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A review by mentat_stem
Atoms Never Touch by micha cárdenas
challenging
emotional
informative
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
5.0
It's been a while since I read a book in a 24 hour window, even a short one like this.
This book takes as its premise that it's hard for a trans woman to establish a family, particularly when the world is falling apart from both the climate crisis and unchecked bigotry.
It then explores that with the tools of both narrative structure and science fiction. The science fiction involves both the far out notion of involuntarily falling between alternate universes and the near future technology used to visualize and attempt to solve the problem.
The story is told in the 1st person from one character's PoV and 3rd person for the others. That 1st vs 3rd shift allows for different perspectives on the trans experience based on pronouns and names and such. It also emphasizes the scope of the near future surveillance state.
Within all of that framework is a ton of introspective stream of conscious.
The end result is a portrait of transwomen doing the hard work to make the world a better place for everyone, while carving out a space they can exist and find love.
Highly recommended.
In my head canon the epilogue is a prequel toThis is How You Lose the Time War.
This book takes as its premise that it's hard for a trans woman to establish a family, particularly when the world is falling apart from both the climate crisis and unchecked bigotry.
It then explores that with the tools of both narrative structure and science fiction. The science fiction involves both the far out notion of involuntarily falling between alternate universes and the near future technology used to visualize and attempt to solve the problem.
The story is told in the 1st person from one character's PoV and 3rd person for the others. That 1st vs 3rd shift allows for different perspectives on the trans experience based on pronouns and names and such. It also emphasizes the scope of the near future surveillance state.
Within all of that framework is a ton of introspective stream of conscious.
The end result is a portrait of transwomen doing the hard work to make the world a better place for everyone, while carving out a space they can exist and find love.
Highly recommended.
In my head canon the epilogue is a prequel to