“Brutal, heartbreaking, and undoubtedly brilliant. Five stars” – Sunday Times
“Vivid, mesmerising, tenderly drawn and vulnerable.” – Mail & Guardian
“An exquisitely crafted story of love and loss, identity and humanity.” – Daily Maverick
“This fierce novel demands attention.” – LitNet
“Revolutionary. Vulnerable. Chilling in its relevance.” – Mia Arderne, author of Mermaid Fillet
The story of Viwe, Luthando, and Malcolm – three queer friends trying to navigate an increasingly violent and unstable world ravaged by climate collapse and rampant inequality – and a little boy, Milo, growing up in the not-so-distant future where Cape Town has become a vast, arid slum. Those who can afford to leave have fled to The Citadel on Signal Hill, a climate-controlled dome behind The Wall. But at what cost? Here, residents pass their days lost in virtual reality, courtesy of a biotech implant connected to their minds, refusing to see what goes on around them.
In the present day, before the Change, Luthando sees the way the world is headed and tries to avert disaster, but his activism leads to clashes with the government. As their lives begin to unravel, his life partner, Viwe, becomes embroiled in the religious end-of-days fanaticism sweeping the city. And their friend Malcolm fears that his work developing mental and emotional software is being used for sinister purposes.
It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way is a profoundly moving story of resilience, tenderness and hope, and our capacity for love in the face of fear.
Longlisted for the British Science Fiction Association Awards 2022, The Sunday Times Literary Awards (2023) and chosen as one of the Brittle Paper Notable African Books of 2022
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