Book Review: Baby X by Kira Peikoff

While fiction is often a means of escapism, it can also be a lens through which to view a theoretical future based on science and speculation. Kira Peikoff—who holds a degree in journalism from NYU and a master’s in bioethics from Columbia and works in biotech communications—is a master of that, having married fact with fantasy from her acclaimed debut, Die Again Tomorrow (2015), to 2019’s medical thriller, Mother Knows Best. This March, she offers what may just be her most enterprising novel yet: Baby X.

In the not-too-distant future (the 2040s), advancements in technology make it possible for nearly anyone in the United States to have a baby, regardless of previously prohibitive factors such as age, gender, or (in)fertility. All that’s required is a biological sample (blood, mucus, saliva, etc.), which can then be scientifically manipulated into becoming egg or sperm cells for future use/implantation. The progression is so great, in fact, that parents-to-be can choose their child from a sample selection (each of which comes with a physical and psychological breakdown of strengths and weaknesses) through a process known as Selection. It’s a dream come true for many. But the dream can become a nightmare when biomaterials fall into the wrong hands.

Case in point: Rock star Trace Thorne sees his worst fear realized when he is confronted by a surrogate named Quinn, who claims to have been unwittingly impregnated with his baby. Already victimized by an anonymous entity known as The Vault, Thorne paid millions to have his stolen cells removed from their online catalog—and later hired a biosecurity guard, Emery, to follow him on tour and safeguard his DNA. How, then, can Quinn be carrying his child? And what are the implications for his relationship with Emery, which has evolved from business to romance (and prospective parenthood)? Navigating the shocking fallout of this revelation isn’t just a nuisance. It’s a matter of life and death.

Peikoff nimbly balances a narrative that alternates perspectives, storylines, and timeframes. Both Quinn and Emery are POV characters, as is aspiring journalist Lily—an “Unforeseen” (unplanned pregnancy) whose childhood was tarnished by her mother’s decade-long imprisonment. While the connections between these three women aren’t entirely obvious, circumstances and secrets bond them, as do the ethical and moral dilemmas each face on their respective journeys toward truth. The resultant weight is further amplified by the consequences and stressors of the conception process itself, which eliminates spontaneity in favor of choice. And with choice comes both great responsibility and the risk of abdication.

In Baby X, Kira Peikoff offers a thinking person’s thriller, as intensely entertaining as it is intelligent. While the science behind its premise is formidable (and perhaps even foreseeable), the story itself is grounded in human emotion and fallibility, showing that progress will always be tempered by peril and the predatory nature of society. Ambitious and impressively executed, this one has a zinger of an ending that you should see coming—but probably won’t.