Title: The Future
Author: Naomi Alderman
Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction
Published: 2023
Pages: 408
Goodreads Rating: 3.89
Rating: 6/10
“There is a beautiful world on the far shore, where we’re not destroying all the species anymore and our cities are clean and beautiful and full of wild birds, and our cars are all electric and all shared, and the streets are safe for kids to play in, and we get to keep TV and the internet and concerts and ball games and all that good stuff, and fine, we’re eating mostly vegan food but it’s good, and if we can just get through the pain barrier as quickly as possible, then we’re there.”
The Future is a thought experiment of epic proportions. Set in a quasi-realistic world, humanity is on the brink of a cataclysmic event that would end civilization as we know it. Amidst this dire situation, what would happen if three of the most important, influential technology billionaires disappeared?
Pros:
Immediately captures your attention
If I could rate the first three parts of the book, it would be an 8/10. The story is fast-paced, the chapters are short, and it easily keeps you reading.
Relatable characters
Alderman does a great job of crafting relatable characters that have their fair share of virtues and vices. I quickly connected to Martha, Lenk, and Badger because of their individualism.
Interesting look at a near-future scenario
Like I mentioned earlier, The Future is an intriguing thought experiment of what it could take to save the world from environmental collapse. Is it entirely realistic? No… but does it need to be?
Cons:
Story timeline vs. chapters
The timeline of events is not exceptionally clear chapter-to-chapter. You really have to pay attention to the details of each chapter or it could easily get confusing as the author jumps from past to present.
Alignment of page usage to content
Starting in Part Four, the author’s allocation of pages to content starts to fray. Parts Four and Five could have been much shorter and I wish the author had expanded Part Six.
Misleading
Alderman intentionally left out details in the second half of the book and it really started to drive me nuts. When the author finally decides to reveal all, the reader is the last person to fully catch up with what is going on. It seems like the only purpose of this is to artificially generate drama, emotion, and shock.
Forgiveness?
I can’t go into details here… so I’ll leave you with a question. How much is too much to forgive?
Overall…
This review was tough to write because the first half of the book was a solid 8/10 and the second half crept closer to 4/10. Do I recommend the book? Yes, because it has a good foundational storyline that makes you think. Could it drive you crazy at times? Yes.
Caroline’s Library 