This is the most pleasant dystopian story I’ve read. Set in 2080, it’s about an ordinary family of two parents and two children who are visited in their dreams by a spirit. They experience what they are missing in their restricted society (which has some similarity to the Covid lockdowns), as do many other people, allowing for social change. They are simple experiences such as playing in the park, going to the pub, watching sports, dancing, browsing a bookshop, eating pizza and going on dates.

The focus in this story is on the connection between people and the benefits of going outdoors, rather than going into much detail about the dystopian elements. As the title of the book suggests, it is fear of environmental toxins and contagious diseases which keeps people at home and following the restrictions. It is the role of the spirits to show them that they have nothing to fear and demonstrate what life used to be like when they had freedom. The narrator is a young woman, who has been brought back from the peace of the afterlife and is assigned a family to look after. She will then get to have a second chance at life, if all goes well.

I enjoyed this book, as it was warm-hearted and had a hopeful tone. Sometimes it seemed a little too nice, but that reflects my personal taste. If you like the sound of a family story with a bit of the supernatural and a dystopian setting, give this one a read. Bonus points, both for the book’s anti-AI stance on creativity, education and the workplace; and for its inclusion of Woolworths, a fondly remembered shop from British high streets.

Independently published in 2025.