This book will make your blood run cold! It’s a sharp, unexpected, harsh, dark, thought-provoking, mind-bending, and well-written thriller about how far a mother will go to protect her child and sacrifice her own life.

The story revolves around two sisters who have a toxic and unhealthy relationship, and their two sons, who are polar opposites despite their similar appearances. They live in a universe where all parents of boys aged seven or under can have their sons tested for the M gene by their GP. The test involves swabbing the inside of the cheek and then sending the sample for analysis, which identifies boys who have a particular version of the so-called M gene that has been linked to violent behavior.

Antonia, the elder sister, is married to a successful and wealthy doctor who is one of the partners of a highly efficient clinic that is testing M positive boys. She tests her son Jack, who is luckily M (-), and handles him with kid gloves, as if he’s a porcelain doll who can break into pieces at any moment.

Her sister Bea is raising her son Simon with her partner Alfie in a completely opposite way, with strict rules and rejection of the test. They are financially struggling and working in low-paid jobs. Simon shows some signs of violent tendencies, which makes Bea worry about his well-being in a world where boys have to be M gene minus to receive proper education, health care, and social status. M gene positive boys turn into social pariahs who are forced to live in poor conditions, work at farms, do trashy and menial jobs, and are shunned by the civil community as if they were contagious diseases. Some parents sacrifice their lives to take care of their boys, risking being outcasted by their social circle, as some reject their existences as if they were never born.

The story moves back and forth to help the reader understand how the two sisters’ lives change over the years due to their motherhood and the choices they’ve made for the benefit of their children.

I have to admit that I hate the guts of the two sisters. Bea was too harsh, letting her fears trap her son into the worst and harshest life conditions, and Antonia is privileged, a know-it-all, and obsessed with M positive kids. She rubbed me the wrong way with her extra pretentious, condescending attitudes.

However, I loved both of their sons and deeply cared for them, without considering whether they might carry violent genes. My heart ached for those boys whose lives have been shaped by the flawed, poor, and hypocritical decisions their parents have made.

Owen was no different from those sisters, with his thirst for success, over-ambition, and ruthlessness, seeing children as lab animals instead of living, breathing human beings.

The last third of the book is mind-bending, with events escalating at full throttle, and twists that hit you so hard that you can barely hold yourself together.

This is an unconventional, disturbing, and provocative read, absolutely not for everyone. The bone-chilling ending is extremely earth-shattering! This is one of those books that may haunt your dreams, giving you goosebumps each time you remember its WTH ending!

This is the first time I’ve given a book with detestable characters five stars! It's smart, unique, different, and shocking! It makes you think about the decisions you make for your children and gives an argumentative statement about the nature of caring for your children.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this unique book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3.5 stars rounded up - I enjoyed author Jayne Cowie's "Curfew", so requested this follow-up. I am not sure if the final title will be "One of the Boys" which is the DRC title that I was sent or "I Did it for You", possibly, so if you're interested in it be aware of that info. I did enjoy it as both a thriller and a domestic suspense - the idea of testing boys for a violent gene is certainly complex, and I appreciate the near-future science aspect along with the obvious ethical questions involved. Of course, like "Curfew" the patriarchal world we live in would never allow this, but it's a good escape. My sincere thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary DRC, it was my pleasure to read & review it.

If you could find out your son carried a gene that would make him likely to commit violent acts, would you want to know? Sisters Antonia and Bea both have sons; Antonia was adamant that her son be tested, Bea, on the other hand refuses. She believes nothing should stand in the way of her son’s future success. One of their sons is capable of incredible violence and his mother will do anything to conceal it. A provocative premise that poses a lot of questions and is sure to make people reconsider how they look at genetic testing