I received a free ebook of Oshibana Complex thanks to Inspired Quill in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

In this book, gender and race are no longer a part of the society of Shika-One. Procreation is a thing of the past. New society members are created involving synthesis but with limited prototypes, doppelgängers are abundant. Can one maintain the status quo and still showcase individuality? We follow Xev, a synth working at Burger Stop. When Xev is tasked with training a new Synth, things go haywire and everything Xev has ever known comes into question.

This storyline was super intriguing to me. I’ve been really into futuristic fantasy novels lately and this cyberpunk story sounded like it’d be right up my alley. There were things about it that I liked and things that I thought could have been improved.

Oshibana Complex: The Scoop

This entire book was written in gender-neutral pronouns. I loved that aspect of it. I’ve never read a book like that but it really was not any different than reading a book with gendered pronouns and yet it made it so inclusive. I also felt like it helped to make the story more universal; the questions that Xev asks can be asked by anyone. The situations that Xev goes through can happen to anyone.

Xev as a character is well written. In the beginning of the story, Xev is a rule-following synth, not wanting to be noticed and just trying to earn XP to buy food and clothes. Throughout the story, we see Xev’s motives and actions change so that e now is, more or less, rebelling against the “establishment” and questioning why things are the way they are. Instead of just accepting things as “this is how it is and has to be” Xev wants to know why. Xev is relatable and recognizable because who doesn’t often question why?

One of the issues I have is with the other characters. Some of the other characters, like Marsh and Tecks, are almost indistinguishable from each other. In a book this small, I’m not sure both characters are necessary. If they must both be included, they need to be more distinct from one another. Another small thing that I found weird is the nickname they kept calling each other. I’m not going to use it here, but it is a slang term in the US. I thought it a bit odd. If it means something elsewhere and I just don’t know, please someone, correct me.

Bottomline:

Overall, this is an enjoyable book. If you’re into post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk novellas, this is a great book to pick up. It’s a quick read but it asks some great questions. It has relatable characters and it’s written in inclusive gender-neutral language. Be sure to pick up your copy when it goes on sale this week! Publication is set for September 29th.