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Happiness Ltd.
HAPPINESS LTD. is a darkly comic thriller with a chilling vision of our consumer culture's future. The world's biggest corporations have united to form the first global nation, promising a new era of prosperity. Happiness Ltd. governs countries like a business: keeping its customers happy, squashing competition, and covering up bad news with a smile. But when star employee Nelson Young falls in love with Celia, a disenfranchised rebel, he becomes a liability. Nelson and Celia try to escape, but are charged with economic terrorism and put on trial for their lives.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2014
About the author
Michael McGhee
1 book4 followersMichael McGhee is the pen name of a former investigative reporter whose current work requires him to remain anonymous.
Happiness Ltd., his first novel, was published in 2014.
He grew up in Chicago and lives in New York City.
Happiness Ltd., his first novel, was published in 2014.
He grew up in Chicago and lives in New York City.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 30, 2014
A very well structured novel. I found only one error (structurally) in the entire novel. There were a few words I wasn't quite sure of, but my copy wouldn't allow me to look them up or research them directly. So I'll just accept the author as correct.
Shades of an updated 1984 to me. That's the best way I can describe the tale without giving too much away. While I got into the characters, Wilson and Celia, I sometimes found myself rooting against them. Not sure why that happened, but it was a noticeable feeling.
I'm afraid the celebrity figure of Ultra reminded me a little too much of Oprah. If that was the author's intent, then he did a great job. She too was likable and easy to visualize. Her right hand man, Merrill, was also easy to get into. Liked him quite a bit.
The ending was different and I mean that in a good way. I had half expected a 1984 type ending. Thus I was pleased with how the author wrapped it up. I did, however, have to suspend my disbelief several times in the last few chapters.
Even as well written as the novel is, with it's easy to like characters, and well constructed dialog I still only give it three stars. My reason is simple: I see this writing as an attempt to make a statement on how we live currently and how we may end up, as a society, if we continue down our path of commercialism. In that sense, I find the book non-believable. Happiness Ltd. (the company) is just too over the top for me to ever believe something like this, what the author portrays in the novel, could or will ever happen. That is solely my opinion of course.
Because the book is so well written, I recommend Happiness Ltd. for any reader of dystopian literature. Don't let my average rating sway your opinion; read it for yourself. Michael McGhee is a very very good writer. I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
Shades of an updated 1984 to me. That's the best way I can describe the tale without giving too much away. While I got into the characters, Wilson and Celia, I sometimes found myself rooting against them. Not sure why that happened, but it was a noticeable feeling.
I'm afraid the celebrity figure of Ultra reminded me a little too much of Oprah. If that was the author's intent, then he did a great job. She too was likable and easy to visualize. Her right hand man, Merrill, was also easy to get into. Liked him quite a bit.
The ending was different and I mean that in a good way. I had half expected a 1984 type ending. Thus I was pleased with how the author wrapped it up. I did, however, have to suspend my disbelief several times in the last few chapters.
Even as well written as the novel is, with it's easy to like characters, and well constructed dialog I still only give it three stars. My reason is simple: I see this writing as an attempt to make a statement on how we live currently and how we may end up, as a society, if we continue down our path of commercialism. In that sense, I find the book non-believable. Happiness Ltd. (the company) is just too over the top for me to ever believe something like this, what the author portrays in the novel, could or will ever happen. That is solely my opinion of course.
Because the book is so well written, I recommend Happiness Ltd. for any reader of dystopian literature. Don't let my average rating sway your opinion; read it for yourself. Michael McGhee is a very very good writer. I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.
Displaying 1 of 1 review