Neal Stephenson
The Diamond Age, or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (1995)
Author: Neal Stephenson
Genre: Science Fiction (Philosophical)
Plot Summary:
Later in the 21st century, where nanotechnology is implanted like botox and everyday items as well as food is retrieved through a matter compiler present in everyone's homes, John Hackworth, an engineer, is commissioned by the wealthy and prominent Shanghai Lord Alexander Chung-Sik Finkle-McGraw to illegally create an (inte)ractive book, a primer, for Finkle-McGraw's granddaughter. Hackworth uses the matter-compiler of Dr. X for the task, and creates a second copy for his own daughter, but it falls into the hands of a young street girl named Nell. As Nell and the primer form a strong bond to each other, Dr. X wants copies of the primer for the thousands of Chinese orphan girls he has saved from death, but who have no means to an education of their own. Hackworth's crime is found out, and although Judge Fang allows the primers to stay where they are, he sentences Hackworth to ten years imprisonment under the ocean with a society called the Drummers, where sex exchanges more th
an just bodily fluids. Meanwhile, a young (inte)ractor named Miranda, connected to Nell through the primer, becomes as attached to the child as Nell is to the book. After Nell escapes her mother's deadly boyfriend, she finds solace with an Constable Moore who ensures she receives a proper education and an understanding to her own experiences in addition to learning through the primer. Nell finally leaves the comfort of Constable Moore's fatherly shelter to find her own way, all the while finishing her education in the primer. SPOILER: Hackworth's ten years with the Drummer's are spent culminating seed technology that will transcend the societal hierarchy of the world; all of it brought to a head when Nell completes the primer, and as she does so, the orphans form an army devoted to her through experiences in their own primers. Finally, Princess Nell of the stories in the primer and Nell of Shanghai culminate to form one singular person leading the world against hierarchy.
Geographical Setting: Shanghai, Seattle, London
Time Period: mid-late 21st century
Appeal Characteristics:
Stephenson's writing style is mostly post-modern, and he sometimes utilizes stream-of-consciousnes and varying typefaces. His description of the later 21st century Shanghai is frightenly believable. He exquisitely details the nanotechnology of the future and how it is "installed" into people, so that the reader can visualize exactly what each must look like and how it would work. Fans of centuries past might also find fascination with the rebirth of the Victorian culture integrated around the world. Characters are equally as well developed through their strengths and weaknesses in horribly difficult situations, so that Nell, Hackworth, and Miranda are perhaps more important to the reader than they are to each other. The pace sometimes slows because of high attention to detail, but since there are several stories developing at the same time, the author leaves cliffhangers regularly as he focuses the next section to another character. Stephenson
also assists the reader keep up with the multiple storylines by keeping sections short. The mood and tone changes regularly depending on which character Stephenson is focusing on at the time. There is a dark, Grimms-like storybook quality to Nell's character; a proper, analytical feeling to sections dealing with Hackworth; and a lighter, romantic mood to Miranda. However, the storybook quality is carried to the end, so readers will find a somewhat hopeful conclusion.
Read-alikes: For readers who want to read another book by Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash is another award winner with character types that live partially in reality and partially in cyberspace, much like Nell lives partially in Shanghai and partially in the primer. Those interested in similar cyberpunk writing-style should check out William Gibson's Neuromancer, often considered the inspirational beginning of the cyberpunk sub-genre. Paul J. McAuley's Child of the River, a science fiction novel about a boy on a search to learn about his origin, might please readers who enjoyed following the coming-of-age Nell on her quest through the primer. Nanotechnology is a very important part of The Diamond Age. Those interested in reading other books this scientific in nature might want to try reading Blood Music by Greg Bear, about a genetic engineer who creates intelligent microorganisms and infects humankind. Although Stephenson sets his novel in various places throughout the world, Shanghai is the most prominent. Maureen F. McHugh's China Mountain Zhang, about a Chinese-American construction worker who works his way into architecture in a Chinese-dominated heirarchical 21st century, may appeal to readers who enjoyed reading about China in the future, and this book also carries elements of a lowerclass member rising to upperclass.
Red Flags: child abuse; graphic depictions death, violence, and sex; gang violence
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