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librerin 's review for:
The Ministry for the Future
by Kim Stanley Robinson
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Holy crud this was an intense book. My friends and I book-clubbed it, and I have many many thoughts on this massive and dense book. The first few chapters are deeply disturbing to read, but it does get better (read: more palatable).
I really appreciated that it was essentially a non-fiction book couched in a fiction book. I found that a neat way to play out hypotheticals about what might happen if we were to try X approach to addressing or adapting to climate change. It brought up a lot of new technology and policy ideas that I was not previously familiar with.
My main criticisms are about Mary and that it felt like everything wrapped up so neatly and unrealistically at the end. Mary seemed kind of obsessed with the Swiss in a way that felt unrelatable and inappropriate. I had a hard time finding meaning behind her Swiss exceptionalism. And I feel that I understood her attachment to Frank, in a way, but I don't understand what happened to Frank's fire/zeal. In terms of the final portion of the book, it went from severe hardship and death and destructionto globally singing a song to Mother Earth . Rather than making me feel the optimism I believe was intended, it made me feel like a child being told platitudes.
Regardless, it has been a fantastic book for discussion. From the role of terrorism in climate activism, to complex economic policy, to refugee citizenship, to the ethics of small towns, and more.
I really appreciated that it was essentially a non-fiction book couched in a fiction book. I found that a neat way to play out hypotheticals about what might happen if we were to try X approach to addressing or adapting to climate change. It brought up a lot of new technology and policy ideas that I was not previously familiar with.
My main criticisms are about Mary and that it felt like everything wrapped up so neatly and unrealistically at the end. Mary seemed kind of obsessed with the Swiss in a way that felt unrelatable and inappropriate. I had a hard time finding meaning behind her Swiss exceptionalism. And I feel that I understood her attachment to Frank, in a way, but I don't understand what happened to Frank's fire/zeal. In terms of the final portion of the book, it went from severe hardship and death and destruction
Regardless, it has been a fantastic book for discussion. From the role of terrorism in climate activism, to complex economic policy, to refugee citizenship, to the ethics of small towns, and more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death