The Sudden Appearance of Hope

The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North (2016) 468 pages

People began to forget who Hope Arden was when she was sixteen. Eventually, even her parents didn't understand why she was in their house. Hope became a world traveler, stealing cash and valuables and buying fake passports on the dark web to finance her life. (One can't earn a living in the usual ways when everyone sees you as a newcomer each time they look at you.)

In her travels, Hope notes a phenomenon called Perfection, an app used by people--especially wealthy people--that is downloaded to one's phone and which takes over one's life with strong suggestions for ways to look and act, well, perfect. It's an insidious program offering prizes at various point levels, as well as penalties which take away points, too, causing its users to obsessively follow its directives.

Through the dark web, Hopes meets another person, who, like herself, wants to destroy Perfection. This story leads us all over the world, including the Middle East, the US, and Europe. Action plus introspection abound. Why does Perfection, with its cookie cutter results, appeal to its users?  And what kind of life can one lead if one can't develop any relationships (outside the digital world) because no one can remember you?