Marisa Crane

I picked up Marisa Crane’s I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself because its title amused me, wondering if it might be something like Murderbot or Robocop. The book turns out to be a dystopian novel that reminds me at times of 1984. A near-future surveillance state provides malefactors and misfits with extra shadows to let other people know they are not socially acceptable. It is unclear whether the shadows are actual surveillance devices or simply difference makers. The story also reminds me of the Vonnegut short story “Harrison Bergeron” in which talent and beauty are penalized in the name of equality. Here, the government serves a “Balance” that establishes social homogeneity as the ideal. Crane’s novel is heavy on theme and symbol but light on plot. A woman talks to the ashes of her dead wife as she struggles to raise their daughter. Mother and daughter both bear the stigma of extra shadows. The social themes are admirable, but I wish the surveillance technology were described more explicitly. 3.5 stars.… (more)