04 February 2022

When you reach for this book you open the cover the find a not so distant future that will leave you asking yourself some rather important questions. How far will you go for the perfect child? If you can, will you allow doctors to make changes to your unborn child? Off Target takes a closer look at a world where that option is available to parents and what the consequences of that option would be. Get ready for a gripping read that will change your way of thinking.

Eve Smith digs into a topic that will undoubtedly remain a topic of debate for many years to come. How far should scientists go? Is genetic engineering a good thing or will people take it too far? As a mother, you always want what is best for your child and it is easy to imagine that nothing will prevent you from doing whatever you can to ensure your child’s future health and success. The author explores the options of taking that desire a little too far and the consequences they could lead to. She creates characters to show both sides of the agreement and leaves you understanding where they are coming from. Her story is engrossing, it draws you in and makes it very difficult to put this book down.

Susan, a primary school teacher, is desperate for a family of her own. She has been battling for years to fall pregnant, and her husband will not turn to a fertility clinic for assistance. When Susan has a one-night stand that leaves her pregnant she will do anything to keep the baby. But her husband can never know, so she turns to a foreign doctor for assistance and decides to do the unthinkable.

Years later, with the world embarking on a generic arms race, children around the world start showing symptoms, some even committing suicide. This forces a worldwide media frenzy and an investigation into the increased health issue of young people. All these children have one thing in common. When questions start being asked, Susan finds her world falling apart.

Reading this book leaves you questioning how far you would go. It is easy to say you would never go down that road, but what if you are pregnant and find out your child is going to suffer from a serious disease.  As a mother, faced with that decision, how can you choose not to prevent your child from suffering? This is not an easy decision; one I would never want to make. The author shows both sides of the argument and leaves you to decide for yourself.

Susan steals your heart early in the book as you experience her desire for a child and you go through her month after month negative pregnancy test. You feel sorry for her – you cannot help it. However, the choices she makes when she discovers that she is pregnant is selfish. I could not believe the lengths she went to, to hide her infidelity from her husband.  

Meeting eleven-year-old Zurel, the child simply steals your heart. She is a thinker with something on her mind.  This little girl is at the centre of the story and as you join her in her search for the truth, you are left sharing her emotions. My heart broke for this child.

This story is a moving, engrossing read that will leave you with questions and eager to enter a debate on genetic engineering. This book cemented its place on my loved list for 2022.

Literary thriller fans will enjoy every page of this book, especially if you are a mother. While the author digs into the future of genetic engineering, you never find yourself drowning in scientific jargon and the futuristic element is not very strong. If, like me, you are not keen on futuristic stories, do not allow that to keep you from this book.