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Athena's Choice
Athena Vosh lives just like any other teenager from the year 2099. She watches reality shows with her friends, eats well, and occasionally wonders to herself: what would life be like if men were still alive?
It has been almost 50 years since an experimental virus accidentally killed all the men on earth. However, a controversial project is currently underway to bring men back. There's just one catch. The project has been sabotaged.
So begins Athena's Choice. When the police of 2099 are tasked with finding the saboteur, they receive a mysterious command to investigate the otherwise innocuous Athena Vosh. After it becomes clear that the young girl might know more than she lets on, Athena is brought in to participate in the official investigation. Simultaneously, the girl begins to experience a series of cryptic dreams featuring a ruined library and an old book containing the saboteur’s true identity. As the police close in on their prize, Athena finds herself on a journey of her own. Her clue-filled dreams and incorruptible spirit bring her face-to-face with a pair of forgotten truths about happiness and gender. The world waits to see if men will return as Athena fights a separate battle, culminating in the choice that will define her and others' lives forever.
It has been almost 50 years since an experimental virus accidentally killed all the men on earth. However, a controversial project is currently underway to bring men back. There's just one catch. The project has been sabotaged.
So begins Athena's Choice. When the police of 2099 are tasked with finding the saboteur, they receive a mysterious command to investigate the otherwise innocuous Athena Vosh. After it becomes clear that the young girl might know more than she lets on, Athena is brought in to participate in the official investigation. Simultaneously, the girl begins to experience a series of cryptic dreams featuring a ruined library and an old book containing the saboteur’s true identity. As the police close in on their prize, Athena finds herself on a journey of her own. Her clue-filled dreams and incorruptible spirit bring her face-to-face with a pair of forgotten truths about happiness and gender. The world waits to see if men will return as Athena fights a separate battle, culminating in the choice that will define her and others' lives forever.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2018
132 people are currently reading
3646 people want to read
About the author
Adam Boostrom
1 book102 followersAdam Boostrom is a consultant, author, futurist, and unabashed lover of artificial intelligence. Through keynote addresses and foresight workshops, he partners with clients to reimagine the business scenarios of tomorrow. After earning degrees from the University of Chicago School of Economics, and the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, Adam moved to New York, where he writes white papers and science fiction novels in his free time. His first work, Athena’s Choice, was an award-winning bestseller about a future without men. More recently, Adam has discovered an unrecognized talent for bar trivia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 448 reviews
March 2, 2021
Athena's Choice is a science fiction set in the near future, where all men are extinct. A dangerous experimental virus has killed all men on earth. Fifty years later, in the year 2099, a project is initiated to bring men back to life, but it faces a threat —someone doesn’t want this project to succeed. Athena Vosh, a young girl living an ordinary life is soon entangled in the case. After it becomes clear that the young girl might know more than she lets on, Athena is brought in to participate in the official investigation. Simultaneously, the girl begins to experience a series of cryptic dreams containing clues to the mystery. The biggest question is: Can they bring the men back?
The book is part Sci-Fi and part YA. While the premise is Sci-Fi, most of the story is structured like a YA. The story starts with a unique premise —a world without men and the story manages to build on that premise successfully. The central theme of this book is whether men should be brought back to the world. The book provides many compelling arguments; both For and Against Men which made the story really captivating. The story keeps you updated about the events that led up to this point and interesting backstories about the characters, which added a new dimension to the story. The story moves at a brisk pace and there are enough twists and turns to keep you engaged throughout.
The writing was excellent and the character and world-building were great too. The characters are sophisticated and elaborately developed. I felt the story had a lot more potential and could have had more depth. Maybe the story could have explored other aspects; like the rebel groups of women, the general population, or even the govt, which hardly had a role to play in the story. Maybe it was a conscious decision to solely focus on Athena, being a YA story.
Overall, the story managed to combine a unique plot with some fast-paced writing and some unique characters. If you love reading a YA, dystopian sci-fi story, you will enjoy this one.
Many thanks to the publishers St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss for the ARC.
The book is part Sci-Fi and part YA. While the premise is Sci-Fi, most of the story is structured like a YA. The story starts with a unique premise —a world without men and the story manages to build on that premise successfully. The central theme of this book is whether men should be brought back to the world. The book provides many compelling arguments; both For and Against Men which made the story really captivating. The story keeps you updated about the events that led up to this point and interesting backstories about the characters, which added a new dimension to the story. The story moves at a brisk pace and there are enough twists and turns to keep you engaged throughout.
The writing was excellent and the character and world-building were great too. The characters are sophisticated and elaborately developed. I felt the story had a lot more potential and could have had more depth. Maybe the story could have explored other aspects; like the rebel groups of women, the general population, or even the govt, which hardly had a role to play in the story. Maybe it was a conscious decision to solely focus on Athena, being a YA story.
Overall, the story managed to combine a unique plot with some fast-paced writing and some unique characters. If you love reading a YA, dystopian sci-fi story, you will enjoy this one.
Many thanks to the publishers St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss for the ARC.
July 3, 2019
The year is 2099 and all of the men are gone…
In a near future world, a Y-virus has killed all of the men and a smattering of women. In the aftermath, women have built what appears to be a utopian society. Through scientific breakthroughs and frozen sperm replication, they are still procreating, have quite nearly eliminated maternal and fetal deaths and have found cures for nearly all diseases. The female population discovered that, when using technology for good rather than for empire building and war, there were amazing discoveries just waiting to be had – and so they did create them. It is a world that is, quite literally, at our fingertips today except, well, you know. Men. And war.
Athena is a 19 year old young woman who is at the heart of a mystery. There are some women who wish to bring back men – their sons, brothers and husbands – not literally, of course, they just miss the male presence. These women have initiated the Lazarus Project but someone has “stolen” the genome and for a mysterious reason to be explained throughout the book, Athena is at its core.
This is a bit more YA, perhaps because of Athena’s age and narration, but never the less, I found the story completely captivating. The Science Fiction portion of the story was mesmerizing and, upon further research, I discovered that nearly everything mentioned in the book, we are on the cusp of having – if only funds weren’t diverted elsewhere, namely WAR. This is very much (!) a book about feminism. At my age, through my experiences, as an American living with a president who is gunning for yet another needless war, who has humans trapped in a concentration camp in hellish conditions where children are dying, who believes that Twitter rants are more important that dealing with mass flooding in one-third of our country, where newborn and maternal deaths are on the rise for the first time in over 100 years… I’m not so sure that living in a female utopia would be such a bad thing. Every war, every disease, every horrific thing in our world’s history has been the result of male ego. So I found it completely enjoyable to read a book where there was none of this. None.
I loved that the book was enriched with so many different fonts and inserts. Throughout there were advertisements for various products that Athena was seeing or thinking about purchasing. It was a method to introduce the world building without going through the entire world building introduction in the beginning. I appreciated this because I often do not read sci-fi or fantasy because the world building part is quite boring for me. There also were throw-backs to Athena’s school work and, if you paid attention to it, you were being given clues to how the book would end. I suspect that some of the other reviewers skimmed over these and missed key parts of the story. They were hidden gems.
In the end, we are left with Athena’s Choice. Men or No Men or ….. you’ll have to read the book to know the other choices. There is no answer in the book. The choice is one for us all to think about. I know what my choice would be, without any doubt at all!
Winner of the 2019 National Indie Excellence Award for Visionary Fiction.
Winner of the 2019 Maxy Award for Science Fiction.
Finalist for the 2019 NIEA for Science Fiction.
I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough! Thank you to #Netgally and especially to the author, Adam Boostrom, for such a remarkable, thought-provoking, visionary tale!
November 2, 2019
I received an e-ARC from Booksirens and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
"Every act of learning is an act of destruction"
ATHENA'S CHOICE is a dystopian novel that takes place in 2099. The world described in this novel almost seems like a utopia, with all that technology, cloth printers, food printers (yes that's right, they print food!)and all. But there's a catch. All men are gone! The women not only survive but also thrive and create a peaceful society. The scientists of the Helix are working to bring back men into existence. But on a certain day, the genome is stolen. The Public Safety is to investigate the theft and somehow Athena gets connected to it. So as she digs deeper in the case she unearths some of the deepest and darkest secrets from past along with her true identity.
Plot: ★★★★
The plot was intriguing but a little slow at first. I think it was cleverly executed.
Characters:★★★★★
All the characters were good, really. Athena, the protagonist is one of the strong female characters who wants to prove herself.
I loved Captain Bell!
With all the technological advancements the people seemed more like cyborgs and less human.
Writing style:★★★★★
It is a easy read with good vocabulary. The book is written in quite a unique way. Along with the story we get to surf internet of 2099 and read some articles and school assignments (of the characters). I enjoyed reading it.
Overall: 4.5 stars!
I'm really glad I got my hands on this book. It's one of the best ARCs I've ever read.
There were several concepts that I loved and which made me think for a long time. One of them being "Happiness Profiling". The book was also based on feminist ideas and a lot of aggression against men can be seen.
The ending of this book was quite unnerving. I'd like some questions answered, maybe in a sequel?
"You just can't control what makes you happy. We are born the way we are, and we have to learn to live with it"
Recommended to feminists mostly. But even though I'm not a feminist I enjoyed this book. It can also be read as a Dystopian novel. It is a sort of novel that leaves you pondering upon certain aspects of life.
"Evolution is humanity's original sin"
"Every act of learning is an act of destruction"
ATHENA'S CHOICE is a dystopian novel that takes place in 2099. The world described in this novel almost seems like a utopia, with all that technology, cloth printers, food printers (yes that's right, they print food!)and all. But there's a catch. All men are gone! The women not only survive but also thrive and create a peaceful society. The scientists of the Helix are working to bring back men into existence. But on a certain day, the genome is stolen. The Public Safety is to investigate the theft and somehow Athena gets connected to it. So as she digs deeper in the case she unearths some of the deepest and darkest secrets from past along with her true identity.
Plot: ★★★★
The plot was intriguing but a little slow at first. I think it was cleverly executed.
Characters:★★★★★
All the characters were good, really. Athena, the protagonist is one of the strong female characters who wants to prove herself.
I loved Captain Bell!
With all the technological advancements the people seemed more like cyborgs and less human.
Writing style:★★★★★
It is a easy read with good vocabulary. The book is written in quite a unique way. Along with the story we get to surf internet of 2099 and read some articles and school assignments (of the characters). I enjoyed reading it.
Overall: 4.5 stars!
I'm really glad I got my hands on this book. It's one of the best ARCs I've ever read.
There were several concepts that I loved and which made me think for a long time. One of them being "Happiness Profiling". The book was also based on feminist ideas and a lot of aggression against men can be seen.
The ending of this book was quite unnerving. I'd like some questions answered, maybe in a sequel?
"You just can't control what makes you happy. We are born the way we are, and we have to learn to live with it"
Recommended to feminists mostly. But even though I'm not a feminist I enjoyed this book. It can also be read as a Dystopian novel. It is a sort of novel that leaves you pondering upon certain aspects of life.
"Evolution is humanity's original sin"
August 15, 2020
The premise of Athena's Choice is exactly the kind of idea that always draws me to speculative fiction. No men in society, you say? World hunger is solved? Violent crime is a distant memory? I absolutely need to read this book.
But once I got into the meat of it, I discovered it was all over the place. I couldn't get a good grip on what was really happening, and things were so less than believable, I started to develop my own ideas and they diverged greatly from where the novel was heading. I think it was the supernatural, let's "speak to her through her dreams" thing that kind of lost me. I wanted something much more scientific and truly speculative, instead of jumping off the deep end into a hot mess of contradictions, almost mystical government, and unexplained technological advances.
There was so much more in-depth exploration that could have been done into the groups of women who missed men, the other groups of women who were scared to bring them back, the people who had no idea what was even going on behind the scenes, the government control, and all the technology that made it possible for humanity to continue without its sperm donors. Instead we follow one young woman who magically ends up being named as someone important who figures out some important stuff. It really fizzled when it could have been something substantial, had more attention been given to the world-building and the science of it all, instead of following a simplistic plot driven by dreams and strange ambition.
It could have been so much more.
But once I got into the meat of it, I discovered it was all over the place. I couldn't get a good grip on what was really happening, and things were so less than believable, I started to develop my own ideas and they diverged greatly from where the novel was heading. I think it was the supernatural, let's "speak to her through her dreams" thing that kind of lost me. I wanted something much more scientific and truly speculative, instead of jumping off the deep end into a hot mess of contradictions, almost mystical government, and unexplained technological advances.
There was so much more in-depth exploration that could have been done into the groups of women who missed men, the other groups of women who were scared to bring them back, the people who had no idea what was even going on behind the scenes, the government control, and all the technology that made it possible for humanity to continue without its sperm donors. Instead we follow one young woman who magically ends up being named as someone important who figures out some important stuff. It really fizzled when it could have been something substantial, had more attention been given to the world-building and the science of it all, instead of following a simplistic plot driven by dreams and strange ambition.
It could have been so much more.
April 29, 2021
DNF at 25%
Yeah, sorry, this book and I just didn’t vibe.
Nothing against it or anything, it seems cool and all, but I’m just bored and not in the mood. Maybe I’ll pick it back up later, I don’t know. As for right now, I’m just terribly bored and am in need of moving on.
I thought the writing style was completely boring. With Rick Riordan’s third person, it was as if the character was talking through Rick. Here, there was a HUGE barrier between the reader and the character. Very surface level.
Also, the book was unrealistic. It was as if men had been gone for millions of years and there were a million technological advances. Maybe fifty years had gone by. At most.
Yeah, sorry, this book and I just didn’t vibe.
Nothing against it or anything, it seems cool and all, but I’m just bored and not in the mood. Maybe I’ll pick it back up later, I don’t know. As for right now, I’m just terribly bored and am in need of moving on.
I thought the writing style was completely boring. With Rick Riordan’s third person, it was as if the character was talking through Rick. Here, there was a HUGE barrier between the reader and the character. Very surface level.
Also, the book was unrealistic. It was as if men had been gone for millions of years and there were a million technological advances. Maybe fifty years had gone by. At most.
August 6, 2019
As the author of this book, I wanted to personally leave its 100th review as a call-to-action for Congress to pass gun-reform. The unceasing greed and callousness of NRA-bought Republicans utterly blows my mind every single day.
August 20, 2020
So, I am VERY particular about my science fiction books. I am not a fan of alien sci-fi (don't believe in aliens, cannot suspend disbelief) or time travel/wormhole sci-fi (ditto). I prefer mindf*ck sci-fi like Twilight Zone / Black Mirror about totally alternate and preferably bizarre universes, Oh, and I especially love books with feminist themes. So as you can see my tastes are very particular, and yet I am happy to report that this book checks all the boxes of my requirements. This is a very smart and creative futuristic novel about a man-made virus intended to kill terrorists that ended up killing all men instead. In this future world (sometime in the 2090s), the world is populated by only women, is very peaceful, and has many awesome female-led inventions, like magnetic printed clothing, and artificial intelligence that can tell you what kind of life choice is most likely to make you happy.
In this book, a debate arises as to whether men should be brought back to the world. Author Boostrom (who is a man, by the way) provides some pretty compelling modern-day data about why maybe they should not be reintroduced when their propensity for killing and destroying things has been largely eradicated from the world. But of course, despite their peace and happiness under the Founding Mothers, many women (known as "Lonelyhearts") miss men. At the center of this choice is our heroine Athena who has for some reason been summoned by the world's highest female AI ruler to participate.
This is an extremely creative, commendably smart and interesting text that is very well-narrated. I loved the narrator's voice, and the voices of all the characters are distinctive. This book is very well-acted. The characters were well-drawn by the author as well. I felt the book at times got a little bogged down in describing the sci-fi technological and futuristic details, and got a little bored during those parts, but again, that may be because I'm not your typical everyday sci-fi reader. I'm also not sure how I feel about the ending of the book, although the author's epilogue helped somewhat. But overall, I really liked listening to this. Everything from the plot, to the ingenious inventions, to the narrator's soothing voice made for a great audiobook experience. I liked this a lot, and if you love all sci-fi, you'll probably love it. I think this author is tremendously promising and I am definitely going to read whatever he comes up with next (unless there are aliens in it, of course - sorry, aliens).
Thanks to Adam Boostrom, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy of this really thought-provoking and original audiobook. My opinions are honest and my own.
In this book, a debate arises as to whether men should be brought back to the world. Author Boostrom (who is a man, by the way) provides some pretty compelling modern-day data about why maybe they should not be reintroduced when their propensity for killing and destroying things has been largely eradicated from the world. But of course, despite their peace and happiness under the Founding Mothers, many women (known as "Lonelyhearts") miss men. At the center of this choice is our heroine Athena who has for some reason been summoned by the world's highest female AI ruler to participate.
This is an extremely creative, commendably smart and interesting text that is very well-narrated. I loved the narrator's voice, and the voices of all the characters are distinctive. This book is very well-acted. The characters were well-drawn by the author as well. I felt the book at times got a little bogged down in describing the sci-fi technological and futuristic details, and got a little bored during those parts, but again, that may be because I'm not your typical everyday sci-fi reader. I'm also not sure how I feel about the ending of the book, although the author's epilogue helped somewhat. But overall, I really liked listening to this. Everything from the plot, to the ingenious inventions, to the narrator's soothing voice made for a great audiobook experience. I liked this a lot, and if you love all sci-fi, you'll probably love it. I think this author is tremendously promising and I am definitely going to read whatever he comes up with next (unless there are aliens in it, of course - sorry, aliens).
Thanks to Adam Boostrom, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for the advance copy of this really thought-provoking and original audiobook. My opinions are honest and my own.
May 25, 2019
My rating: 3.5 Stars
I have to say, Adam Boostrom pushed tons of my buttons, buttons I didn’t even know I had! ATHENA’S CHOICE is a dystopian tale of a world without men who mysteriously died of a disease years in the past. At first I was hearing “Ding dong, the men are dead…wicked men, oppressive men…” and truly I wasn’t sure how I felt about what I was reading. Of course the women have figured out how to get around the heavy lifting, etc! Life is fabulous, almost fairytale-like, but as with every fairytale, there is a dark side, a hidden truth and an unlikely heroine arises and digs just deep enough to begin to unravel the world for women that has been created.
A little light, a little dark, sometimes a little fluffy, this science fiction type mystery turned out to be a good read with a few twists that fit perfectly without a ton of heavy drama, although there were times I wanted more depth or meat with my potatoes.
Lots of predictable hatred for men was a bit of a turn-off for me, so I can’t really call this a feminist read, just an intriguing tale. That said, Adam Boonstrom has done a good job at being entertaining and creative in a “what-if” kind of way! Even the problem of opening jars was solved, as well as what to wear in a creative way, but really, are futuristic women still hung up on playing dress up or dress to impress? Thank goodness recycling was addressed!
Publication Date: December 13, 2018
Publisher: Adam Boostrom
Genre: Science Fiction | Dystopian
Print Length: 276 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
I have to say, Adam Boostrom pushed tons of my buttons, buttons I didn’t even know I had! ATHENA’S CHOICE is a dystopian tale of a world without men who mysteriously died of a disease years in the past. At first I was hearing “Ding dong, the men are dead…wicked men, oppressive men…” and truly I wasn’t sure how I felt about what I was reading. Of course the women have figured out how to get around the heavy lifting, etc! Life is fabulous, almost fairytale-like, but as with every fairytale, there is a dark side, a hidden truth and an unlikely heroine arises and digs just deep enough to begin to unravel the world for women that has been created.
A little light, a little dark, sometimes a little fluffy, this science fiction type mystery turned out to be a good read with a few twists that fit perfectly without a ton of heavy drama, although there were times I wanted more depth or meat with my potatoes.
Lots of predictable hatred for men was a bit of a turn-off for me, so I can’t really call this a feminist read, just an intriguing tale. That said, Adam Boonstrom has done a good job at being entertaining and creative in a “what-if” kind of way! Even the problem of opening jars was solved, as well as what to wear in a creative way, but really, are futuristic women still hung up on playing dress up or dress to impress? Thank goodness recycling was addressed!
Publication Date: December 13, 2018
Publisher: Adam Boostrom
Genre: Science Fiction | Dystopian
Print Length: 276 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
September 9, 2019
I just finished reading Athena's Choice by Adam Boostrom. Athena's Choice is a powerfully written dystopian novel featuring a world where men no longer exist. It is the year 2099, and the technology featured in this novel seems realistic in many ways. We are on the brink of being able to do many of the things that are prominent in Athena's Choice, which really helps the reader just dive right in and relate to the book!
This new world has existed for quite some time without men in it due to a nasty virus spread by terrorists.... though for some reason, I never quite understood how they were able to reproduce... at some point frozen sperm would run out so there must have been a method I just didn't quite grasp while learning what it was like to be Athena. Athena is not your typical teenager, instead she is a painter.. a dreamer... a visionary who does not know why she doesn't fit in, but she thinks it is because she is one of The Lonely Hearts who long for men.
Books written will skill and imagination that make me visualize it as a movie....yes, Athena's Choice grabbed my attention and kept it throughout the whole ride. I also liked the inclusion of grade school papers, articles, news pieces, and advertisements in between some of the chapters. It appealed in many ways and related to how people, not just teenagers, receive, communicate, and retain information. Very creative!!!
I received a free version of this book to read and review. As always, my opinions are my own.
This new world has existed for quite some time without men in it due to a nasty virus spread by terrorists.... though for some reason, I never quite understood how they were able to reproduce... at some point frozen sperm would run out so there must have been a method I just didn't quite grasp while learning what it was like to be Athena. Athena is not your typical teenager, instead she is a painter.. a dreamer... a visionary who does not know why she doesn't fit in, but she thinks it is because she is one of The Lonely Hearts who long for men.
Books written will skill and imagination that make me visualize it as a movie....yes, Athena's Choice grabbed my attention and kept it throughout the whole ride. I also liked the inclusion of grade school papers, articles, news pieces, and advertisements in between some of the chapters. It appealed in many ways and related to how people, not just teenagers, receive, communicate, and retain information. Very creative!!!
I received a free version of this book to read and review. As always, my opinions are my own.
February 4, 2019
This feminist coming-of-age story strikes the perfect balance. I was at once pulled into the fast-paced and exciting story of Athena while simultaneously experiencing a shock of surprised recognition. While light-hearted and fun on the surface, the underlying premise—the harm and oppression of a male-dominated world that calls for a change—is all too real. This detective-like novel with a sparkling female lead will keep you entertained while hitting you in the gut with its fundamental debate. Read it, think about it, discuss it with friends. The societal issues that led to this fictional future are our own.
August 29, 2019
Athena's Choice was giving me some serious Black Mirror/Resident Evil vibes ... well, without the zombies, ha! This book would make a seriously stellar movie with that storyline. I could actually hear the music playing during some of the scenes ... I promise I'm sane, overall. Really enjoyed the writing style, sucked me in and kept me hooked throughout. I could definitely see a follow up story to Athena's Choice too with the way it ended.
Thanks so much for my review copy! I'm here for your next creation!
Thanks so much for my review copy! I'm here for your next creation!
Read
May 24, 2020
September 10, 2021
When I found Athena's Choice on NetGalley I was immediately intrigued. The premise sounded so interesting and like something I might love. I wanted to start reading right away ... and then the pandemic happened, life got hectic and I completely forgot about the book. I'm glad I finally read it!
As expected I enjoyed reading the story and the general premise a lot. I especially loved the descriptions of all the new technologies that are used in the future. I'm still waiting for that food printer!
Some reviewers mentioned that they didn't like all the inserted articles from newspapers, Wikipedia, essay, etc. Honestly, I quite liked that. It enhanced the worldbuilding for me and made the story more believable. However, I love to get as much information as possible and I always enjoy this format.
The characters were ok. I didn't really care for Athena but loved two others. Sadly, we didn't see enough of them.
I would have loved to read more about the different groups of women who wanted to either bring men back or thought men are dangerous and women are better off without them. There were glimpses of an interesting discussion but sadly, it was a bit superficial and not detailed. Maybe that's to be expected with a short book like Athena's Choice.
Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read for me. I can definitely recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this free review copy!
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I don't know what to think about it.... Proper review tomorrow, I have to spend some time thinking first 😅
As expected I enjoyed reading the story and the general premise a lot. I especially loved the descriptions of all the new technologies that are used in the future. I'm still waiting for that food printer!
Some reviewers mentioned that they didn't like all the inserted articles from newspapers, Wikipedia, essay, etc. Honestly, I quite liked that. It enhanced the worldbuilding for me and made the story more believable. However, I love to get as much information as possible and I always enjoy this format.
The characters were ok. I didn't really care for Athena but loved two others. Sadly, we didn't see enough of them.
I would have loved to read more about the different groups of women who wanted to either bring men back or thought men are dangerous and women are better off without them. There were glimpses of an interesting discussion but sadly, it was a bit superficial and not detailed. Maybe that's to be expected with a short book like Athena's Choice.
Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read for me. I can definitely recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this free review copy!
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I don't know what to think about it.... Proper review tomorrow, I have to spend some time thinking first 😅
August 17, 2020
3 stars.
This could have possibly been more stars if I was able to read the print version. It had multi-media components such as News Articles and Announcements that became confusing due to different years; different subject matter and I would’ve rather have seen them in front of my face. I think that they’d be more understandable that way, certainly less confusing, and also more fun to read! With the audio version they seemed sporadically placed in the middle and end of chapters.
Full review to come.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to the audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This could have possibly been more stars if I was able to read the print version. It had multi-media components such as News Articles and Announcements that became confusing due to different years; different subject matter and I would’ve rather have seen them in front of my face. I think that they’d be more understandable that way, certainly less confusing, and also more fun to read! With the audio version they seemed sporadically placed in the middle and end of chapters.
Full review to come.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to the audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2019
I love dystopian books, especially ones that address a “what if this happened” question. I was interested immediately by the premise, while the beautiful cover definitely influenced me as well. I would definitely classify this as more of a young adult novel rather than just the science fiction category, due to the simple nature of writing and the lightness of the story. I was impressed with how thorough the author was in addressing different dilemmas in the dystopian world and what new futuristic gadgets we had invented. Overall, I feel like there was a lot of potential with this novel, but it lacked depth with the characters and the plot in general. I wasn’t attached to the characters (just no connection at all even to Athena, the main character) and I wasn’t extremely immersed in the plot. Also, were Athena and Nomi best friends or lovers because I kept getting mixed messages for certain situations?! I liked the inserts of children’s essays, advertisements, and news articles to assist with the world building, but the writing style (and switching fonts) was too choppy and disconnected.
TLDR: interesting premise, poor execution; needs more depth of characters but good world-building. Thank you to the author and publisher for this free copy in exchange for an honest review! 2.5 stars rounded up to 3
TLDR: interesting premise, poor execution; needs more depth of characters but good world-building. Thank you to the author and publisher for this free copy in exchange for an honest review! 2.5 stars rounded up to 3
May 8, 2019
1,5/5. I have some problems with this book. First I would classify more in the YA, and not in the science-fiction. Second the message/moral that it try to share is weird/wrong or badly explain. That being said, the writing is alright, a bit above the average for a YA book, but the plot, characters and world building felt into the clichés of the genre and that hurt the rating. The young women who came out of nowhere, to become great and important, that had strange vision/dream of something and that she felt is really important. There is also the mixed writing, going from narrative to various reports, adds, message, and more, that was original a while ago but that we too often see now to classify it as original and that could break the rhythm more then anything, not badly use here but it didn't really bring something more. Overall this book felt like a check-list book where the author have some «in» or actual stuff to put into his book and put them in no matter what. Maybe slightly above average YA book, but not worth it in my opinion!
December 3, 2020
I was a bit torn about this book. The author paints a picture of a utopian future where men don't exist. And then he starts to show the kinks in the armor. All of that was fine. Very dystopian. But the whole time I'm listening to the audio I keep wondering what the women who are hetero do about romance? Do they just spend their lives lonely? I mean, I'll grant that a great majority of the world's ills are led by the male gender, but we are who we are. We love who we love. If you are attracted to a particular gender you should be allowed to pursue it with consent from the other party. Anyway, I felt bad for the hetero girls in this book. But that is one of the marks of a well written and thought provoking book, isn't it? To give us subjects to think about.
April 3, 2019
Boostrom describes a not-too-distant future in a throughly descriptive yet concise way. He respects the reader by not getting bogged down in extraneous detail, while still painting a picture that is easy to imagine. Likewise, the technology seems plausible from what we have now and how fast it is developing.
The story is thought-provoking, troubling, fascinating, and compelling. This is science fiction at its best.
The story is thought-provoking, troubling, fascinating, and compelling. This is science fiction at its best.
August 23, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I feel like reading a book that has a pandemic, while living in a pandemic, is kind of weird and interesting.
Athena's Choice was such a weird book. Not even going to lie about it. I feel like so much was happening and maybe it's the narrator of this book.. but things were just not adding up to me. Then for the things that sounded cool.. got weird real quick. For example, the massage implant sounded kind of cool but then got really weird and cringe-worthy two seconds later.
Other than the weirdness, I didn't really connect with Athena. I tried to but there was just something so off about her. Then the whole AI was just adding a different level of weird when it came to Athena as well. I'm honestly kind of glad that I didn't invest any time in her because the ending was just wow - so weird.
I feel like I've just mentioned the "w" word so many times but that's the only way I can explain this book. It was weird and that's the tea. In the end, it had some twist and turns that made me think twice about some stuff but it was just an okay book to me.
I feel like reading a book that has a pandemic, while living in a pandemic, is kind of weird and interesting.
Athena's Choice was such a weird book. Not even going to lie about it. I feel like so much was happening and maybe it's the narrator of this book.. but things were just not adding up to me. Then for the things that sounded cool.. got weird real quick. For example, the massage implant sounded kind of cool but then got really weird and cringe-worthy two seconds later.
Other than the weirdness, I didn't really connect with Athena. I tried to but there was just something so off about her. Then the whole AI was just adding a different level of weird when it came to Athena as well. I'm honestly kind of glad that I didn't invest any time in her because the ending was just wow - so weird.
I feel like I've just mentioned the "w" word so many times but that's the only way I can explain this book. It was weird and that's the tea. In the end, it had some twist and turns that made me think twice about some stuff but it was just an okay book to me.
July 31, 2020
Athena's Choice is a very unique book. I enjoyed Athena's Choice a lot more than I thought I would. There was a pandemic that caused men to become extinct. A research project has been going on for 50 years to bring back men. There is a problem with the project and Athena is brought in to help find out who is responsible? Why was Athena chosen?
I was very interested in this book from the beginning. Athena's choice is about Athena finding out who is sabotaging the genome project, as well as both sides of if men should be brought back or not.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Thank you NetGalley and Think Books for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I was very interested in this book from the beginning. Athena's choice is about Athena finding out who is sabotaging the genome project, as well as both sides of if men should be brought back or not.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Thank you NetGalley and Think Books for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2019
Fantastic science fiction book, it was hard to put down. The flow of the book was engrossing and kept me flipping page to page. The rich futuristic scenes combined with a strong intellectual undercurrent kept me engaged wondering about what the future might be like, with or without men. It did all this while also being fun to read. Kudos to the author, great book!
Read
March 14, 2020This is a dnf for me, for personal prejudice reasons, so I will not rate the book.
I take my old school science fiction seriously. There are some conventions you do not mess with.
Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics are so firmly entrenched in the lore there are people who believe they are a real thing.
The author of this book felt the need to rewrite them and they came out all New Agey.
Btw, even Asimov knew his Three Laws wouldn't pass The Trolley Test, etc. That was one of the whole reason his Robot stories worked so well. There was always an exception to the rule (And the Enterprise always violated the Prime Directive. Get Over It.).
I received this book free from Goodreads and am not reviewing it.
I take my old school science fiction seriously. There are some conventions you do not mess with.
Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics are so firmly entrenched in the lore there are people who believe they are a real thing.
The author of this book felt the need to rewrite them and they came out all New Agey.
Btw, even Asimov knew his Three Laws wouldn't pass The Trolley Test, etc. That was one of the whole reason his Robot stories worked so well. There was always an exception to the rule (And the Enterprise always violated the Prime Directive. Get Over It.).
I received this book free from Goodreads and am not reviewing it.
May 10, 2019
A really good novel where you journey with the character in an exciting and thought-provoking adventure! I found myself enraptured and going through a roller coaster of emotions, waiting to see how the story would unfold. The main character is well developed and you find yourself rooting for her as she lives in a world aware yet not knowing why she feels like she doesn't fully fit in. I found the theme of dichotomy really interesting in the novel.
I agreed with the author in certain parts, had my opinions challenged in others and completed disagreed with the author in yet other components of the novel. A book that incites conversation!
I agreed with the author in certain parts, had my opinions challenged in others and completed disagreed with the author in yet other components of the novel. A book that incites conversation!
June 3, 2019
4.5 stars
3.5 to 4 for writing and plot, 5 for the thinking it makes the reader do.
I came across Athena's Choice on NetGalley and liked the cover. I read the description and thought "holy crap, a world without men?! That sounds like a crazy, entertaining story." And then I saw that it was published on my birthday. Naturally I had to read it.
I’m intensely happily married so the idea of a world without men makes me shudder. My hubby gone? No, no NO!
I also have a ton of brothers and a great dad not to mention male friends so again NO.
I think this was an interesting read because it begs the question “are men evil?” Which is obviously a stupid question. Humans are evil, but men specifically? That’s like asking “are women stupid?” Yeah some of them, but not every single one. However, the book discusses the rampant nature of violent crime perpetrated at the hands of men. Think about the things we hear about in the news: gun violence, terrorism, rape, domestic abuse, etc. Yes women commit these crimes as well, but the overwhelming majority are committed by men.
Obviously the argument to exterminate anything flawed isn’t one I agree with and that’s why this book is important. The current state of affairs needs to be discussed. Toxic masculinity exists, toxic femininity and toxic feminists exist. We need to take a hard look at the statistics and try to learn why.
A very brief search with Bing and Wikipedia led to the following results.
2011 arrest data from the FBI:[51]
• Males constituted 98.9% of those arrested for forcible rape[51]
• Males constituted 87.9% of those arrested for robbery[51]
• Males constituted 85.0% of those arrested for burglary[51]
• Males constituted 83.0% of those arrested for arson.[51]
• Males constituted 81.7% of those arrested for vandalism.[51]
• Males constituted 81.5% of those arrested for motor-vehicle theft.[51]
• Males constituted 79.7% of those arrested for offenses against family and children.[51]
• Males constituted 77.8% of those arrested for aggravated assault[51]
Men accounted for 80.4 percent of persons arrested for violent crime.
Notice the words “of those arrested for,” this is an important inclusion that shouldn’t be overlooked. It is hugely important to realize that women often don’t get arrested for horrible things they’ve done whereas men almost always are arrested for the same offense. For example, spousal abuse. A women must seriously damage her significant other before most officers will arrest her for abuse. Whereas a man need only hit a woman in the presence of an officer for the result to be arrest. However, both instances should have the same result of arrest.
From 2003 to 2012, there was a decrease in the rate of crime overall, but an increase in crimes committed by women.
I don’t know why there is an increase in crimes committed by women, but it may have the same solution as stopping crimes committed by men.
Happiness profiling seems like it could be a terrible idea. The idea is that you input information and are told what would make you happiest out of your options. However, I imagine this being used to close oneself off from the world and never broaden horizons. For example my happiness profile would almost always tell me I wanted to stay inside with a good book and my husband, possibly with snacks and a low-maintenance puppy. Obviously I wouldn’t be very successful in life nor would I have any growth. Though this happiness profile would probably take that into account I still fear that it would be an enabler for all the weak things we do under the guise of self-care. In the book it does mention that it takes joy and ...
for the full review please visit https://www.literarydragonreviews.web...
3.5 to 4 for writing and plot, 5 for the thinking it makes the reader do.
I came across Athena's Choice on NetGalley and liked the cover. I read the description and thought "holy crap, a world without men?! That sounds like a crazy, entertaining story." And then I saw that it was published on my birthday. Naturally I had to read it.
I’m intensely happily married so the idea of a world without men makes me shudder. My hubby gone? No, no NO!
I also have a ton of brothers and a great dad not to mention male friends so again NO.
I think this was an interesting read because it begs the question “are men evil?” Which is obviously a stupid question. Humans are evil, but men specifically? That’s like asking “are women stupid?” Yeah some of them, but not every single one. However, the book discusses the rampant nature of violent crime perpetrated at the hands of men. Think about the things we hear about in the news: gun violence, terrorism, rape, domestic abuse, etc. Yes women commit these crimes as well, but the overwhelming majority are committed by men.
Obviously the argument to exterminate anything flawed isn’t one I agree with and that’s why this book is important. The current state of affairs needs to be discussed. Toxic masculinity exists, toxic femininity and toxic feminists exist. We need to take a hard look at the statistics and try to learn why.
A very brief search with Bing and Wikipedia led to the following results.
2011 arrest data from the FBI:[51]
• Males constituted 98.9% of those arrested for forcible rape[51]
• Males constituted 87.9% of those arrested for robbery[51]
• Males constituted 85.0% of those arrested for burglary[51]
• Males constituted 83.0% of those arrested for arson.[51]
• Males constituted 81.7% of those arrested for vandalism.[51]
• Males constituted 81.5% of those arrested for motor-vehicle theft.[51]
• Males constituted 79.7% of those arrested for offenses against family and children.[51]
• Males constituted 77.8% of those arrested for aggravated assault[51]
Men accounted for 80.4 percent of persons arrested for violent crime.
Notice the words “of those arrested for,” this is an important inclusion that shouldn’t be overlooked. It is hugely important to realize that women often don’t get arrested for horrible things they’ve done whereas men almost always are arrested for the same offense. For example, spousal abuse. A women must seriously damage her significant other before most officers will arrest her for abuse. Whereas a man need only hit a woman in the presence of an officer for the result to be arrest. However, both instances should have the same result of arrest.
From 2003 to 2012, there was a decrease in the rate of crime overall, but an increase in crimes committed by women.
I don’t know why there is an increase in crimes committed by women, but it may have the same solution as stopping crimes committed by men.
Happiness profiling seems like it could be a terrible idea. The idea is that you input information and are told what would make you happiest out of your options. However, I imagine this being used to close oneself off from the world and never broaden horizons. For example my happiness profile would almost always tell me I wanted to stay inside with a good book and my husband, possibly with snacks and a low-maintenance puppy. Obviously I wouldn’t be very successful in life nor would I have any growth. Though this happiness profile would probably take that into account I still fear that it would be an enabler for all the weak things we do under the guise of self-care. In the book it does mention that it takes joy and ...
for the full review please visit https://www.literarydragonreviews.web...
December 7, 2019
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to BookSirens and Adam Boostrom for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
Boo yeah for catching up on my BookSirens reviews! Well, the ones that I was months late on, but hey I’m current now! So sorry this took forever, and honestly I don’t freaking know what took me so long to read this one because I was immediately sucked in when I started and was actually kind of sad when it ended. So here we go!
I love characters named Athena for some reason. Well yes I know why, it’s because I’m an Athena stan. Like the goddess Athena. Don’t be a crap character.
Oh, I’m a Nomi fan.
Ooh they mentioned Hawaii! My home still exists!
Can I live in a world without men? No offense. I just think they got the right idea.
The world actually thrived without men in it
I’m not even gonna lie. That was so realistic for me, especially when Boostrom started giving some scientific reasoning behind it. Yes, I know this is FICTION but hey, I could totally see it happening. And I mean… these smart ass women didn’t have to worry about getting mansplained all over the place or deal with the usual misogynistic crap that takes place already, and they were able to pretty much save the world from ourselves. I will say that it was interesting that the suicide rate increased throughout the years though, and I’m curious as to the demographics of the victims. Were they straight women? Was it something else they had in common? Just curious.
Girls and women could show affection and love for one another without it being seen as a bad thing.
Girls showing love for one another as friends or whatever is always sexualized and it’s just disgusting. Let girls kiss each other without people wanting to turn it into a dirty movie, you know? But since there are no men in the world, that doesn’t even exist anymore. Nomi and Athena are best friends and while Nomi does love Athena romantically and Athena doesn’t reciprocate it romantically, they still show affection for one another and will give each other kisses and touches and it’s just normal. Anyway.
Actually I’m just keeping this one short because clearly I can’t function right now, so sorry about that. But I thought this book was so interesting. It was cool to see just how much innovation and progress women made on their own with the world. Like, this was a global thing, not just no men in North America. This was no men across the world, and women were able to thrive. They made fertility clinics and girls were born using a combination of two mother genes basically, and their birth was painless. Like they somehow were able to make the birthing process painless. They invented so much cool stuff, and I’m seriously hoping that the scientists and inventors today can do the same – maybe no create a virus that ends up destroying all men, but I’m still in the air about that one – but just the other inventions that improved the world. There was no hunger, no violence, no war. It even seemed like the environment was doing much better as well. Rather than a dystopia, this world almost felt like a utopia to me. It was strange. You should read it. I liked it.
Boo yeah for catching up on my BookSirens reviews! Well, the ones that I was months late on, but hey I’m current now! So sorry this took forever, and honestly I don’t freaking know what took me so long to read this one because I was immediately sucked in when I started and was actually kind of sad when it ended. So here we go!
I love characters named Athena for some reason. Well yes I know why, it’s because I’m an Athena stan. Like the goddess Athena. Don’t be a crap character.
Oh, I’m a Nomi fan.
Ooh they mentioned Hawaii! My home still exists!
Can I live in a world without men? No offense. I just think they got the right idea.
The world actually thrived without men in it
I’m not even gonna lie. That was so realistic for me, especially when Boostrom started giving some scientific reasoning behind it. Yes, I know this is FICTION but hey, I could totally see it happening. And I mean… these smart ass women didn’t have to worry about getting mansplained all over the place or deal with the usual misogynistic crap that takes place already, and they were able to pretty much save the world from ourselves. I will say that it was interesting that the suicide rate increased throughout the years though, and I’m curious as to the demographics of the victims. Were they straight women? Was it something else they had in common? Just curious.
Girls and women could show affection and love for one another without it being seen as a bad thing.
Girls showing love for one another as friends or whatever is always sexualized and it’s just disgusting. Let girls kiss each other without people wanting to turn it into a dirty movie, you know? But since there are no men in the world, that doesn’t even exist anymore. Nomi and Athena are best friends and while Nomi does love Athena romantically and Athena doesn’t reciprocate it romantically, they still show affection for one another and will give each other kisses and touches and it’s just normal. Anyway.
Actually I’m just keeping this one short because clearly I can’t function right now, so sorry about that. But I thought this book was so interesting. It was cool to see just how much innovation and progress women made on their own with the world. Like, this was a global thing, not just no men in North America. This was no men across the world, and women were able to thrive. They made fertility clinics and girls were born using a combination of two mother genes basically, and their birth was painless. Like they somehow were able to make the birthing process painless. They invented so much cool stuff, and I’m seriously hoping that the scientists and inventors today can do the same – maybe no create a virus that ends up destroying all men, but I’m still in the air about that one – but just the other inventions that improved the world. There was no hunger, no violence, no war. It even seemed like the environment was doing much better as well. Rather than a dystopia, this world almost felt like a utopia to me. It was strange. You should read it. I liked it.
January 25, 2022
Hooo Boy! How and where should I start dissecting such a story? For a book with a simple yet aesthetic cover it sure packs a punch, a few roundhouse kicks here and there actually.
Characters-for me Athena was well represented as a teenager, someone who is dedicated, excited, hyper yet a little naive. Not someone that can go bat-shit crazy and overthrow a government ( a trope that many dystopian books follow). Her interaction with Valerie Bell were nothing short of cute frenemies moment. All characters were quite interesting, and dynamic. However, there were few moments where I found Athena to be out of character for the sake of plot and inconsistent sometimes.
World building was on point and relevant to the plot. I liked the writing style it was clear and concise. I couldn't leave the book, as things were falling into place, chapter by chapter, because it didn't drag and each chapter was built from the previous one, and can we take a moment to appreciate how the author didn't info dump, he gave information in the form of separate pages that were news articles, interview script, ads, wikipedia and recordings. Before going to any chapter, you as a reader would have information in a way that you would actually be reading an article or interview script, instead of going to long explanation about hows, whys, and wheres. By the end the story was wrapped well with no loose ends except the open-ended finale of the book.
I marvel at the ability of the author, how did he make such a simple yet a complex story, so well written that it's easy to read and gets the point across, this is true talent people!
"I received an advance review copy for free from booksiren, and I am leaving this review voluntarily"
Characters-for me Athena was well represented as a teenager, someone who is dedicated, excited, hyper yet a little naive. Not someone that can go bat-shit crazy and overthrow a government ( a trope that many dystopian books follow). Her interaction with Valerie Bell were nothing short of cute frenemies moment. All characters were quite interesting, and dynamic. However, there were few moments where I found Athena to be out of character for the sake of plot and inconsistent sometimes.
World building was on point and relevant to the plot. I liked the writing style it was clear and concise. I couldn't leave the book, as things were falling into place, chapter by chapter, because it didn't drag and each chapter was built from the previous one, and can we take a moment to appreciate how the author didn't info dump, he gave information in the form of separate pages that were news articles, interview script, ads, wikipedia and recordings. Before going to any chapter, you as a reader would have information in a way that you would actually be reading an article or interview script, instead of going to long explanation about hows, whys, and wheres. By the end the story was wrapped well with no loose ends except the open-ended finale of the book.
I marvel at the ability of the author, how did he make such a simple yet a complex story, so well written that it's easy to read and gets the point across, this is true talent people!
"I received an advance review copy for free from booksiren, and I am leaving this review voluntarily"
October 24, 2019
Thank you Book Sirens for giving me this ARC!
Wow! The cover is really beautiful 💜
Hmmm world without men? Uh uh! The hate that men received in this book are unbelievable lol
OMG! I could imagine all the future technology in this book especially food and cloth printer! I need that printer in my life!!
I have nothing much to say especially for each characters because they don't leave a strong impression on me.
The ending? Gosh wth is that? What is Athena's choice? Pftttt
Wow! The cover is really beautiful 💜
Hmmm world without men? Uh uh! The hate that men received in this book are unbelievable lol
OMG! I could imagine all the future technology in this book especially food and cloth printer! I need that printer in my life!!
I have nothing much to say especially for each characters because they don't leave a strong impression on me.
The ending? Gosh wth is that? What is Athena's choice? Pftttt
April 6, 2019
This book was truly a joy to read. Its predictions about future technology felt so spot on, I wouldn't be surprised if most of the inventions end up coming true. It felt like stepping into the future. Also, the story was perfectly paced, and I couldn't put it down for the last hundred pages. One of the best science fiction books I've read in a long time.
April 14, 2019
A very entertaining read. The author creates a believable world of high tech advancements the reader can clearly visualize, and creatively uses other media to flesh out its society and history. The book also draws conclusions regarding male/female evolutionary strategies that go one step beyond other theories I've encountered.
September 20, 2020
What if men suddenly go extinct?
--
Enter the year 2099, men were completely wiped out from the earth due to the pandemic Y-fever virus. Trans men and the least population of women were also killed in this unprecedented catastrophe. Thus, leaving the major that have managed to live throughout this pandemic is women. For 50 years and still counting, women no longer depends on men as AI robots finally regain their own life, providing a luxurious service to them.
Written from the omniscient view, this book screams women empowerment (kudos to the author), a very high-class word-building enamored with advanced technology and a utopian world set in the USA.
Nonetheless, it can’t be denied that some women still grieve over the loss of men – be it their husbands, brothers, guy best friends, etc. That’s why the scientists trying to work on a project called Lazarus Project in which its aim to “produce” men genome. But someone has stolen the genome and news about it spread through like a wildfire. Then here comes one of the new generations who’d lived in an era where men had already perished, Athena Vosh, a normal citizen. Yet she tends to dream about men whom she never meets. Sometimes she finds herself unconsciously scribbling those masculine figures on sketchpads and when she does, she finds them comforting. Paradoxically, those comforting feelings gone when she’s accused as the thief. The story continues with her journey in trying to clean her name by investigating who’s the real culprit.
Well, honestly, I’m not into sci-fi fiction and it’s been ages I haven’t read them. But what propelled me to pick out this book is that it’s not only revolving around the high-tech world-building in which the world is under the autonomy of A. I automatons but also it lays out a ‘what-if’ prediction and depiction of what does it look like if world is presided by women only. So yeah, my curiosity also kept yelling at me to pick this up.
Besides, I was awed by the author’s initiative in trying to allude some pieces of the story to our current world issues such as the history of harassment being done to women, global poverty, world hunger, etc. However, these controversial topics were the only interesting things that kept me going. I feel like there is a lack of development in characters because I don’t feel any sort of attachment to them. Hence, it’s a story-driven and it was an okay read. For that, this story I rated it about 3.5 stars, rounded off to 4 stars on Goodreads.
Thanks, NetGalley for providing the e-arc in return for an honest review.
--
Enter the year 2099, men were completely wiped out from the earth due to the pandemic Y-fever virus. Trans men and the least population of women were also killed in this unprecedented catastrophe. Thus, leaving the major that have managed to live throughout this pandemic is women. For 50 years and still counting, women no longer depends on men as AI robots finally regain their own life, providing a luxurious service to them.
Written from the omniscient view, this book screams women empowerment (kudos to the author), a very high-class word-building enamored with advanced technology and a utopian world set in the USA.
Nonetheless, it can’t be denied that some women still grieve over the loss of men – be it their husbands, brothers, guy best friends, etc. That’s why the scientists trying to work on a project called Lazarus Project in which its aim to “produce” men genome. But someone has stolen the genome and news about it spread through like a wildfire. Then here comes one of the new generations who’d lived in an era where men had already perished, Athena Vosh, a normal citizen. Yet she tends to dream about men whom she never meets. Sometimes she finds herself unconsciously scribbling those masculine figures on sketchpads and when she does, she finds them comforting. Paradoxically, those comforting feelings gone when she’s accused as the thief. The story continues with her journey in trying to clean her name by investigating who’s the real culprit.
Well, honestly, I’m not into sci-fi fiction and it’s been ages I haven’t read them. But what propelled me to pick out this book is that it’s not only revolving around the high-tech world-building in which the world is under the autonomy of A. I automatons but also it lays out a ‘what-if’ prediction and depiction of what does it look like if world is presided by women only. So yeah, my curiosity also kept yelling at me to pick this up.
Besides, I was awed by the author’s initiative in trying to allude some pieces of the story to our current world issues such as the history of harassment being done to women, global poverty, world hunger, etc. However, these controversial topics were the only interesting things that kept me going. I feel like there is a lack of development in characters because I don’t feel any sort of attachment to them. Hence, it’s a story-driven and it was an okay read. For that, this story I rated it about 3.5 stars, rounded off to 4 stars on Goodreads.
Thanks, NetGalley for providing the e-arc in return for an honest review.
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