Scan barcode
A review by beanjoles
The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
**SPOILERS ABOUND, reader beware!**
There was a lot to love about this story: a unique spin on time-travel; an interesting and personal exploration of the relationship between past and present selves; teenagers serial murdering unsavoury men who clearly get off on abusing women. As I am learning is typical for Newitz's writing, the prose is clear and evocative, and their facts are well-researched and presented.
But... I can't help but feel they tried to take on too much with this book, and ultimately it failed to come together in a way that I found satisfying.
The serial murder subplot feels like it should have taken place in another book entirely. For being such a keystone in the Tess/Beth relationship, it's given surprisingly little emotional weight outside of Beth feeling conflicted about their actions. It's not until too far into the book that we learn Tess actually Loves To Murder and that it's a key element of her personality (???), which seems like something important to give a taste of sooner than was done.
The concept of Comstockers vs Daughters of Harriet was actually the least compelling part of the book to me. If this had been fleshed out better, I might have been able to look past other flaws. The Comstockers' motive is essentially to ensure women are relegated to a life of servitude and subservience to men forever—genuinely frightening!—but the book can't quite decide if they're a well-organized pseudo-militia or a bunch of bumbling MRAs whose sole purpose in life is to make women stop being "sl*ts". I almost think the story would have been stronger without adding an opposition group of mustache-twirling but ultimately toothless megavillains. Like, what if it were just the Daughters fighting against the tide of history in their alternate universe? That's a story worth telling. And I think it would have helped Newitz clarify and explore some of their philosophical thoughts about Great Man Theory vs Collective Action. We got a lot of Telling about that but not as much Showing as I think should have been done.
No regrets on reading this, but I wish it had come together better in the end.
A note on the audiobook: I found the narrator's style to be a bit amateurish, overall, but there were some stand-out moments too and I felt she did particularly well reading Beth. It was cool to have a musical interlude partway through the story! I haven't experienced that in an audiobook before. Unique and fun!
There was a lot to love about this story: a unique spin on time-travel; an interesting and personal exploration of the relationship between past and present selves; teenagers serial murdering unsavoury men who clearly get off on abusing women. As I am learning is typical for Newitz's writing, the prose is clear and evocative, and their facts are well-researched and presented.
But... I can't help but feel they tried to take on too much with this book, and ultimately it failed to come together in a way that I found satisfying.
The serial murder subplot feels like it should have taken place in another book entirely. For being such a keystone in the Tess/Beth relationship, it's given surprisingly little emotional weight outside of Beth feeling conflicted about their actions. It's not until too far into the book that we learn Tess actually Loves To Murder and that it's a key element of her personality (???), which seems like something important to give a taste of sooner than was done.
The concept of Comstockers vs Daughters of Harriet was actually the least compelling part of the book to me. If this had been fleshed out better, I might have been able to look past other flaws. The Comstockers' motive is essentially to ensure women are relegated to a life of servitude and subservience to men forever—genuinely frightening!—but the book can't quite decide if they're a well-organized pseudo-militia or a bunch of bumbling MRAs whose sole purpose in life is to make women stop being "sl*ts". I almost think the story would have been stronger without adding an opposition group of mustache-twirling but ultimately toothless megavillains. Like, what if it were just the Daughters fighting against the tide of history in their alternate universe? That's a story worth telling. And I think it would have helped Newitz clarify and explore some of their philosophical thoughts about Great Man Theory vs Collective Action. We got a lot of Telling about that but not as much Showing as I think should have been done.
No regrets on reading this, but I wish it had come together better in the end.
A note on the audiobook: I found the narrator's style to be a bit amateurish, overall, but there were some stand-out moments too and I felt she did particularly well reading Beth. It was cool to have a musical interlude partway through the story! I haven't experienced that in an audiobook before. Unique and fun!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Abortion, Child abuse, and Sexual violence