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ani_raven's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Kidnapping
Minor: Murder
brittni_in_ink's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
There was a lot I loved about the book. It's a definite call to action about climate change, and there are some fascinating ideas about how we can go about combatting it and preventing the worst outcomes. For example, pumping meltwater from under glaciers to the surface to slow their movement and prevent them from contributing to rising sea levels.
The first chapter is so devastating, and really sets the tone for the rest of the book. Robinson did a wonderful job of introducing a few key characters to follow throughout the story. And even later in the book, there were these beautiful personal moments, like Frank encountering a mountain goat in the wild.
But ultimately, the book was about the big picture. The amount of research that went into it was clearly impressive. For that reason, I'm a little ashamed to say I skimmed some chapters. Not because they were bad, but because there was only so much discussion about currency and banks I could handle.
The book wasn't entirely my cup of tea, but there were parts that I really liked. So three stars: good, but not something I would read again.
The first chapter is so devastating, and really sets the tone for the rest of the book. Robinson did a wonderful job of introducing a few key characters to follow throughout the story. And even later in the book, there were these beautiful personal moments, like Frank encountering a mountain goat in the wild.
But ultimately, the book was about the big picture. The amount of research that went into it was clearly impressive. For that reason, I'm a little ashamed to say I skimmed some chapters. Not because they were bad, but because there was only so much discussion about currency and banks I could handle.
The book wasn't entirely my cup of tea, but there were parts that I really liked. So three stars: good, but not something I would read again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Death
Minor: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Animal death, and Child death
skudiklier's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
First off, I want to say that I really liked this book. I would definitely recommend it. I think it gets across a lot of the challenges and high stakes of climate change in a nuanced way. I like the mix of personal stories and bigger-picture processes.
At first, I was worried it would be too dark--not that it was unrealistic, but it was bringing back all my climate anxiety/despair, and I thought it might all be very hard to read. But by the end (or even by halfway through, really), I flipped to wondering if the book is too optimistic. Even given all the challenges, all the "too little too late"-- even given that a decent amount of the change was caused by terrorism! I still feel like some things worked out too well and too easily. But maybe I should just be more hopeful, I don't know. I'll definitely be thinking about this book a lot, and recommending it to anyone who brings up anything even remotely related.
At first, I was worried it would be too dark--not that it was unrealistic, but it was bringing back all my climate anxiety/despair, and I thought it might all be very hard to read. But by the end (or even by halfway through, really), I flipped to wondering if the book is too optimistic. Even given all the challenges, all the "too little too late"--
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Slavery
Moderate: Murder, Police brutality, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Xenophobia, Classism, and Colonisation
Minor: Sexism, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcohol, War, Child death, Animal death, Fatphobia, and Racism
julesmcf's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
A book anyone should read, especially the ones that are climate-anxious. Kim Stanley Robinson envisions in the Ministry for the Future a more just future where (after considerable struggle) humanity has managed to mitigate greenhousegas emissions. Using the Paris Agreement as a base this book shows we can still make it, we can avoid djungle- or desert planet but only by taking drastic action, it also shows what's at stake.
The book follows several characters in Switzerland, India, Antartica and the US and their experience with climate change, thereby painting a very multifaceted image of what would mean a global warming from above 1,5°C for the different individuals as well as society.
The book follows several characters in Switzerland, India, Antartica and the US and their experience with climate change, thereby painting a very multifaceted image of what would mean a global warming from above 1,5°C for the different individuals as well as society.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence and Cancer
Minor: Kidnapping
The content warning should further include: mass death, drought, heatwave, flood, refugee crisiskathleencoughlin's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Ministry for the Future is the kind of scifi book that really takes the core if the genre, imaginative solutions to big questions, and brings it down to earth. It reads more like literary fiction or even a nonfiction book than typical science fiction because it is based here in the near future and concerns a context that is all too familiar.
There were a lot of povs which helps highlight that this is a global issue with global solutions. This was a risky stylistic choice in my opinion and I think, at least for the most part, it did pay off. In large part, I think the many narrators could be successful because we do have a core cast of characters led by Mary Murphy who pulls us through this timeline's approach to the climate crisis. Mary's agency, The Ministry for the Future, is given the seemingly impossible task of advocating on behalf of generations to come and ensuring their wellbeing through promoting management and ultimately reversal the catastrophic effects of climate change. Mary has an interesting perspective, and I thought her relationship with Frank was so compelling. I think many readers have found themselves in Mary's position of feeling like you're doing what little you can within your limits and there needs to be some outside force to push you to find new solutions(hopefully not through kidnapping though lol).
There were a lot of povs which helps highlight that this is a global issue with global solutions. This was a risky stylistic choice in my opinion and I think, at least for the most part, it did pay off. In large part, I think the many narrators could be successful because we do have a core cast of characters led by Mary Murphy who pulls us through this timeline's approach to the climate crisis. Mary's agency, The Ministry for the Future, is given the seemingly impossible task of advocating on behalf of generations to come and ensuring their wellbeing through promoting management and ultimately reversal the catastrophic effects of climate change. Mary has an interesting perspective, and I thought her relationship with Frank was so compelling. I think many readers have found themselves in Mary's position of feeling like you're doing what little you can within your limits and there needs to be some outside force to push you to find new solutions(hopefully not through
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, and Xenophobia
Minor: Cancer, Classism, Colonisation, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
teresareads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and Violence
Extremely detailed description of a natural disaster, leading to many deaths, near the beginning of the book. The rest of the book is less dark and explicit.
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