Katherine McGee’s futuristic, dystopian debut, The Thousandth Floor, follows the story of five different protagonists, all with different backgrounds, hardships, and secrets that slowly become uncovered. The author paints a beautiful, yet artificial, world, full of glittering gold technology, immense opulence, and a class divide that grows harsher the higher you go.
In some ways, McGee’s novel is a success; the commentary on technology’s role in separating the wealthy from the poor is cognizant and well thought out, especially relevant in our increasingly electronic world. As for the character development and plot points, I was completely taken when I started reading. McGee’s use of suspense, aesthetics, and intrigue drove the novel right into the cliff-hanger ending that left me wanting more. A few plot points, however, were slightly off putting, like the main protagonist's relationship with her stepbrother and the utter miscommunication between the characters. Overall, though, The Thousandth Floor deploys immense imagery, incredible character building, and an exciting plot into a genre that already has thousands of stories.