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A review by teokajlibroj
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
3.0
The book opens well and has some good ideas but unfortunately fails to live up to the potential. For a start Heinlein essentially cheats by giving the revolutionaries an all-knowing computer that solves all their problems and removes the need for tough decisions. Everything goes exactly to plan which removes all tension from the story.
I had high hopes for the world building but ended up disappointed. How people survive in a lawless society is an intriguing idea but Heinlein almost completely ignores it. It's only halfway through the book that we are even told there are no laws and the solution doesn't make any sense (why would people pay for a judgement?). Bar that one scene, there's next to no social commentary. Even once the rebellion happens, it's unclear what the rebels replace it with or how the new society functions.
The line marriages also could be an interesting concept but they're not fully explored. Despite saying otherwise, Mannie doesn't seem to care about his family and completely ignores his children. There is also a weird incestuous and underage sex vibe in the marriage, it's treated as normal for children to be married as soon as they reach puberty.
There's also the rampant sexism. Heinlein probably considered himself progressive and perhaps for the times he was, but the depiction of women has not aged well. The only characteristic the women in the book have is their beauty. Every time Wyoh enters a room, the man stop to stare at her, cat-call, wolf-whistle and this is all treated like a compliment. For some reason people think she's a strong female character, but the Prof makes it clear that the only thing she brings to the revolution is her beauty. In fact she does nothing else during the revolution or government, except look pretty and have the men explain things to her. At one point the narrator notes favourably that during a meeting she kept her pretty mouth shut (his words not mine).
The ending seemed like a cop-out and the author didn't know how to end the book.
I had high hopes for the world building but ended up disappointed. How people survive in a lawless society is an intriguing idea but Heinlein almost completely ignores it. It's only halfway through the book that we are even told there are no laws and the solution doesn't make any sense (why would people pay for a judgement?). Bar that one scene, there's next to no social commentary. Even once the rebellion happens, it's unclear what the rebels replace it with or how the new society functions.
The line marriages also could be an interesting concept but they're not fully explored. Despite saying otherwise, Mannie doesn't seem to care about his family and completely ignores his children. There is also a weird incestuous and underage sex vibe in the marriage, it's treated as normal for children to be married as soon as they reach puberty.
There's also the rampant sexism. Heinlein probably considered himself progressive and perhaps for the times he was, but the depiction of women has not aged well. The only characteristic the women in the book have is their beauty. Every time Wyoh enters a room, the man stop to stare at her, cat-call, wolf-whistle and this is all treated like a compliment. For some reason people think she's a strong female character, but the Prof makes it clear that the only thing she brings to the revolution is her beauty. In fact she does nothing else during the revolution or government, except look pretty and have the men explain things to her. At one point the narrator notes favourably that during a meeting she kept her pretty mouth shut (his words not mine).
The ending seemed like a cop-out and the author didn't know how to end the book.