Mending Bodies

A weird dystopian future Hong Kong. The government is encouraging citizens to undergo a new surgical procedure, conjoinment, when two people are stitched/joined together. This is not a marriage (and marriage is not discussed--but is this an allergory for marriage?)--this is two separate people who learn to walk together, to sleep at slightly off schedules just for a bit of quiet privacy, to work seperate schedules as needed since obviously both have to be in the same place at the same time.

It's weird and I have so many questions, but the back of the book describes it as a political allegory. My questions don't need to be answered.

Our narrator is a student studying conjoinment--and then decides to undergo the procedure. She finds her show more match in Lok. But after the procedure she is very unhappy, and he does not seem happy himself. She wonders why the government encourages this--is it really "to use less resources" as implied, or is it actually to use more, as conjoinment stimulates the economy. Conjoined couples need new clothing, new furniture, special cars, etc.

This would be such a fascinating book to read in a book club--I would love to discuss this in a group. show less