Review of Somthing Blue by Kristy Nicolle

Something Blue looks to a future where the world has almost destroyed itself, indiscriminate breeding leading to overpopulation and chaos.  Enter Bliss Inc, a company rebuilding society with it’s Jigsaw project.  Only those passing a rigorous test are deemed suitable candidates for the programme.  To be given the honour of becoming married and allowed to have children.  For those not so fortunate a life in the labour district and a future of servitude awaits, however, Valentine Moreland is one of the fortunate ones.  Deemed worthy of the project she waits longer than most for her “readiness tests” to confirm that she is ready for her wedding, but once the day that she has dreamed of arrives, she feels beset with nerves and questions about her future with a stranger, a situation which becomes compounded when her perfect match doesn’t live up to the match of her dreams.  Bliss inc’s formula is only 99% successful, what if she is in the remaining 1%, what happens to those that the formula fails?  As she struggles with these questions she finds herself being dragged into a world filled with paranoia and lies; are the appearances she has been keeping up really still just appearances?  With the 100 day assessment period ticking by, she needs to try and separate the truth from the lies and the dream from reality, will she be able to make it?

When I first heard the premise for Something Blue, I was immediately struck by how different it was.  For the first part, you become completely whipped up into Valentines’ world, the excitement and trepidation of preparing for the biggest day of your life, coupled with interfering family members all condensed into one week of chaotic arrangements.  Your heart is left furiously beating as you finally get to live the wedding day with Valentine and her hopes and fears.  Looking back, the signs are there that not everything is perfect in the utopian wedding district, but very the hints are subtle.  

The growing relationship between her and Clark is beautifully done, two people questioning a system and a formula, which against all thoughts to the contrary seems to have maybe got it right after all, is wonderfully played out.   They both find common ground with their disdain for a system which removes their choices and seemingly small acts of rebellion lead to so much more.  Clark has a lot to prove however as his inability to fully open up to Valentine could halt their fledgling relationship in it’s tracks.

Bliss inc is an unlikely baddy to start but truth behind the new hard light holograms sets in motion a series of events from which no-one can step back from.

This is a wonderfully captivating story which I almost read in one sitting and I was so relieved to find that it was a stand alone - I have missed stand alone stories recently and being able to see these characters through without a cliffhanger was really refreshing.

This gets a solid 5 starts from me.