Dark river

The story raises questions about autonomy in a controlled society. I'm curious what inspired the balance between these themes and how they shaped the narrative.

There was a lot of world-building and philosophical dialogue that made the story feel slower at times. I'm wondering if that was a deliberate choice to deepen the themes.

The world feels so vivid and layered—did the author draw from current events or envision a future based on specific ideas about society's trajectory?