Cover of The Circle
Is Silicon Valley the rage or what? I refer to the HBO series here and not the real valley (the real Valley isn’t any behind, but I’m not in a position to write about that, yet). A tryst with the series, brought back a deluge of memories from tween-hood, spent reading science fiction about the evils of technology and the likes. Hence, I decided to re-enter the genre with The Circle by Dave Eggers – a novel suggested by a friend from the Valley!
At the outset, I must applaud Eggers’ writing. This is my first read from the author, but it is definitely not going to be the final one. The contiguous narrative, without so much as any blank pages in between, brings to mind the medieval playwright’s style and resembles the (spoiler alert) SeeCam that the protagonist wears. I would definitely love to explore this method of narration more, so do comment if you know of any similar narratives.
The novel follows the ideas of totalitarianism, as explored in George Orwell’s 1984, but with the modern-day touch that makes it just as scary, if not more. It addresses a central issue of the internet-age, that of privacy and anonymity, and though the events in the story may seem dramatised, they are not unheard of. This brings us to another central issue – that one doesn’t know how much is too much, because the ideas that rob us of our choices, are packaged in boxes of ‘personal comfort’ and a ‘better world’. The attack isn’t as daunting as the willing submission.
As with some of my recent reads, the protagonist is a strong-willed and impressionable female, Mae Holland, who rises from the drudgeries of a mundane desk-job to becoming the star employee of The Circle. The character is an honest portrayal of your social media enthusiast from the field of technology. We have all met that person who lives half their life digitally and defends such sharing vehemently.
The Circle is a refreshing read, with its mysteries and charms, that keep you hooked until the very end.
SECRETS ARE LIES. CARING IS SHARING. PRIVACY IS THEFT.
Mehul Smriti Raje 