Sunday
Times review of
The Ambassador
6th August 2000
Currie's latest novel shows she has read her Huxley and her Orwell. This futuristic story contains the materialistic goodies promised in Brave New World with Orwell's reservations about globalisation. Currie also loves a good deal of ethical debate, and in The Ambassador we get the big one. It is about out-of-control genetic engineering and builds to a dark denouement worthy of a Bond film. American ambassador Bill Strether comes to Europe, falls for scientist Lisa Pasteur and is shocked by the way cloning dominates European society. Eventually, he and Lisa join a band of rebels and, with the mysterious Prince Marius, take on the corrupt Euro-Establishment. The idea of America falling behind in the genes race is implausible, yet this is a good holiday read. But it may make you worry about the perfection of the bronzing bodies around you.
Published in hardback February 1999 and in paperback June 2000 by Warner, priced £5.99