by Pip Adam. Published by Victoria University Press, 2020. Reveiwed by Pat Lythe

This book follows the struggles of pairs (or are they?) of women attempting to stay sober after lives of alcoholism, sex and drugs. It is written in three “ages”: 1994, when the women start on the path to sobriety; 2006, when they begin to settle down; and 2018.

The 1994 section paints an intense picture of day-to-day attempts to live a normal life. The women are by turns judged and ignored; they survive on grated carrot sandwiches for economy; they are welcome to volunteer with the Sallies as long as they stay out the back. They attend regular AA meetings, a mentor who talks to them on the phone, and their own dialogue with each other keeps them going. Are they two people? Or split personalities? The reader is left to decide.

In the 2006 section, there is a steady job, moderating for IT firms. Adam explores the ethics of surveillance capitalism (the way firms use your personal data to target you with advertising) — and then suddenly two women become one. She suffers extreme loneliness, and an old mobile phone comforts her. The 2018 section turns everything upside down again. But still sober!

Nothing to See is a brilliantly original novel where the line between reality and simulation is blurred. It won’t be for everyone — there’s lots of bad language and explicit sex scenes — but Adam has created a stunning experience of walking in another’s shoes.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 263 September 2021: 27