Bethany's Reviews > The Alteration

Kingsley Amis's clever alternative fiction novel, "The Alteration" is equal parts disturbing and engaging. The world of the novel is one in which the reformation never took place and in which the church and the state remained closely intertwined and corrupt. Amis's deft and creative imagining of such a world is offset by his signature dark satire and the overall pessimistic tone out of which the characters of the novel are unable and indeed ultimately unwilling to escape. The story centers around Hubert a pre-adolescent choir boy whose exquisite singing voice the church leaders intend to preserve through his "alteration," the euphemism used throughout the book for his impending castration. While I recognize the craft of the artist in creating this story, I did not enjoy the reading of it. However if you like dark distopia novels this would be a great book to add to your reading list.