You know, I think I first read this right when it came out in 2006 or 7, and I distinctly remember its unreliably-gendered narration being a key point in my enlightenment about gender and identity — I also remember that I was uncomfortable around trans people and unexpected gendered pronouns before this book, and after it (and ANCILLARY JUSTICE) I was much less concerned.

Also, it's a wild bit of Twilight Zone plus Truman Show plus any generic prison break plus a story of revolutionary anarchists plus Memento mind-editing (voluntary and involuntary) and dysphoria (many flavors) and consent (and what it means under all that)

I'm sad that this novel didn't receive wider acclaim, but I'm sorta not surprised, because every single character here is a genocidaire, even the heroes, and it's hard to sit comfortably with that