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kelseymn18's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
4.0
A Handmaid's Tale meets time travel. A group of feminist time travelers study and visit social movements from throughout history, until they end up in an "edit war" against men who are going back in time and editing history in order to prevent women's rights and LGBTQ+ rights from progressing. I loved the fresh concept, and the time travel aspect was done well. The two main POVs and their timelines were also integrated really well. The story definitely hits differently now in a post-Roe world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Abortion, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse and Transphobia
hamstringy's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This is really another book for the pile of books that should have been something I enjoyed. I was left soooo disappointed and really annoyed at the end of the book. Parts of the book are incredibly cool to me, like the science of time travel, the concept of political struggle over a timeline instead of just over linear moments.
I also did really enjoy one scene where the MC gouges a man's eyeballs out and calls his eye sockets "another hole to penetrate"; I think that was both really baller and genuinely an example of an idea I wish Newitz had committed to more.
Let's sort my criticisms into petty and conceptual:
Petty Nitpicks:
Let's sort my criticisms into petty and conceptual:
Petty Nitpicks:
- Women in the 1890s wearing "lacy bras"
- A character predicting she'd graduate from UCLA in the 90s with $50k in debt (which there is no way to do in 4-5 years)
- People using modern slang while time traveling while having people of the times understand them (okay sure, we're ignoring historical linguistics, that is a valid choice), but they catch enemy time travelers because they use modern slang??
Actual Beef:
- I find this book to be quite bioessentialist--a lot of it is focused on an expanded Comstock act and the legality of abortion, which does most obviously affect people with uteruses (often women). This is fine, but the narrative keeps harping on the fact that the Sisters of Harriet are for women and nonbinary people. What about trans men? Are they not central to the underlying themes of autonomy, particularly with people obsessed with "female" fertility? What does the Comstock act do to affect nonbinary people and trans women? Why are all but one of the main characters women if there is gender diversity? It takes a lot of wind out of this book's sails, and, honestly, part of me wished the author just chose to make the Sisters of Harriet focused on abortion for women, because that's all they seemed equipped to handle.
- I find the constant pacifism of the Sisters to be incredibly annoying. I think this is in large part because I'm not a staunch interpersonal pacifist myself, but it also doesn't really make sense in-book: what is one man versus the global health of all women? No one ever seems to express a very "sanctity of all life" sentiment, so it feels really disappointing a choice to shy away from the conflict between violence and autonomy.
- I wish the Comstockers weren't made out to be these cartoonish villains. People who are anti-abortion can seem that way, but I think it's a generally more interesting and more compelling struggle if the Comstockers have complexity and nuance--this is hinted at in the very first scene, where a Comstocker is anti-college because of its establishment roots, but their politics quickly devolve into calling all women sluts and wanting them dead.
A riot grrl band never exists because the main character and her friend succeed and legalize abortion in the 21st century, but the riot grrl movement (and in particular this Latina-fronted band) was never just focused on abortion. Did men suddenly stop raping, harrassing, and objectifying musicians?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Transphobia, Cursing, Abortion, and Rape
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Deadnaming, Murder, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Drug use, and Pregnancy
Minor: Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, and Toxic friendship
allisonplus's review against another edition
challenging
informative
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Abortion, and Sexual content
Minor: Colonisation, Death, Mental illness, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, and Forced institutionalization
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Creating a believable time travel story is bound to be difficult because it never makes sense once you start to analyze it. This story is so good that it was believable throughout - I wasn’t even tempted to try to analyze it because the plot fit together so perfectly.
This book is topical, having been published in 2019, three years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. It describes a 1993 and a 2022 where abortion has never been legalized, and time travelers work to edit the timeline in favor of women’s rights. Of course, the people who deny rights to women are just as busy trying to edit the timeline to crush women and turn them into breeders. (It feels all too real in that sense.)
Engaging story, valiant characters, salient topic - an excellent book.
This book is topical, having been published in 2019, three years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. It describes a 1993 and a 2022 where abortion has never been legalized, and time travelers work to edit the timeline in favor of women’s rights. Of course, the people who deny rights to women are just as busy trying to edit the timeline to crush women and turn them into breeders. (It feels all too real in that sense.)
Engaging story, valiant characters, salient topic - an excellent book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Child abuse, Police brutality, Abortion, Alcohol, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Violence
glitterdyke's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Sexism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Murder
rafaelsampaio's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Misogyny, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Murder, Pedophilia, Slavery, Violence, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Transphobia
Moderate: Rape, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse
Minor: Deadnaming, Hate crime, Racial slurs, and Racism
thesawyerbean's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This was a very enjoyable read. The research done for this novel was insane: the character, setting and plot writing were incredible. I loved the alternating points of view and the interweaving timelines, and the stakes were real, tangible and exhilarating. The effortless inclusion of diverse ethnicities and queer identities was fantastic to read too.
However, where this book falls short is I’m not sure the vision of the fundamental aspect, the time travel and its mechanics, were as defined and clear as they should have been. I did have to suspend belief and go along with it at certain points because it did seem like they flouted their own predefined rules in order for the plot to continue. By the end, although it was satisfying and a satisfactory end, there were still so many questions left unanswered - the characters and I were both left asking ‘who knows?’. In certain ways it made it more convoluted than it already was trying to justify some of the plot points.
Overall this book was good and definitely worth a read. A powerful feminist sci-fi novel, full of historical context and loveable characters, with an overarching plot-line we can all feel impassioned about.
However, where this book falls short is I’m not sure the vision of the fundamental aspect, the time travel and its mechanics, were as defined and clear as they should have been. I did have to suspend belief and go along with it at certain points because it did seem like they flouted their own predefined rules in order for the plot to continue. By the end, although it was satisfying and a satisfactory end, there were still so many questions left unanswered - the characters and I were both left asking ‘who knows?’. In certain ways it made it more convoluted than it already was trying to justify some of the plot points.
Overall this book was good and definitely worth a read. A powerful feminist sci-fi novel, full of historical context and loveable characters, with an overarching plot-line we can all feel impassioned about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Vomit, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Bullying, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Death of parent, and Drug use
my_forest_library's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Child abuse, Abortion, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, and Murder
Minor: Antisemitism, Xenophobia, Violence, Slavery, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Transphobia, and Suicide
petermhoward's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
this book is very deliberately challenging and very of its time — it’s almost on the nose when folks near the end are thankful abortion is legal in America in 2022… but it’s a reminder that rights are hard fought and never stable
i’d enjoyed the pacing of Autonomous but found the characterisation a little empty — here Newitz nails both. even when their writing is a manifesto it’s entertaining and you really get to know the characters
i’d enjoyed the pacing of Autonomous but found the characterisation a little empty — here Newitz nails both. even when their writing is a manifesto it’s entertaining and you really get to know the characters
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse
leweylibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-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? Yes
4.75
I enjoyed the bejeezus out of this book and really mostly only regret that I couldn't read it in bigger chunks.
I want to point out that this is a rare book in which there are queer and gender nonconforming people and it doesn't revolve around romance at all, just them existing and doing badass time travel stuff which is dope.
It's really cool that this alternate history does incorporate so much real history. I really enjoyed the social commentary parts about reproductive rights, gender roles, the patriarchy, etc., and the murder and serial killer parts were also really enjoyable.
I think the only struggle I had, and some of this may have been because I had to read it in smaller chunks over more time that I would've liked, but I had a hard time keeping track of characters and storylines sometimes. The settings changing so much in time and place could be a bit unsettling to adjust to, and the how of this time traveling is never really explained, so that was a bit confusing. Also, I know we did officially find out very clearly that Beth is NOT Tess but Tess is actually Lizzy, but man did my brain have a hard time accepting and retaining that lol
Overall, I can't fault this book too much in my mind because it was truly really fun, and that last line in the acknowledgements is going to stick with me.
Quotes:
I want to point out that this is a rare book in which there are queer and gender nonconforming people and it doesn't revolve around romance at all, just them existing and doing badass time travel stuff which is dope.
It's really cool that this alternate history does incorporate so much real history. I really enjoyed the social commentary parts about reproductive rights, gender roles, the patriarchy, etc., and the murder and serial killer parts were also really enjoyable.
I think the only struggle I had, and some of this may have been because I had to read it in smaller chunks over more time that I would've liked, but I had a hard time keeping track of characters and storylines sometimes. The settings changing so much in time and place could be a bit unsettling to adjust to, and the how of this time traveling is never really explained, so that was a bit confusing. Also, I know we did officially find out very clearly that
Overall, I can't fault this book too much in my mind because it was truly really fun, and that last line in the acknowledgements is going to stick with me.
Quotes:
- Nothing is inevitable, and you always have to go back farther than you expect. (282)
- ...I don't tell them everything about the timeline I remember. I don't want them to know how close we are to that other version of history. I want them to have hope. (282)
- It wasn't that I didn't believe in great men anymore. But now I could see that every great man was actually a tiny piece of something much larger: A movement, an institution, or possibly a set of loosely interconnected people. Maybe the only real difference between the Great Man perspective and the Collective Action one was that great man had followers instead of communities. (309)
- Collective action means that when someone does something small or personal, their actions can change history too. Even if the only thing that person ever does is study ancient rocks, or listen to a friend. (309)
- I remember a world where abortion was legal in my country. I hope you do too. (347)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Sexual assault, and Child abuse