, IVF clinics are regulated and monitored with severe penalties visited upon those who do not take the appropriate precautions.

Enter our hero, disaffected, jaded DEP (Department of Embryo Protection) agent Trent Rowe. Trent is sent undercover to glean information about a young, successful fertility doctor, Arianna Drake, daughter of a renegade scientist. Although her clinic is above reproach and she passes every inspection without a hitch, Trent's zealot boss, ex-priest Gideon Dopp, believes she is hiding something, and might even lead to a shutdown, which would mean more money, fame and attention for his department. Trent just hopes that doing a good job for the department will add meaning and purpose to his life, which is growing increasingly hollow. For her part, Arianna is coping with a serious illness, and, although drawn to Trent, is unsure whether to trust him.

It's a good solid idea for a novel and an important issue for people to consider. I did, however, find the main characters to be a bit cliche-driven. Also, the story would have benefited from some tighter editing. We hear interior monologues from most of the major characters, as well as being told of their motivations in exacting detail. If the story moved along at a tighter, more purposeful clip, I would have enjoyed it more.

Also, the ending was enigmatic, to put it mildly. While our hero and heroine may do okay, it's hard to imagine what their next steps would be or how they will live into their future lives or effect the kind of change they would like to. It's a decent first novel about an important issue - it will be interesting to see what Ms. Peikoff does next.