An epic technological thriller set in the not-distant-at-all future, The Circle is named after a Facebook-meets-Google (though the author claims no relation) hands-in-every-pie computer company in Silicon Valley that has completely monopolized the e-sphere. Set completely on “campus,” this novel has a slow buildup but a reader-is-wiser eeriness from the get go. We follow newbie Mae as she wrestles with her instincts, an immersive, cultish way of life, and the (terrifyingly possible) pet project of eviscerating privacy that seems to be the ultimate goal of The Circle. A sinister perspective on the devastating consequences of what the author calls “infocommunism,” this timely novel revisits the concept of Big Brother in an age where our downfall is completely self-implicated---Little Sister, if you will. While a bit slow to start, form mirrors content flawlessly, so be sure to commit. You don’t want to miss this ending.
