Although this short story is very well written, it's feels very much like a scene from Hunger Games, but with an open ending. Which is super impressivAlthough this short story is very well written, it's feels very much like a scene from Hunger Games, but with an open ending. Which is super impressive as this was published in 1948.
The story describes a fictional small American community that observes an annual tradition known as "the lottery", which is intended to ensure a good harvest and purge the town of bad omens....more
"...history is a silent record of people who did not know when to leave."
I almost gave up on this year's Booker Prize winner about Dublin's descent in
"...history is a silent record of people who did not know when to leave."
I almost gave up on this year's Booker Prize winner about Dublin's descent into totalitarianism. The writing style is incredibly dense with no paragraph breaks and minimal use of punctuation. I'm glad I stuck with Prophet Song though as the author definitely has a way with words, and there are some incredibly powerful lines and beautiful descriptions in this bleak and brutal dystopian.
Living in South Africa, this book cuts incredibly close to the bone. Every day we see more and more warning signs and more and more people leaving the country because of corruption and crime and a government that only cares about enriching themselves, but so many of us choose to stay even though we've seen this slow descent into hell happening to neighbouring countries. It's not that easy to leave everything and everyone you know and love.
Through Eilish's perspective we see that it's easy to be in denial about what's happening if you've been in the boiling water all along. As a mother of four she also has to deal with everyday issues like work; a father with dementia; a baby teething and teenagers being teenagers while her country is imploding around her. This narrative reminds us that refugees lived normal lives just like us until they didn't.
Out of the six booker price nominees I read my favourite is still Old God's Time, but Prophet Song now shares second place with The Bee Sting....more
I always enjoy a dystopian where only one element changes from society as we currently know it, so we can see how big the effect of this one change woI always enjoy a dystopian where only one element changes from society as we currently know it, so we can see how big the effect of this one change would be. At just under an hour this was an interesting listen beautifully narrated by Nyambi Nyambi....more
Fourth Wing was soooo much fun! Think The Hunger Games in a academy setting Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, with snarky dragons, magic, and Fourth Wing was soooo much fun! Think The Hunger Games in a academy setting Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, with snarky dragons, magic, and a very spicy romance element. This imaginative, entertaining YA romantacy was unputdownable, and I'm so happy to hear that the next book in the series is publishing in November....more
This is literary speculative fiction set 20 years in the future, a new favorite genre of mine. What sets this book apart from other dystopian novels lThis is literary speculative fiction set 20 years in the future, a new favorite genre of mine. What sets this book apart from other dystopian novels like Station Eleven and The Road is the The Road, is the author's lyrical prose and and his breathtaking descriptions of nature. This is not a fast-paced story, but the longer I read the more I fell in love with the characters and the beautiful setting. The last paragraph had me bawling my eyes out. I can't wait to read one of his Appalachian books.
The Story: Alone in an unfamiliar country, Lark must find his way. Ultimately he finds two companions—Helen, a woman desperate to find her son, and Seamus, a dog who has seen quite a bit in his life. They want to make it to what they believe is a safe haven, but it will take all their strength and courage.
"I've burned, and that's what I wish for all of you. To burn with anger, desire, joy, sorrow. All of it."
John Marrs does it again! The Marriage Act is another fast-paced speculative novel set five minutes in the future. The two elements that makes his booJohn Marrs does it again! The Marriage Act is another fast-paced speculative novel set five minutes in the future. The two elements that makes his books so enjoyable is his skillful use of multiple viewpoints, and the fact that he makes the improbable feel almost possible.
The Story: The Sanctity of Marriage Act is enacted in Britain at some unidentified year in the future. It is thought to be the answer to society’s problems. Married people are happier and healthier. In return for marrying, they are awarded tax incentives and other benefits. But anyone who signs up is monitored from a system installed in their home....more
Even though I saw the coming twist quite early in this story, I did not guess the reason behind it. I enjoyed this short original audible listen whichEven though I saw the coming twist quite early in this story, I did not guess the reason behind it. I enjoyed this short original audible listen which had a definite dystopian feel to it. The narration by Jess Nahikian was excellent....more
3.5 opgerond na 4 sterre. Die element wat ek meeste geniet het van die distopiese storie is hoe moontlik die gebeure is. In 2024 begin Rusland die der3.5 opgerond na 4 sterre. Die element wat ek meeste geniet het van die distopiese storie is hoe moontlik die gebeure is. In 2024 begin Rusland die derde wereldoorlog. In 2048 voer die EFF 'n suksesvolle staatsgreep uit, maar sewe jaar later help die Chinese die ANC om weer aan bewind te kom. Net om 'n paar jaar later deur Action SA verslaan te word.
Teen hierdie agtergrond skenk Jenesis Baron geboorte aan 'n tweeling, maar omdat sy nie getroud is nie word die babas vermoor deur 'n Medi-Bot wat haar pa vir die regering ontwerp het.
Dit is die eerste boek deur Madelein Rust en alhoewel ek die storielyn vreeslik baie geniet het, was die taalgebruik soms te hoogdrawend. Ek dink sy skryf baie goed, maar daar was plekke waar die onbekende woorde (dalk net vir my) my uit die toneel geruk het.
Ek hoop vir meer Afrikaanse boeke in hierdie genre.
4.5 stars. I am really enjoying speculative fiction right now - this genre takes an ordinary reality and plunges it into something far stranger, often4.5 stars. I am really enjoying speculative fiction right now - this genre takes an ordinary reality and plunges it into something far stranger, often exploring the possible consequences of new technologies or worlds. Some of the recent books I've read and loved in this category are To Paradise (Hanya Yanagihara), Cloud Cuckoo Land (Anthony Doerr) and Sea of Tranquility (Emily St. John Mandel).
Made up of 14 interconnected stories, How High We Go in the Dark follows a cast of loosely linked characters over hundreds of years giving us glimpses into their lives and into a society altered by millions of people dying in the aftermath of a climate plague. This is not for sensitive readers as the stories explores death (including physical postmortem changes), grief and loneliness. Even though this was not an upbeat read, I absolutely loved the dreamlike and evocative prose, which swept me away into this wildly imaginative world.
If you've enjoyed any of the novels mentioned above, please give this book a try. One of my favorites for 2023 so far....more
4.5 stars. I absolutely adored Lily Brooks-Dalton's previous book, Good Morning, Midnight which has now been made into a movie with George Clooney tit4.5 stars. I absolutely adored Lily Brooks-Dalton's previous book, Good Morning, Midnight which has now been made into a movie with George Clooney titled The Midnight Sky.
I wasn't sure if I could even classify The Light Pirate as dystopian as the catastrophic natural disasters slowly but surely eradicating towns and big cities does not feel farfetched when described by this author. The first half of the story is suspenseful as we see the hurricanes becoming increasingly worse and also having a bigger impact on society. In the end some people die, some leave to go to other areas with different issues and some adapt.
And this is the part that really spoke to me - as in her previous book the author really makes you feel the beauty, the isolation and loneliness of adapting and becoming part of nature. Be warned that most of the story is incredibly sad but the ending leaves us with some hope.
I highly recommend this beautifully written and thought-provoking novel. It has taken the climate change debate from something abstract to an intimate, personal experience for me.
"What is magic but science that is not yet understood?"
The Story: Set in the near future, this hopeful story of survival and resilience follows Wanda—a luminous child born out of a devastating hurricane—as she navigates a rapidly changing world....more
Another fabulous audible original freebie! I really enjoyed the inventive storyline and absolutely adored the full cast narration. If you enjoy dystopAnother fabulous audible original freebie! I really enjoyed the inventive storyline and absolutely adored the full cast narration. If you enjoy dystopian stories, I highly recommend that you make this your next listen.
The Story: In a futuristic world where predictive software can map out the lives of every living person and their descendants, Naomi Prynne is on trial. The charge: endangerment by way of a pregnancy....more
I don't enjoy reading short stories, but I love listening to these free short audible originals. I liked the narration done by Lauren Ezzo and Vic's tI don't enjoy reading short stories, but I love listening to these free short audible originals. I liked the narration done by Lauren Ezzo and Vic's thoughts and actions felt very authentic for a 13-year old. What I liked most is that this dystopian future felt very possible and as if it could happen very soon - scary!
The Story: Thirteen-year-old Vic is of the Youngest Generation, fixed in prepubescence after a catastrophic environmental degradation. She’s also her father’s favorite student. But when he takes his own life, the perennially ingenuous Vic wants to understand why. As she sets out on her quest, Vic begins to learn that family isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build....more
A very quick but well-written, thought-provoking little dystopian. I liked that the whole story was understated with no drama and no perfect endings. A very quick but well-written, thought-provoking little dystopian. I liked that the whole story was understated with no drama and no perfect endings. Bahni Turpin narrates, and as always she does a brilliant job....more
I've read two other books by this author, Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel which although beautifully written, felt like they were both missing someI've read two other books by this author, Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel which although beautifully written, felt like they were both missing something. I am happy to report, that this was not the case with Sea of Tranquility, which impressed me with the varied tones used in the assorted stories set in different times (past, present and future). Although the pace in the beginning of the book is quite slow, this picks up in the second half of the story. I really enjoyed the circularity of this novel and thought the ending was extremely well done.
If you enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land then you should give this a try. Although there are some references to characters in The Glass Hotel, there is no need to read any of the author's previous works before reading this one.
The Story: The cast includes a British exile on the West coast of Canada in the early 1900s; the author of a bestselling novel about a fictional pandemic who embarks on a galaxy-spanning book tour during the outbreak of an actual pandemic; a resident of a moon colony almost 300 years in the future; and a lonely girl who films an old-growth forest and experiences a disruption in the recording. Blurring the lines between reality and fantasy, Sea of Tranquility follows these characters across space and time as their lives ultimately intersect....more
I read and loved The River by same author, so thought it would nice to try this audible freebie, and although it wasn't bad it felt very young, and thI read and loved The River by same author, so thought it would nice to try this audible freebie, and although it wasn't bad it felt very young, and the ending was extremely abrupt. I normally don't mind and open ending but this was just too blunt. The narrator, Suzy Jackson, was amazing though, and I had to double check that this was really only one person doing all the voices....more
This was a beautifully written book about Klara, an AI friend. We first meet her in the store where we become aware of her heightened emotional sensitThis was a beautifully written book about Klara, an AI friend. We first meet her in the store where we become aware of her heightened emotional sensitivity. She gets bought and taken home by Josie, a frail girl, where she has to adapt to many challenging and difficult situations. I enjoyed the reading experience but expected a more compelling ending. So, although I was never bored and I really liked Klara, this unfortunately did not have the impact of Never Let Me Go.
“Sometimes … people feel a pain alongside their happiness.”
In the beginning there were twenty. Officially, these twenty were in the Wilderness State as part of an experiment to see how people interacted with n
In the beginning there were twenty. Officially, these twenty were in the Wilderness State as part of an experiment to see how people interacted with nature, because, with all land now being used for resources – oil, gas, minerals, water, wood, food – or storage – trash, servers, toxic waste – such interactions had become lost to history.
I thought this book was well written – especially her descriptions of the fauna, flora and landscape – descriptive but with no frills. As with most dystopian novels the focus is on the group dynamics in a situation where strangers must figure out their role in a group. But unlike other novels the complex relationship between mother and daughter is highlighted in The New Wilderness, and I thought this was one of the strongest elements in the book. Being a daughter and having a daughter myself I know that even without the pressure of a survival situation, this can be a complicated relationship. The fact that the community was forced to adapt to a nomadic lifestyle added another interesting layer to this book.
The reason TNW does not receive a higher rating is that I did not feel an emotional connection to any of the characters, and there were big parts of the story that could have been edited I thought. Still worth the read if you are in the mood for a very realistic adult dystopian.
The Story: The New Wilderness is Diane Cook's debut novel that brings to life a wildly imaginative and terrifying dystopian story of a mother's battle to save her daughter from a world ravaged by climate change. ...more
This is my 6th book by this author, and he is fast becoming one of my favorites. The biggest reason for this is that his books are wildly inventive anThis is my 6th book by this author, and he is fast becoming one of my favorites. The biggest reason for this is that his books are wildly inventive and fast-paced which makes for a compulsive reading experience.
In The Minders John Marrs does what he does best, creates a full cast of characters taking turns narrating each chapter, and ensuring that every chapter ends in a mini-cliffhanger, so you just have to read one more... I also liked that he included plotlines from his previous books, so before you get this, make sure that you have already read The One and The Passengers.
The only reason this did not get more stars is because all the characters were horrible people, and normally this doesn't bug me at all, but with the current state of the world, it just drained me a bit.
I still highly recommend this and his other books for original story lines. ...more
"Maybe I'm not the only one who feels the tugs of my other lives. Maybe the hover over us, steering us, constantly."
4.5 stars. Wow! This is an amazing
"Maybe I'm not the only one who feels the tugs of my other lives. Maybe the hover over us, steering us, constantly."
4.5 stars. Wow! This is an amazing debut, and I was captivated from the first page. Although classified as Science Fiction on GR, it's very light on the science element, so I would probably rather label it as dystopian. If you enjoyed The Shades of Magic Series or Six of Crows - Chapters 1 and 2 then you HAVE to get The Space Between Worlds when it publishes on 4 August 2020.
I loved the idea of people being able to travel to parallel universes, some only different by a few degrees and some by a lot. The first thing that makes this an interesting read is that you can't enter an earth if "you" are still alive on this earth - this means that they have to select their world-walkers from groups with a low life expectancy. Cara, our protagonist, is perfect for the job, as she grew up neglected and sometimes abandoned in the destitute and violent wastelands, leaving her with only 8 doppelgangers in the 382 realities that has been unlocked. She is tough, ambitious and complicated and the author does an excellent job in developing her character throughout the story.
Meeting the same people in different worlds is very interesting and I liked the idea that our other lives are in some way connected to the choices we make. The social commentary and philosophy is well-done and adds to the plot. I especially love the "romance" element in TSBW, as it wasn't romantic or idealized at all.
I highly recommend that you add this well-written, fun, gritty and thought-provoking novel to your wish list.
"You can’t imagine how much the world can change in six months. You just can’t."
Except that, now, of course we all can...
3.5 stars rounded
"You can’t imagine how much the world can change in six months. You just can’t."
Except that, now, of course we all can...
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I’ve read all of Lauren Beukes novels and my favorites are Zoo City and The Shining Girls. The thing I love most about this South African author is her knack for wildly inventive plot-lines – criminals who gets assigned animal companions or time travelling serial killers. That said, I thought the story line for Afterland was the most “normal” of everything she’s done until now – not necessarily a bad thing, especially in a time when most of us are drawn to easy reading books.
The story is set in the future where 99% of men are dead after a global man plague. Cole and her twelve-year-old son Miles are on the run from her sister and a group of boy traffickers, but they also have to be on the look out for the Department of Men who wants to quarantine all surviving males. I found the mention of hand washing, sold out hand sanitizer, conspiracy theories, financial markets crashing and hospitals being overwhelmed a bit eerie and very prescient.
The writing is edgy, and I especially liked the parts where Billy (sociopath sister) is high on drugs while trying to catch up to Cole and Miles, as I felt like I was deep under the influence myself. The author uses a cool trick to point out how chauvinistic some of us are still in our thinking, by always mentioning a job description before the description of the person, and I found myself having to constantly change my picture to female from male a few sentences after we were introduced to a cop, security guard, taxi driver etc.
The real issue being addressed in this dystopia is probably women and violence. We are still very much programmed to think of women as nurturing even after watching shows like Game of Thrones and Ozark, so the brutality between females feels unnatural and/or uncomfortable, but as the one of the characters in Afterland notes – “But girls have more to prove. You have to hit harder, meaner, crueler if you want to step into the Big Men’s shoes” when the future is going to be female....more
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