Docile by K. M. Szpara
There is no consent under capitalism
Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.
To be a Docile is to be kept, body and soul, for the uses of the owner of your contract. To be a Docile is to forget, to disappear, to hide inside your body from the horrors of your service. To be a Docile is to sell yourself to pay your parents’ debts and buy your children’s future.
Elisha Wilder’s family has been ruined by debt, handed down to them from previous generations. His mother never recovered from the Dociline she took during her term as a Docile, so when Elisha decides to try and erase the family’s debt himself, he swears he will never take the drug that took his mother from him. Too bad his contract has been purchased by Alexander Bishop III, whose ultra-rich family is the brains (and money) behind Dociline and the entire Office of Debt Resolution. When Elisha refuses Dociline, Alex refuses to believe that his family’s crowning achievement could have any negative side effects—and is determined to turn Elisha into the perfect Docile without it.
Representation Includes
- Gay protagonist
Content Warnings
depictions of rape, dubious consent, sexual harassment, trauma, PTSD, on-page depiction of suicide, suicidal ideation, slavery, drug use, forced drugging, brainwashing, self harm, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, physical abuse, violence, forced institutionalization, debtReviews*
*Since this is a queer book about slavery in America, this entry is only linking to reviews by queer black readers.
Where to Find
Details
- Published March 3rd 2020 by Tor.com
- Hardcover (ISBN13: 9781250216151)