Lullaby

Bernard Beckett

May 2015 · Text Publishing

About this ebook

Rene's twin brother Theo lies unconscious in hospital after a freak accident left him with massively disrupted brain function. There is hope though. An experimental procedure—risky, scientifically exciting and ethically questionable—could allow him to gain a new life. But what life, and at what cost?

Only Rene can give the required consent. And now he must face that difficult decision.

But first there is the question of Rene's capacity to make that decision. And this is where the real story begins.

Bernard Beckett is a multi-award winning author of books and plays for young adults and one of New Zealand's most outstanding writers. In 2006 Bernard was awarded a fellowship for a project examining DNA mutations. This new direction in his life led to the publication of the sophisticated sci-fi novel Genesis, which has since been published in over twenty countries and was the winner of the 2010 Prix Sorcieres. He lives near Wellington with his wife and twin sons.

‘Lullaby is an amazingly complex novel, exploring the nature of identity and shared memories as well as how we shape the story of ourselves. The questions it raises stay with the reader for a long time after the book is finished.’ New Zealand Herald

‘This book is promoted as Young Adult, but many older adults will enjoy it too. Clever and thought-provoking.’ BookMooch

‘It was incredible. The complexity of the storyline was nothing short of delicious and encouraged that deep, emotional thinking that is lacking in the majority of young adult novels.’ Diva Booknerd

‘It is a rare kind of young adult book that aims to leave the reader with more than just the usual afterthoughts of the story. Beckett encourages the reader on his or her own philosophical journey.’ Book Kat

‘This is a fascinating exploration of the notion of self, how far people will go to save those they love, and what scientists will do to advance their research. Well worth reading, and when you've finished, let me know what you thought of the end because I'm dying to discuss it!’ Nicole Has Read, Blog

‘This book is a beautiful example of a thought experiment, with characters you feel for, and stories that you enjoy every moment of.’ Booksellers NZ

‘Lullaby is very eerie science fiction which, in the telling of the story, discusses the dilemmas that medicine could find itself in when the desire to break new frontiers clashes with ethical principles...Confronting, terrifying and challenging.’ Reading Time

‘Bernard Beckett’s biggest strength isn't that he is able to convey high-minded sci-fi concepts to his usual audience of young adult readers – it is the power of the concepts themselves...It’s exciting to see a recent scientific concept such as the connectome (a map of neural connections in the brain) used to drive dramatic tension and ask big questions.’ Cosmos

About the author

Bernard Beckett is a multi-award winning author of books and plays for young adults and one of New Zealand’s most outstanding writers. In 2006 Bernard was awarded a fellowship for a project examining DNA mutations. This new direction in his life led to the publication of the sophisticated sci-fi novel Genesis, which has since been published in over twenty countries and was the winner of the 2010 Prix Sorcieres. He lives near Wellington with his wife and twin sons.