A review by justliketitanium
The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe

4.0

There are five stories from the same world in this book, each written with a different collaborator. While I liked some better than others (of course that would be true of any collection of stories), I don’t think comparing or ranking them would be productive for me, so: taken as a whole, the prose felt overwrought and immature at first, but by the middle of the book I was all in.

Janelle Monáe’s vision of a future dystopia (that is really not so different from the capitalist hellscape we live in), and the rebellious communities built on hope and authenticity and the Power of Yet that grow on the margins, holds a message of encouragement. This book is a reminder that our individual actions affect those around us and that we can make a better world through collaboration.

Ultimately, I love everything Monáe does, and this book is no exception. If she publishes more, I will definitely pick it up right away!