Booklife Review

Lycette’s brave and ambitious debut novel, set in near-future Seattle, follows Dr. Hope Kestrel as she battles a powerful medical group, PRIMA, that’s providing treatment only to patients an algorithm identifies as curable. When Hope begins to suspect that the algorithm may be less accurate than it should be, PRIMA director Dr. Marah Maddox pushes her out on minimal pretext, sending Hope on an odyssey through the underpinnings of the system, alongside her junior colleague Jacie, who has her own reasons for resenting PRIMA. Hope's personal quest soon becomes a struggle against the dark future of healthcare.

Lycette—a physician herself—takes on a weighty theme: how to allocate healthcare in a world of limited resources. Her expertise shines through, but she wisely centers the story on Hope and her suspenseful journey. Indeed, the focus on the individuals affected by the "omnipotent" algorithm keeps the plot humming along. Especially affecting is the story of Jacie’s sister, Izabella, who is emotionally and figuratively scarred by disease but cut off from any hope of treatment because the computer says there's no chance she'll get better. The story’s slow to launch, and occasionally dense mathematical and medical details overwhelm the personal side, but once the central plot gets going, Lycette keeps her emphasis on Hope's struggles, and readers will find themselves invested in her triumphs and tragedies.

Although the spotlight is mostly on Hope, Lycette does a good job of bringing other key characters to life as well, including Hope’s former colleague, Dr. Fall, who’s described as "Hope's predecessor. And at one time, perhaps something more." Their tentative relationship lends some personal tension to the story, and just as engaging is Hope's relationship with her mentor, Cecilia, rendered naturally with appealing interactions. Lycette’s likable heroes, and the significance of their mission, carry the story through to its exciting and emotional conclusion.

Takeaway: This exciting thriller finds a physician battling a medical corporation over the future of medicine.

Great for fans of: Robin Cook, Brian Deer’s Blind Trial.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-