Allison Diegel
Happy New Year, readers! We made it through the holidays, and here we are, ushering in 2026. This week's Book Report pick is so heart-wrenching and fascinating, I know you will not be able to put The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey down.
Set in an alternate-history 1979 England, The Book of Guilt takes us to a timeline in which WWII did not end with an Allied victory, but with a 1943 peace treaty following Hitler’s assassination. This “peace” led to a Britain heavily influenced by dark, eugenicist ideals. We follow Vincent, Lawrence, and William—thirteen-year-old identical triplets who are the last residents of the Captain Scott Home for Boys.
Their lives are governed by a rigid, eerie routine. They are cared for by three “Mothers” (Morning, Afternoon, and Night) who track every detail of their existence. Their lessons come from the Book of Knowledge, their subconscious is cataloged in the Book of Dreams – and, most importantly, their mistakes are etched into the Book of Guilt. The boys are told they have “the Bug,” a mysterious illness that requires constant medication and isolation for their own safety. They live for the promise of “Margate,” a legendary seaside paradise where they will supposedly be sent once they are cured.
We also meet Nancy, a girl living a secret, secluded life in Exeter, and the Minister of Loneliness, a government official tasked with closing the Sycamore Scheme (the program the boys belong to). As these perspectives intertwine, the “protective” walls of the home start to feel more like a prison.
When the triplets finally get a glimpse of the outside world during a rare trip to a local village, they realize the public does not view them with pity, but with fear and hostility. They begin to discover the horrifying truth: they are not being “cured” - they are biological products. Created from the DNA of criminals and the “unwanted,” they are essentially medical spare parts for a society that views them as sub-human.
Chidgey is famous for her “literary gut-punches,” and she delivers here. The book explores the terrifying “doublethink” required for a society to dehumanize its own children in the name of the greater good. It is a fast-paced, psychological thriller that feels like a spiritual successor to Never Let Me Go, but with a sharper, more political edge. By the time the boys realize that the “Book of Guilt” is actually a tool to make them complicit in their own exploitation, the tension is sky-high. It is a haunting look at what happens when we value some lives less than others.
I hope you find some time this week to ring in the New Year with a good book - and as always, do not forget to pop over to my Instagram @allison.the.reader for more recommendations and book talk all year long!
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