We are all aware of mutants. And they exist not just in pop culture or scifi novels but also in the real world. And they aren't as glamorous as the superheroes from comic books but they exist all the same.
A few decades ago science gave us the first testtube baby during a time when the idea was unconceivable (excuse my pun). Today IVF and fertility clinics exist all around the world. In 2012, scientists learned how to modify DNA with CRISPR and in 2018 the world's first genetically 'edited' babies were born. This revolutionary experiment to modify the genetic code of humans so that they are born HIV resistant, took place in China. But other trials and experiments have been taking place in USA before that.
Eben Kirkskey takes us on a journey on how the revolution came to be. From the labs of Shenzhen to the lobbies of Washington DC to the streets of Yogyakarta, this book is about the trials and tribulations of the activists, the participants, the scientists, the dreamers and the cynics. There is a moral question as to where gene editing is the right way to solve problems. And of course there is no right or wrong answer to this question. The process is unpredictable and hence dangerous. It is aslo expensive and hence inaccessible for the marginalized population. Then comes the question of the right use of this technology. In the wrong hands it will be possible to edit out unwanted characteristics in a human, and there will come a time when there won't be any place for people of colour or differently abled people because everything can be changed or 'enhanced'. Do we truly want that? One the other hand this can be the solution to critical diseases. Either way, this is still a topic of debate for the scientific community.
This book will make you think. And it will help you learn so much. At times it did feel a bit long, but I loved how it read more like a work of fiction. Highly recommended!
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.

I would rate this ⭐4/5⭐

I learned a lot from this book and it deepened my understanding and knowledge, about things I only briefly understood prior to reading.

Looking into all of the different perspectives and situations in regards to gene editing and their pros and cons, was quite eye-opening to say the least. I didn't know the full extent of the story about Jiankui He, and unfairly considered him a "mad scientist" in the rush to modify humans. Getting a different perspective and sourced information was truly enlightening and informative.

CRISPR/Cas9 (and related gene editing tools) are giant leaps in science and the future, but they raise many ethical questions. A lot is discussed and covered in this book, which helped me form an opinion and understand further, with wonderfully sourced material. I won't include my personal stance as it's not important, but the author does an incredible job of staying neutral and just delivering the facts, which is ideal in my reading. There is no true clear answer to this being right or wrong, but we get to read a lot of personal stories and gain insight into why some fear it and others favor it.

I will say that some things were not necessary filler, to a book of this subject, like the details about what people had for lunch. Also the author sharing personal information about his fertility results for the purpose of science and understanding, was quite admirable, but I found it highly unnecessary to include the details of the pornographic content they offered in the clinic. It was out of place and off-putting to me.

That said, I did enjoy this and I have a new take on the subject matter, which is always nice to take away from a book. The author broadened my understanding, my empathy for those that find gene editing necessary and also furthered my hesitance to accept it as the future.

This was well organized, well thought-out and held my interest. I would absolutely recommend this.

Gene editing on humans is certainly a controversial topic; Eben Kirksey makes a pretty sold case on the opportunities and pitfalls of CRISPR/CAS9 applications based on current examples of which some crossed some current ethical boundaries. Over the course of the book, the stories illustrate the great service these technologies can provide to human health, but also the risks involved. It becomes clear that gene editing is perhaps not as reliable of a technology one may thing, and errors in modifying crops have probably vastly less consequences than errors in mammals or even human beings.

Mutations in our genome happen all the time, but what ethics shall lead us to decide where we leave mutation to random natural events or targets artificial treatments. The book asks the question, but does not really postulate a stance on this balance. While I find the stories throughout the book truly engrossing, I was a little disappointed with the ending. Still, 4 Stars for me.