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aaron_of_ypsi 's review for:
The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer
by Janelle Monáe
This book was a treat. I usually find books that take place in dystopian situations to be a terrible drag, as they spend so much time on the dread of the now, and nothing upon the power of what might yet be. This book, by contrast, is very forward looking, and the dread is tempered by joy; the joy of defiance, and the joy of what we might build in a brighter future. I loved it.
‘The Memory Librarian’ explores the lives of people in a future version of America, in which an oppression of the collective mind has been instituted via the oppression, and suppression, of memories. It would be nice if we could avoid such oppression in the future, but it might take a miracle… The first story, really a novella, takes on the perspective of power in this twisted society, and the subsequent tales show the perspective of the people living outside the glaring light of this false dawn. A few plot points will probably anger some who wish to exclude certain people from femininity, but I found them to be delightful. Artistic subtly is truly an act of cowardice, in times of strife.
The book has themes exploring racism, sexism and other-phobia, so TW there. And boy, does it explore the realm of the queer and the other with tremendous enthusiasm. I can’t recall a book that wore its pearls with such pride, while getting this much publicity… basically in my entire life? I’m extremely impressed. I was advised to self publish my own book, because books as queer as mine just don’t get signed. It was good advice. But, perhaps the times are changing, and it’s great to see this kind of star power being used to change things for the better.
For a book with many collaborators, I’m surprised by how cohesive the voice is between each story. I would guess that credit goes to Janelle for managing the team so well. I enjoyed the flow of each story, and the way that a few magical moments transcended the normal boundaries of science fiction. Some people might find the large cast at the Pynk Hotel to be hard to wrap their minds around, but each character was sufficiently distinguished for my tastes, and I had no trouble there. The final act is a surprising bit of childlike magical realism that somehow bookended the tale perfectly, and I will give no spoilers.
I must note, I have been a fan of Janelle Monáe’s music for a while now, and I tend to love short story collections with a strong theme, so these biases definitely figure into my rating. But, if you have similar biases, I’m sure you will love this book.
I was gifted this book by a dear friend; thanks for letting me be one of the first to enjoy this, Marc.
‘The Memory Librarian’ explores the lives of people in a future version of America, in which an oppression of the collective mind has been instituted via the oppression, and suppression, of memories. It would be nice if we could avoid such oppression in the future, but it might take a miracle… The first story, really a novella, takes on the perspective of power in this twisted society, and the subsequent tales show the perspective of the people living outside the glaring light of this false dawn. A few plot points will probably anger some who wish to exclude certain people from femininity, but I found them to be delightful. Artistic subtly is truly an act of cowardice, in times of strife.
The book has themes exploring racism, sexism and other-phobia, so TW there. And boy, does it explore the realm of the queer and the other with tremendous enthusiasm. I can’t recall a book that wore its pearls with such pride, while getting this much publicity… basically in my entire life? I’m extremely impressed. I was advised to self publish my own book, because books as queer as mine just don’t get signed. It was good advice. But, perhaps the times are changing, and it’s great to see this kind of star power being used to change things for the better.
For a book with many collaborators, I’m surprised by how cohesive the voice is between each story. I would guess that credit goes to Janelle for managing the team so well. I enjoyed the flow of each story, and the way that a few magical moments transcended the normal boundaries of science fiction. Some people might find the large cast at the Pynk Hotel to be hard to wrap their minds around, but each character was sufficiently distinguished for my tastes, and I had no trouble there. The final act is a surprising bit of childlike magical realism that somehow bookended the tale perfectly, and I will give no spoilers.
I must note, I have been a fan of Janelle Monáe’s music for a while now, and I tend to love short story collections with a strong theme, so these biases definitely figure into my rating. But, if you have similar biases, I’m sure you will love this book.
I was gifted this book by a dear friend; thanks for letting me be one of the first to enjoy this, Marc.