The Future of Another Timeline

The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz is a queer, feminist, punk time travel novel. 

1992 - Beth is at a Riotgrrl concert with her friends when a decision they make creates a new path in the timeline. 

2022 - Beth is part of a group of time travelers who are hoping to make small changes in the past to ensure body autonomy for women in all timelines. 

1892 - In the White City as Chicago's World's Fair is about to open the battle for the future in on. Trends started by Comstock and his followers could take away women's rights for the whole of the future.

Newitz is a science fiction genius. They take stories to places few others would think of. Due to the current political climate in the US this is not an easy book to read right now, but maybe corrections are coming here too.

Newitz, Annalee. (2019). The Future of Another Timeline. New York: Tor.

Red Hood

Red Hood by Elana K Arnold is a retelling of Little Red Ridinghood. In this version, the wolves are the ones in danger.

Bisou lives with her grandmother in the woods near Seattle. She has lived there since her grandmother came and got her in Canada after her mother was killed.

As Bisou is walking home after a school dance, a wolf attacks her. It is the biggest wolf she has ever heard of. But it does not harm her. She manages to evade and then kill the wolf. 

When her grandmother figures out what happened, she has a story to tell Bisou. One about boys and how they can become wolves, endangering the young women around them.

Arnold has written a very readable, important book for all teen girls. 

Arnold, Elana. (2021). Red Hood. New York: Balzer and Bray.

Not Here to Be Liked

Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach is a high school struggle to balance being yourself and still get what you want.

Eliza Quan is the managing editor of her high school paper. Each year there is a staff election to pick the Editor in Chief. Eliza is sure she is going to be chosen as she is the most qualified and the only one running.

But when she gets to the election, Len a boy who usually sits in the corner and does not get involved other than to turn in articles about sports, announces he is running too. 

It turns out that while the staff respects Eliza, they like Len better. 

When Eliza writes an op ed about her loss, feminism, and why he was the wrong choice - an article that was never meant to be published but someone finds and post it - a wave of protests spread through the school.

Quach has written a compelling story that contains many important issued not often covered in YA. Great read.

Quach, Michelle. (2021). Not Here to Be Liked. New York: Katherine Tegen Books.

The Power

The Power by Naomi Alderman is an amazing commentary on our times. And just what us left leaning women needed in this political climate!

Written as an historical novel, looking back five thousand years to our current day, The Power looks at what happened to shift the political and social power from men to women.

Roxy is the daughter of a London gangster. When men come to attach her mother, thinking she wouldn't be home, Roxy fights back. She has something inside of her that tells her she can hurt the men who are trying to hurt her family.

Margot is mayor. The power in her is awakened by her daughter - teen girls can trigger it in older women. But Margot keeps her power a secret. The political climate is not reacting well to girls being able to defend themselves - and occasionally attacking some guy.

Allie is an orphan who is being abused. When she feels something in her chest she fights back. And her step father reacts as if electrocuted. Then she runs.

Tunde is a witness. He is excited for young women to be able to defend themselves. In some parts of the world they will rebel against religious laws that keep them from having rights. Tunde will start traveling the globe to help document the changes and the revolution.

The Power is so good. Alderman has written a book that shows the opposite future to the one in The Handmaid's Tale where women rule the world and men are seen as the weaker sex. This is a refreshing novel that is brilliantly conceived and written. Go buy a copy today - and buy one for the women in your life.

Alderman, Naomi. (2016). The Power. UK: Penguin.