The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi is a very gripping and frightening book about the future. This story is set in the 23rd century, in Thailand where global warming has caused the oceans to rise, flooding many cities. All of the fossil fuels stores have been depleted causing the population to use springs that have to be wound tightly by hand or by Megodont (a giant mammoth-like creature). The food stocks are depleting at an alarming rate and this is causing the fear-level to rise.

t is called the Windup Girl because they have altered the DNA of some people so that they are like living machines. They have been altered to have perfect eye-sight, to have perfect skin, and to be loyal. They are viewed with respect in Japan for they are a novelty but in Thailand, they are viewed with contempt because they are one more mouth that the country has to feed.

This book shows us what could be the future of our society, completely depending on research to keep our civilisation fed and to stop it from dying from terrible diseases.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it opened my eyes to what could very well be our future. This book is very drastic and shows us clearly what Paolo Bacigalupi's vision was.