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The Great Transition
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2023)For fans of Station Eleven and The Ministry for the Future, this richly imaginative, immersive, and electrifyingly relevant climate utopia novel follows a family navigating a crisis both personal and political, illuminating humanity’s capacity for change.
What happens after we save the world?
In the near future, humanity hasn’t avoided the worst of climate change—wildfires, rising oceans, mass migration, and skyrocketing inequality have become the daily reality. But just when it seems that it can’t get any worse, remarkably, a movement of workers, migrants, and refugees inspires the world to band together, save the planet, and rebuild a society for all. This is The Great Transition.
Teenager Emi Vargas was born post-Transition, into a utopia compared to the world known by previous generations. Her parents both suffered and sacrificed, playing pivotal roles in The Great Transition, but now their marriage is deteriorating. And when Emi’s mother goes missing amidst a shocking new political upheaval, Emi’s illusion of comfort and safety is shattered.
Alternating between Emi’s suspenseful search for her mother in the present and The Great Transition when her mother and father battled climate devastation and fell in love, this astonishing debut is a remarkable story of struggle, change, and hope.
What happens after we save the world?
In the near future, humanity hasn’t avoided the worst of climate change—wildfires, rising oceans, mass migration, and skyrocketing inequality have become the daily reality. But just when it seems that it can’t get any worse, remarkably, a movement of workers, migrants, and refugees inspires the world to band together, save the planet, and rebuild a society for all. This is The Great Transition.
Teenager Emi Vargas was born post-Transition, into a utopia compared to the world known by previous generations. Her parents both suffered and sacrificed, playing pivotal roles in The Great Transition, but now their marriage is deteriorating. And when Emi’s mother goes missing amidst a shocking new political upheaval, Emi’s illusion of comfort and safety is shattered.
Alternating between Emi’s suspenseful search for her mother in the present and The Great Transition when her mother and father battled climate devastation and fell in love, this astonishing debut is a remarkable story of struggle, change, and hope.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2023
365 people are currently reading
21939 people want to read
About the author
Nick Fuller Googins
4 books158 followersNick Fuller Googins is the author of the novel, The Great Transition (Atria Books). His short fiction and essays have appeared in The Paris Review, Men’s Health, The Sun, The Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere. He lives in Maine, and works as an elementary school teacher. He is a graduate of the Rutgers-Newark MFA program and recipient of a fellowship at the Hawthornden Castle International Retreat for Writers, which is definitely not haunted.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 687 reviews
September 9, 2023
The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins is a Speculative and Dystopian Fiction Story!
The Great Transition was a 'rag-tag' global movement that inspired the world to save the planet from going under due to climate change. The post-Transition is considered to be utopian-like compared to past generations.
Emi Vargas was born post-Transition, her parents, Kristina and Larch, were both instrumental in building the new society. Now a teenager, they tell her often how lucky she is to have been born after the climate crisis but Emi doesn't know life any other way.
Suddenly chaotic occurrences takes place concerning climate criminals and Kristina mysteriously goes missing. Emi begins to wonder how safe her life really is in this utopian-like society...
The Great Transition is this author's debut novel and I was hoping for more of a connection with the story, as Speculative and Dystopian Fiction are favorite genres for me.
My preference is always a character-driven story and what I found was primarily plot-driven.
Getting to know the Vargas family was difficult as not much was offered with the exception of conflict.
Connecting with the secondary characters was tough as none were likable or relatable.
There was a great deal of focus on the backstory, which I enjoyed, but little substance in the current timeline. There was a lot of telling and talking about climate change, and honestly, it felt over-the-top.
The Great Transition has a creative premise with loads of potential and I enjoyed the author's writing style. I'm glad to see the many positive reviews and ratings for this debut novel. Sadly, I was looking for a better connection to the story overall.
2.75⭐rounded up for the premise!
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Nick Fuller Googins for an DRC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
The Great Transition was a 'rag-tag' global movement that inspired the world to save the planet from going under due to climate change. The post-Transition is considered to be utopian-like compared to past generations.
Emi Vargas was born post-Transition, her parents, Kristina and Larch, were both instrumental in building the new society. Now a teenager, they tell her often how lucky she is to have been born after the climate crisis but Emi doesn't know life any other way.
Suddenly chaotic occurrences takes place concerning climate criminals and Kristina mysteriously goes missing. Emi begins to wonder how safe her life really is in this utopian-like society...
The Great Transition is this author's debut novel and I was hoping for more of a connection with the story, as Speculative and Dystopian Fiction are favorite genres for me.
My preference is always a character-driven story and what I found was primarily plot-driven.
Getting to know the Vargas family was difficult as not much was offered with the exception of conflict.
Connecting with the secondary characters was tough as none were likable or relatable.
There was a great deal of focus on the backstory, which I enjoyed, but little substance in the current timeline. There was a lot of telling and talking about climate change, and honestly, it felt over-the-top.
The Great Transition has a creative premise with loads of potential and I enjoyed the author's writing style. I'm glad to see the many positive reviews and ratings for this debut novel. Sadly, I was looking for a better connection to the story overall.
2.75⭐rounded up for the premise!
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Nick Fuller Googins for an DRC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
May 7, 2023
Just when I thought I was through with dystopian climate change fiction, along comes a novel so immersive, so well conceived, and frightening believable that I can’t stop thinking about its implications.
Take everything thing wrong with today’s world, the trajectory of where things are going, and follow it to its most awful fulfillment: the internet merely MemeFeed, the rich using the working classes to protect it’s wealth, wildfires barraging over land that isn’t flooded by collapsing ice sheets. After great devastation, millions of climate refugees treated worse than animals, Earth reaches Net Zero, the Great Transition accomplished. It took the hard labor and sacrifice of volunteer workers to pull it off, like Emi’s parents, reality star hero dad fighting fires, her mom separated from her family as a child in the immigrant camps, risking her life for the cause and a heroine in her own right.
Now a father, Emi’s dad takes on the role of protector and primary parent, while her mom bristles at his complacency and constantly reminds Emi of the horror of the past and that society must stay vigilant, continuing the fight. Mom regularly volunteers for duty in New York City, while Dad’s job in Nuuk allows him to give stability to Emi.
Underground groups deal out delayed justice, targeting climate enemies for murder, octogenarian capitalists who never paid for their crimes against the Earth.
With mom gone, Emi convinces her dad to allow her to see the Great Transition celebration that her mother has forbade them to attend. Violence breaks out, and the whole world as Emi knew it collapses. With her father, Emi goes searching for her mom, encountering a shifting reality of good and evil, the journey a refining experience of growth and understanding.
This reads like a thriller, and hits hard with a political punch.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book. My review is fair and unbiased.
Take everything thing wrong with today’s world, the trajectory of where things are going, and follow it to its most awful fulfillment: the internet merely MemeFeed, the rich using the working classes to protect it’s wealth, wildfires barraging over land that isn’t flooded by collapsing ice sheets. After great devastation, millions of climate refugees treated worse than animals, Earth reaches Net Zero, the Great Transition accomplished. It took the hard labor and sacrifice of volunteer workers to pull it off, like Emi’s parents, reality star hero dad fighting fires, her mom separated from her family as a child in the immigrant camps, risking her life for the cause and a heroine in her own right.
Now a father, Emi’s dad takes on the role of protector and primary parent, while her mom bristles at his complacency and constantly reminds Emi of the horror of the past and that society must stay vigilant, continuing the fight. Mom regularly volunteers for duty in New York City, while Dad’s job in Nuuk allows him to give stability to Emi.
Underground groups deal out delayed justice, targeting climate enemies for murder, octogenarian capitalists who never paid for their crimes against the Earth.
With mom gone, Emi convinces her dad to allow her to see the Great Transition celebration that her mother has forbade them to attend. Violence breaks out, and the whole world as Emi knew it collapses. With her father, Emi goes searching for her mom, encountering a shifting reality of good and evil, the journey a refining experience of growth and understanding.
This reads like a thriller, and hits hard with a political punch.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book. My review is fair and unbiased.
June 14, 2023
I really wanted to love it! The comp titles are some of my favorites, and I really love dystopian, climate-fiction novels. However, I did not like this one really at all. I found the alternating POVs and alternating timelines to be confusing. I usually like alternating POVs, but with the added timeline in the past it was hard to figure out which Larch chapters were in the present and which were in the past. I had to read a couple pages of each of his chapters to figure that out. I also didn't like any of the characters. I found Emi to be annoying while also kind of sympathetic. I think the added plot-line of her eating disorder was not handled well and frankly was confusing, I didn't understand why the author included it. Emi's mother, Kristina, was incredibly unlikeable. She's supposed to be this hero-type character, but she is not personable. The author, I think, tries to humanize her, but he doesn't successfully dive into her trauma. I think maybe Larch, Emi's father, is potentially the only likable character, but I didn't love him. I found the pacing of the book to be off. Googins does a really great job of setting a descriptive scene for what the world looks like after climate change goes unchecked. That said, some of the descriptions were too long, while others were too short. Then, at about 70% into the novel, the book makes a turn for the ~thriller~ genre, and I was not on board. It felt rushed.
Overall, I think this book has GREAT potential and brings up A LOT of super important topics. The themes and multiple POVs would be FANTASTIC for a book club. I do wish I had read the novel with others because, while I didn't love the book, I do think there is a ton of value to such a realistic climate fiction novel.
Overall, I think this book has GREAT potential and brings up A LOT of super important topics. The themes and multiple POVs would be FANTASTIC for a book club. I do wish I had read the novel with others because, while I didn't love the book, I do think there is a ton of value to such a realistic climate fiction novel.
September 5, 2023
3.5 stars
An interesting story, if somewhat sophomoric in style and tone.
The near future climate fiction genre has become fairly rich of late, with a lot of excellent entries and very high quality writing out there. I liked some of the ideas in The Great Transition, and particularly some of the background stories of the actual transition time, but overall this did not have the substantial and complex feel of books like The Deluge, Termination Shock, and The Light Pirate.
Read if you enjoy this genre, knowing that it’s not quite as satisfying as others out there.
An interesting story, if somewhat sophomoric in style and tone.
The near future climate fiction genre has become fairly rich of late, with a lot of excellent entries and very high quality writing out there. I liked some of the ideas in The Great Transition, and particularly some of the background stories of the actual transition time, but overall this did not have the substantial and complex feel of books like The Deluge, Termination Shock, and The Light Pirate.
Read if you enjoy this genre, knowing that it’s not quite as satisfying as others out there.
August 14, 2023
This was a standout debut domestic thriller set in a post-climate change world in which the planet has achieved net zero emissions after a costly revolution.
Told in a dual timeline narrative, we get to know Emi Vargas in the present and how her parents helped turn the tide for climate change in the past.
While Emi often feels estranged from her politically active mother, she doesn't hesitate to team up with her father to track her down and clear her name when she gets framed for an assassination and suddenly disappears.
Full of secrets, espionage, family drama and so much more.
This was also EXCELLENT on audio narrated by Stacy Carolan and Stacy Gonzalez and perfect for fans of books like Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel or Landscapes by Christine Lai.
Many thanks to @Simon.Audio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
Told in a dual timeline narrative, we get to know Emi Vargas in the present and how her parents helped turn the tide for climate change in the past.
While Emi often feels estranged from her politically active mother, she doesn't hesitate to team up with her father to track her down and clear her name when she gets framed for an assassination and suddenly disappears.
Full of secrets, espionage, family drama and so much more.
This was also EXCELLENT on audio narrated by Stacy Carolan and Stacy Gonzalez and perfect for fans of books like Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel or Landscapes by Christine Lai.
Many thanks to @Simon.Audio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!
September 28, 2023
This novel starts off intriguing and fresh. Maybe I was a sucker for a young narrator and old school pop music references. And then. I got really annoyed by the writing. The sentences. Short and fragmented. For no reason. But I slogged. Slogged through it.
I thought I would find the flashbacks to The Transition years interesting, but they became tedious and repetitive, and I began to dread them. The "now" sections are faster paced, but become absurd eventually, a thriller plot that isn't well thought out. The author is trying to have some deep thoughts about justice versus peace, but it's obvious where he stands and it ends up being polemical and alienating to those who don't share his views. Maybe there's also too much tell not show, like of course the reader will agree with the author on why the bad guys are bad. No nuance needed. But if a post scarcity, worker-owned zero carbon society isn't good enough, then maybe that's a you problem, Kristina. (Team Larch!)
Recommended to those who want to read How to Blow Up a Pipeline, the young adult novelization.
I thought I would find the flashbacks to The Transition years interesting, but they became tedious and repetitive, and I began to dread them. The "now" sections are faster paced, but become absurd eventually, a thriller plot that isn't well thought out. The author is trying to have some deep thoughts about justice versus peace, but it's obvious where he stands and it ends up being polemical and alienating to those who don't share his views. Maybe there's also too much tell not show, like of course the reader will agree with the author on why the bad guys are bad. No nuance needed. But if a post scarcity, worker-owned zero carbon society isn't good enough, then maybe that's a you problem, Kristina. (Team Larch!)
Recommended to those who want to read How to Blow Up a Pipeline, the young adult novelization.
February 18, 2025
2.5⭐️
up the revolution
(someone help i’m existentially spiralling)
up the revolution
(someone help i’m existentially spiralling)
January 19, 2023
The world almost ends due to climate change caused by climate criminals. This is The Crisis. A group of people band together to save the world. This is The Great Transition. The story is told from the perspectives of a teen aged girl living in the saved world and by her parents who worked to save the world after enduring the severe losses and hardships of the crisis. The mother goes missing so the father and daughter set out to find her. Given the weather these days: relentless rain, blizzards, flooding, mudslides, drought etc…this novel is timely and not difficult imagine. We should be so lucky as to avoid the destruction of our planet.
July 7, 2023
I am a "First Reads" winner. Thank you to the author and publisher.
I was hooked immediately after reading the first few pages of Fuller Googins 'The Great Transition' - a sometime-in-the future dystopian tale that references U2, Dolly Parton, Madonna, and Prince? ... I'm in!
And later, when the author provides a backdrop for 'The Great Transition,' I found myself thinking how we - now, today - might be able to impact the change imagined in the novel: "People were desperate. Fed up. The old parties had so spectacularly failed. People who had never a reason to vote were lining up to throw the bums out. To cast a ballot for something new" (p. 81).
'The Great Transition' is a thought-provoking, well-written and imagined read that ends with an exuberant sense of hope. Very recommended.
I was hooked immediately after reading the first few pages of Fuller Googins 'The Great Transition' - a sometime-in-the future dystopian tale that references U2, Dolly Parton, Madonna, and Prince? ... I'm in!
And later, when the author provides a backdrop for 'The Great Transition,' I found myself thinking how we - now, today - might be able to impact the change imagined in the novel: "People were desperate. Fed up. The old parties had so spectacularly failed. People who had never a reason to vote were lining up to throw the bums out. To cast a ballot for something new" (p. 81).
'The Great Transition' is a thought-provoking, well-written and imagined read that ends with an exuberant sense of hope. Very recommended.
May 22, 2023
Such a unique climate fiction book about the after effects of a deteriorated and fallen earth! Emi and her parents now live on Greenland living a pretty "normal" life post The Great Transition. We follow 3 POV's of Emi, her mother told through a school report that Emi is writing and her father sharing his past.
The world had succumbed to the devastating effects of climate failure....but...people banded together and worked hard to begin the Great Transition where missions were led, similar to a military mission, to go to the inner world, such as NYC or Colorado, to repair the effects of the fallen world due to climate devastation. The hope and intent is to repair the damage done so it can hopefully thrive and repair itself over time. This is not a heavy subject point of the book but helps you know the world that you're walking into.
The book has a strong sense of family, a good mystery with a twist keeping you on the edge of your seat at times, and some humor along the way as Emi is into the oldies such as Adele, Brittney, Queen and Nirvana.
Climate fiction is really hit or miss for me, but I do have to say this is the best climate fiction I've read. I loved that it was AFTER the devastation of the climate crisis and focused on recovery and life after. It never felt too devastating or heavy, but perhaps motivates a person to reconsider your personal footprint here on the earth.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the complimentary e-book.
The world had succumbed to the devastating effects of climate failure....but...people banded together and worked hard to begin the Great Transition where missions were led, similar to a military mission, to go to the inner world, such as NYC or Colorado, to repair the effects of the fallen world due to climate devastation. The hope and intent is to repair the damage done so it can hopefully thrive and repair itself over time. This is not a heavy subject point of the book but helps you know the world that you're walking into.
The book has a strong sense of family, a good mystery with a twist keeping you on the edge of your seat at times, and some humor along the way as Emi is into the oldies such as Adele, Brittney, Queen and Nirvana.
Climate fiction is really hit or miss for me, but I do have to say this is the best climate fiction I've read. I loved that it was AFTER the devastation of the climate crisis and focused on recovery and life after. It never felt too devastating or heavy, but perhaps motivates a person to reconsider your personal footprint here on the earth.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the complimentary e-book.
May 1, 2024
The book started out okay but then got almost unreadable. Whiney characters, irritating characters and boring characters. Filled with teen idiocy, far exceeding real teen issues and behaviours.
September 2, 2024
This was truly powerful. Standing up for what's right and not backing down. The depth of family and the sacrifices made during major life-changing things happening. Emi was so strong for her age. I truly loved her. I was shocked about the twists and so happy but also saddened by the ending. It's crazy how this crazy stuff could actually happen in the future and seeing how people would act during it. This was truly a mesmerizing read. It's got some great twists and beautiful deep meanings throughout it. Easily a 5 star read!
I received this ARC from Atria Books to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from Atria Books to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
September 14, 2023
This one lost a little momentum in the second half, but there are some good points here about Climate Change, inequalities, power, and ethics. I'd like to see more novels tackle the very real potential for billionaires to profit both on creating the crisis and on providing the infrastructure for the short-term solution. Think war profiteeering but on a massive scale, and you get the idea.
June 11, 2024
Dieses Buch ist der erste Roman seit einer halben Ewigkeit, den ich euch mal wieder uneingeschränkt empfehlen kann. Immer wieder begegne ich einfach Büchern, die mich daran erinnern, wie sehr ich das Lesen eigentlich liebe und warum ich mich dazu entschlossen habe, Literaturwissenschaften zu studieren. "Der Plan zur Rettung der Welt" ist eines dieser Bücher. Es ist unglaublich gut geschrieben, spannend, super kritisch und intelligent und hat meiner Meinung nach das Potential, zum Klassiker der Zukunft zu werden.
Doch worum geht es? Es geht um Emi und Larch. Die beiden sind Tochter und Vater und leben in einer klimaneutralen und friedlichen Welt. Während Larche und Emis Mutter noch vor Hitze und Waldbrände geflohen sind und gegen die Ausbeutung von Mensch und Umwelt gekämpft haben, lebt Emi ein bequemes Leben, das nur von den Erwartungen und ständigen Streitereien ihrer Eltern überschattet wird. Doch dann kommt es zu Anschlägen auf verschiedene Politiker – und die Welt, wie Emi und ihr Vater sie kannte, bricht damit zusammen. Denn in den darauffolgenden Ermittlungen ist Emis Mutter die Hauptverdächtige.
Dieses Buch erzählt von einer Welt am Rande des Abgrunds und ist dabei stets glaubwürdig. Auch der Generationenkonflikt zwischen Emi und ihren Eltern wirkte auf mich authentisch. Die Folgen des Klimawandels, die hier dargestellt und eindringlich beschrieben werden, bleiben im Gedächtnis - und entsprechen leider ziemlich genau dem, was auch wir in Zukunft erwarten können. Dass wir unseren Schmarrn endlich auf die Reihe bekommen und die Klimakatastrophe aufhalten können, glaube ich nach der Wahl am Sonntag leider nicht mehr. Genau wie es in diesem Roman beschrieben wird, werden auch wir in ein oder zwei Jahrzehnten Schadensbegrenzung betreiben müssen. Wie die Protagonisten werden wir Opfer bringen müssen - und ich kann nur hoffen, dass diese Opfer nicht ganz so groß sein werden wie hier.
Mein Fazit? Climate Fiction vom Feinsten und damit eine große Empfehlung für euch alle. Das hier hat es verdient, ein Klassiker der Zukunft zu werden!
Doch worum geht es? Es geht um Emi und Larch. Die beiden sind Tochter und Vater und leben in einer klimaneutralen und friedlichen Welt. Während Larche und Emis Mutter noch vor Hitze und Waldbrände geflohen sind und gegen die Ausbeutung von Mensch und Umwelt gekämpft haben, lebt Emi ein bequemes Leben, das nur von den Erwartungen und ständigen Streitereien ihrer Eltern überschattet wird. Doch dann kommt es zu Anschlägen auf verschiedene Politiker – und die Welt, wie Emi und ihr Vater sie kannte, bricht damit zusammen. Denn in den darauffolgenden Ermittlungen ist Emis Mutter die Hauptverdächtige.
Dieses Buch erzählt von einer Welt am Rande des Abgrunds und ist dabei stets glaubwürdig. Auch der Generationenkonflikt zwischen Emi und ihren Eltern wirkte auf mich authentisch. Die Folgen des Klimawandels, die hier dargestellt und eindringlich beschrieben werden, bleiben im Gedächtnis - und entsprechen leider ziemlich genau dem, was auch wir in Zukunft erwarten können. Dass wir unseren Schmarrn endlich auf die Reihe bekommen und die Klimakatastrophe aufhalten können, glaube ich nach der Wahl am Sonntag leider nicht mehr. Genau wie es in diesem Roman beschrieben wird, werden auch wir in ein oder zwei Jahrzehnten Schadensbegrenzung betreiben müssen. Wie die Protagonisten werden wir Opfer bringen müssen - und ich kann nur hoffen, dass diese Opfer nicht ganz so groß sein werden wie hier.
Mein Fazit? Climate Fiction vom Feinsten und damit eine große Empfehlung für euch alle. Das hier hat es verdient, ein Klassiker der Zukunft zu werden!
December 11, 2023
Really thought provoking and enjoyable debut. This novel takes place after the rebuilding of society — known as the “great transition” — after a global warming crisis and fallout. Wildfires and hurricanes destroyed the planet in a very realistic and believable way (which I feel was a smart move as it evoked a very sobering and visceral feeling as a reader).
The focus is on a family of 3: a young girl in high school and her two parents. The mother/wife of this trio is a fascinating, albeit it extremely hardened, character who is well known worldwide for leading the entire movement to rebuild a better world. You receive flashbacks of her years of trauma within this crumbling society and how she ultimately fights back against the corrupt government leaders, who she feels are to blame for the downfall by failing to act for years.
Throughout the book, in the present day timeline, the mother works “undercover” in a way, continuing to fight back and ultimately goes missing. The bulk of the book is the father and daughter traveling back to America to find her.
The POV of the daughter was maybe my favorite, as it was so relatable and symbolic to how millennials and GenZers tend to be treated by older generations. She now lives in the aftermath — a world rebuilt, peace restored, things “better than they’ve ever been.” As such, her mother (and father) who lived through the tragedy remind her daily how “good” she has it, with a “stop your complaining,” “you have no idea how lucky you are” attitude. As a result, the daughter suppresses feelings of anxiety, hides her panic attacks, and begins to suffer from severe disordered eating (never defined, but read as anorexia). It was really poignant and begs the questions: Should we punish and scold the younger generations for having it “easier” than us? Because what defines easy? And who is to say they are not suffering?
TW: disordered eating scenes (ranging from internal dialogue, food restricting, to some scenes of vomiting)
Thank you Atria for this advanced copy - released August 2023.
The focus is on a family of 3: a young girl in high school and her two parents. The mother/wife of this trio is a fascinating, albeit it extremely hardened, character who is well known worldwide for leading the entire movement to rebuild a better world. You receive flashbacks of her years of trauma within this crumbling society and how she ultimately fights back against the corrupt government leaders, who she feels are to blame for the downfall by failing to act for years.
Throughout the book, in the present day timeline, the mother works “undercover” in a way, continuing to fight back and ultimately goes missing. The bulk of the book is the father and daughter traveling back to America to find her.
The POV of the daughter was maybe my favorite, as it was so relatable and symbolic to how millennials and GenZers tend to be treated by older generations. She now lives in the aftermath — a world rebuilt, peace restored, things “better than they’ve ever been.” As such, her mother (and father) who lived through the tragedy remind her daily how “good” she has it, with a “stop your complaining,” “you have no idea how lucky you are” attitude. As a result, the daughter suppresses feelings of anxiety, hides her panic attacks, and begins to suffer from severe disordered eating (never defined, but read as anorexia). It was really poignant and begs the questions: Should we punish and scold the younger generations for having it “easier” than us? Because what defines easy? And who is to say they are not suffering?
TW: disordered eating scenes (ranging from internal dialogue, food restricting, to some scenes of vomiting)
Thank you Atria for this advanced copy - released August 2023.
April 24, 2023
The Great Transition, which releases this August, was recommended to me as a review copy from the publisher and I read it on my kindle while travelling to Virginia this past weekend.
In it, we follow teenaged Emi and her mother and father, Kristina and Larch, as they continue to acclimate within the post-Transition world. Some backstory for context: sixteen years ago the world was on the verge of a full out collapse, referred to as The Crisis. Rather than allow climate criminals to continue to poison the earth, pockets of workers, migrants, and refugees across the globe stood together to save the planet. And Emi's parents were key proponents of that famous revolution.
Now, as Day Zero arrives, a holiday in which everyone parties in the streets together to celebrate the reversal of the Crisis, an unexpected attack takes place in the heart of their city and Emi's mother goes missing. The storyline abruptly shifts from climate fiction to eco-thriller as Emi and her father try to locate Kristina and in the process, begin to realize just how little they know her or understand the kind of danger they both may be in.
Told in flip-flopping storylines that alternate between the perspectives of Emi and Larch, while also bouncing between past and present to build up the reader's understanding of the historic roles both Kristina and Larch played during the Crisis, the flashback chapters became a frequent source of frustration. The deeper into the book we got, the more the flashbacks appeared, which interuppted the forward momentum we were experiencing in the present chapters and created a very choppy, start-and-stop reading flow to the novel.
In spite of that, The Great Transition warns us of the risks of becoming complacent, of ignoring the damage we're causing or waiting for someone else to take it on as "their problem". It's a dystopian survivalist story that shows us what's potentially to come if we continue to choose momentary comforts over a more planet-healthy and sustainable way of life.
In it, we follow teenaged Emi and her mother and father, Kristina and Larch, as they continue to acclimate within the post-Transition world. Some backstory for context: sixteen years ago the world was on the verge of a full out collapse, referred to as The Crisis. Rather than allow climate criminals to continue to poison the earth, pockets of workers, migrants, and refugees across the globe stood together to save the planet. And Emi's parents were key proponents of that famous revolution.
Now, as Day Zero arrives, a holiday in which everyone parties in the streets together to celebrate the reversal of the Crisis, an unexpected attack takes place in the heart of their city and Emi's mother goes missing. The storyline abruptly shifts from climate fiction to eco-thriller as Emi and her father try to locate Kristina and in the process, begin to realize just how little they know her or understand the kind of danger they both may be in.
Told in flip-flopping storylines that alternate between the perspectives of Emi and Larch, while also bouncing between past and present to build up the reader's understanding of the historic roles both Kristina and Larch played during the Crisis, the flashback chapters became a frequent source of frustration. The deeper into the book we got, the more the flashbacks appeared, which interuppted the forward momentum we were experiencing in the present chapters and created a very choppy, start-and-stop reading flow to the novel.
In spite of that, The Great Transition warns us of the risks of becoming complacent, of ignoring the damage we're causing or waiting for someone else to take it on as "their problem". It's a dystopian survivalist story that shows us what's potentially to come if we continue to choose momentary comforts over a more planet-healthy and sustainable way of life.
April 9, 2023
A BEST book of the year! For sure sure sure!
The Great Transition refers to a post apocalyptic world where much of the control has been wrested away from the 1%. The transition took place while much of the world had gone under in flooding or up in flames and it's been just enough time that people are beginning to forget just how bad it was.
This is the setting when we meet 15 year old Emi and her parents Larch and Kristina. Larch and Kristina were part of the revolution and have moved considerably apart in their believes. Their political tug of war leaves Emi in the middle and is part of the reason of her anxiety. When a series of vigilante events cause mayhem around the world, Larch realizes he may not know everything about his wife.
Told through several points of view, a variety of flashback and a very poignant school project, we learn how Larch and Kristina met and fought for the world. Best yet, Fuller Googins presents everyone's points of view and they characters are so real you think you will see them this week at work. The only question really is, which character would you turn out to be?
I loved this story and just hope for more of the same! If you love dystopia, contemporary criticism and strong characters you will absolutely love The Great Transition!
#Atriabooks NickFullerGoogins #TheGreatTransition
The Great Transition refers to a post apocalyptic world where much of the control has been wrested away from the 1%. The transition took place while much of the world had gone under in flooding or up in flames and it's been just enough time that people are beginning to forget just how bad it was.
This is the setting when we meet 15 year old Emi and her parents Larch and Kristina. Larch and Kristina were part of the revolution and have moved considerably apart in their believes. Their political tug of war leaves Emi in the middle and is part of the reason of her anxiety. When a series of vigilante events cause mayhem around the world, Larch realizes he may not know everything about his wife.
Told through several points of view, a variety of flashback and a very poignant school project, we learn how Larch and Kristina met and fought for the world. Best yet, Fuller Googins presents everyone's points of view and they characters are so real you think you will see them this week at work. The only question really is, which character would you turn out to be?
I loved this story and just hope for more of the same! If you love dystopia, contemporary criticism and strong characters you will absolutely love The Great Transition!
#Atriabooks NickFullerGoogins #TheGreatTransition
August 26, 2023
This is young adult fiction, brimming with teen angst, in which not a great deal happens. The three main protagonists read like caricatures. The 'action' plot is plodding and seems like a device to support the telling of what happened during the great transition (which isn't very interesting).
The account of the Great Transition told through a high school English project is painful.- Emiliana is worried about failing the project, and rightfully so. Larch's tawdry monologues about his contribution to the Great Transition are sleep inducing. Kristina's character is so overwrought and uptight that with parents like her and Larch, it's no wonder that Emi has so many issues.
This might appeal to a teen audience but it's probably not going to be a satisfying read for readers of Kim Stanley Robinson or Stephen Markley.
The account of the Great Transition told through a high school English project is painful.- Emiliana is worried about failing the project, and rightfully so. Larch's tawdry monologues about his contribution to the Great Transition are sleep inducing. Kristina's character is so overwrought and uptight that with parents like her and Larch, it's no wonder that Emi has so many issues.
This might appeal to a teen audience but it's probably not going to be a satisfying read for readers of Kim Stanley Robinson or Stephen Markley.
September 3, 2025
Der Roman beschreibt eine nahe Zukunft nach einem Zusammenbruch aufgrund des Klimawandels der eine deutliche Veränderung unseres Lebens nach einem Klima-Ereignis nach sich führt.
Also eine ähnliche Thematik wie in Kim Stanley Robinson's "Das Ministerium für die Zukunft" beschrieben. In diesem Roman sind die Änderungen jedoch gravierender, trotzdem halten sich die postapokalyptischen Tendenzen in Grenzen. Es ist keine apokalyptische Erzählung, auch wenn die katastrophalen Klima-Ereignisse, die die erwachsenen Perspektivfiguren in ihrer Jugend erlebt haben, apokalyptische Züge haben. Brände, Überschwemmungen, Katastrophen. In der Vergangenheit der Perspektivfigur Larch, und auch seiner Frau, Kristina, sind all die Dinge geschehen, die sich jetzt bereits abzeichnen und die auch in "Das Ministerium für die Zukunft" und ähnlichen Büchern erwähnt bzw. beschrieben werden. Die dritte Perspektivfigur ist Larchs und Kristinas Tochter Emi (Emiliana), die fünfzehn Jahre alt ist. Ihre Sichtweise ist interessant, denn sie ist geboren worden, nachdem die schlimmste Krise vorbei war, die Welt sich geändert hat, die Menschen sich an die neue Welt angepasst haben, ihre Wohnräume entsprechend gewählt haben und nun mit dem Halbe-Welt-Konzept leben. Die halbe Welt steht leer (nur die indigene Bevölkerung darf dort noch leben), alle anderen leben nahe den Polkappen. Larch, Kristina und Emi leben in Nuuk, in Grönland. Erwachsene müssen aber einige Wochen im Jahr einen Extraktionsdienst leisten, hierfür reisen sie auch an andere Orte, wie New York. Larch lässt sich hiervon in der Regel befreien, während Kristina freiwillig mehr Dienste übernimmt, als sie eigentlich müsste.
Die Diskrepanz zwischen Larch und Kristina ist auch ein wichtiges Thema des Romans. Als junge Menschen haben sie ähnliches durchgemacht. Beide haben ihre Familien unter grausamen Umständen verloren und blieben alleine zurück. Beide haben über ihr Alter gelogen, um aktiv dabei mitzuhelfen, die Welt zu retten und haben dabei ihr Leben riskiert und fast verloren. Sich dann verliebt und offenbar etwas anderes im Kopf gehabt, als es um die Planung des weiteren Lebens ging, obwohl sie beide dieselben Worte verwendet haben.
Larch will Normalität, will Frieden, denkt, er sei schon angekommen. Kristina hingegen will weiterkämpfen. Für sie ist das Ziel noch nicht erreicht. Noch ist die Welt nicht sicher. Also geht sie mit Gleichgesinnten im Untergrund dazu über, die "Klimaverbrecher" zu bestrafen, indem sie umgebracht werden. Demzufolge steht dieser Terrorismus deutlich über dem, was Kim Stanley Robinson in seinem Roman beschrieben hat. Im ganzen Roman versucht Kristina ihrem Mann und ihrer Tochter die Notwendigkeit dieser Tötungsaktionen zu verdeutlichen. In Rückblicken, besonders in Emis Schulaufsätzen, die in Form von Interviews mit ihren Eltern dargeboten werden, wird die Vergangenheit lebendig. Emi, in sicheren Verhältnissen geboren, die nie einen Verlust erleben musste, erlebt darin beide Eltern und macht nun ihre eigenen Erfahrungen.
Wie gesagt, fand ich den Roman einerseits sehr spannend, aber auch die Charaktere gut gewählt und fantastisch beschrieben, besonders die Struktur des Romans fand ich überzeugend, der die Vergangenheit durch Gespräche und Erfahrungen sehr plastisch hervorbringt, aber auch die Gegenwart wird fesselnd und sehr spannend darstellt, ein überraschender Roman...
Also eine ähnliche Thematik wie in Kim Stanley Robinson's "Das Ministerium für die Zukunft" beschrieben. In diesem Roman sind die Änderungen jedoch gravierender, trotzdem halten sich die postapokalyptischen Tendenzen in Grenzen. Es ist keine apokalyptische Erzählung, auch wenn die katastrophalen Klima-Ereignisse, die die erwachsenen Perspektivfiguren in ihrer Jugend erlebt haben, apokalyptische Züge haben. Brände, Überschwemmungen, Katastrophen. In der Vergangenheit der Perspektivfigur Larch, und auch seiner Frau, Kristina, sind all die Dinge geschehen, die sich jetzt bereits abzeichnen und die auch in "Das Ministerium für die Zukunft" und ähnlichen Büchern erwähnt bzw. beschrieben werden. Die dritte Perspektivfigur ist Larchs und Kristinas Tochter Emi (Emiliana), die fünfzehn Jahre alt ist. Ihre Sichtweise ist interessant, denn sie ist geboren worden, nachdem die schlimmste Krise vorbei war, die Welt sich geändert hat, die Menschen sich an die neue Welt angepasst haben, ihre Wohnräume entsprechend gewählt haben und nun mit dem Halbe-Welt-Konzept leben. Die halbe Welt steht leer (nur die indigene Bevölkerung darf dort noch leben), alle anderen leben nahe den Polkappen. Larch, Kristina und Emi leben in Nuuk, in Grönland. Erwachsene müssen aber einige Wochen im Jahr einen Extraktionsdienst leisten, hierfür reisen sie auch an andere Orte, wie New York. Larch lässt sich hiervon in der Regel befreien, während Kristina freiwillig mehr Dienste übernimmt, als sie eigentlich müsste.
Die Diskrepanz zwischen Larch und Kristina ist auch ein wichtiges Thema des Romans. Als junge Menschen haben sie ähnliches durchgemacht. Beide haben ihre Familien unter grausamen Umständen verloren und blieben alleine zurück. Beide haben über ihr Alter gelogen, um aktiv dabei mitzuhelfen, die Welt zu retten und haben dabei ihr Leben riskiert und fast verloren. Sich dann verliebt und offenbar etwas anderes im Kopf gehabt, als es um die Planung des weiteren Lebens ging, obwohl sie beide dieselben Worte verwendet haben.
Larch will Normalität, will Frieden, denkt, er sei schon angekommen. Kristina hingegen will weiterkämpfen. Für sie ist das Ziel noch nicht erreicht. Noch ist die Welt nicht sicher. Also geht sie mit Gleichgesinnten im Untergrund dazu über, die "Klimaverbrecher" zu bestrafen, indem sie umgebracht werden. Demzufolge steht dieser Terrorismus deutlich über dem, was Kim Stanley Robinson in seinem Roman beschrieben hat. Im ganzen Roman versucht Kristina ihrem Mann und ihrer Tochter die Notwendigkeit dieser Tötungsaktionen zu verdeutlichen. In Rückblicken, besonders in Emis Schulaufsätzen, die in Form von Interviews mit ihren Eltern dargeboten werden, wird die Vergangenheit lebendig. Emi, in sicheren Verhältnissen geboren, die nie einen Verlust erleben musste, erlebt darin beide Eltern und macht nun ihre eigenen Erfahrungen.
Wie gesagt, fand ich den Roman einerseits sehr spannend, aber auch die Charaktere gut gewählt und fantastisch beschrieben, besonders die Struktur des Romans fand ich überzeugend, der die Vergangenheit durch Gespräche und Erfahrungen sehr plastisch hervorbringt, aber auch die Gegenwart wird fesselnd und sehr spannend darstellt, ein überraschender Roman...
August 7, 2023
4.5
Reading this book made me ask myself where we draw the line nowadays at dystopian stories versus near-future or could-be-tomorrow stories. I'd say the strongest comparison is Station Eleven in human-dynamics, meets The Road in writing style. Making this a pretty darn impressive debut novel.
That being said, it's one of those near-future books that will not comfort you, not really bring you hope that we will figure things out eventually. Instead it reads like a cautionary tale and asks where we draw the line at justifiable actions. Climate criminals (oil companies, billionaires, etc) are responsible for the state of this planet; they know what they are doing and promoting is harming millions of people and will likely never see consequences for those actions. Emi's mother is part of a group that assassinates climate criminals. During this fictional transition period (between the collapse of society as we know it and a new system rising in its place) while the world's populace did stop the absolute worst from happening to the planet, all the people responsible still got away with it. And in this almost-dystopia, Emi's mom is of the mind that the semi-recovering state that they live in right now is too precarious to enjoy and moving forward cannot happen until the perpetrators of the apocalypse are dead and unable to continue the cycle.
If we look at this book as a how-to for dystopian times, it causes some questions: like how do we balance enjoying life (you only live once!) and contributing in acts of (violent) justice - whatever that may look like. Complacency is dangerous, but to not even enjoy living in the world...what's the point? Where's the line between the two? I was angry at Emi's mom most of the time for her harshness and never giving up the battle...but I also understood it. I'm not sure what I would have done in her shoes. Her trauma through the transition shaped who she was and I can't judge that. Overall, this is an important book to read at this time and climate, but it was also uncomfortable to see this easily-possible imaginative future world that made me think maybe we wouldn't get through all this intact.
Major TW for eating disorder for the child, Emi.
Reading this book made me ask myself where we draw the line nowadays at dystopian stories versus near-future or could-be-tomorrow stories. I'd say the strongest comparison is Station Eleven in human-dynamics, meets The Road in writing style. Making this a pretty darn impressive debut novel.
That being said, it's one of those near-future books that will not comfort you, not really bring you hope that we will figure things out eventually. Instead it reads like a cautionary tale and asks where we draw the line at justifiable actions. Climate criminals (oil companies, billionaires, etc) are responsible for the state of this planet; they know what they are doing and promoting is harming millions of people and will likely never see consequences for those actions. Emi's mother is part of a group that assassinates climate criminals. During this fictional transition period (between the collapse of society as we know it and a new system rising in its place) while the world's populace did stop the absolute worst from happening to the planet, all the people responsible still got away with it. And in this almost-dystopia, Emi's mom is of the mind that the semi-recovering state that they live in right now is too precarious to enjoy and moving forward cannot happen until the perpetrators of the apocalypse are dead and unable to continue the cycle.
If we look at this book as a how-to for dystopian times, it causes some questions: like how do we balance enjoying life (you only live once!) and contributing in acts of (violent) justice - whatever that may look like. Complacency is dangerous, but to not even enjoy living in the world...what's the point? Where's the line between the two? I was angry at Emi's mom most of the time for her harshness and never giving up the battle...but I also understood it. I'm not sure what I would have done in her shoes. Her trauma through the transition shaped who she was and I can't judge that. Overall, this is an important book to read at this time and climate, but it was also uncomfortable to see this easily-possible imaginative future world that made me think maybe we wouldn't get through all this intact.
Major TW for eating disorder for the child, Emi.
December 13, 2023
I am glad to see that because more and more writers address the issue of climate change, a new sub-genre has emerged: cli-fi, speculative fiction that imagines how we, as human race, react to the climate disasters brought upon by ourselves. The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins is one of them. After decades of warning signs, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet finally collapses. Global sea level rises above 3 meters. All major coastal cities are lost. Yet, instead of descending to total chaos, the world (especially the US) kind of pulls through and survives. The Great Transition is set in a post-climate-change world that has been utterly changed by climate disasters and the “great transition” afterwards.
It’s rare to find a near-future speculative fiction about climate change that is not dystopia. Although it is not an utopia, it has a positive atmosphere with a mixed socialism and capitalism flavor.
Quotes:
P103:"I remember one study that got some attention after the Transition--it showed how suicides had dropped in direct relationship to enrollment numbers. Especially young people. Especially young men. I believe it. Sometimes heading back after pouring concrete all night by floodlight–the sky glowing red with dawn–the ferry captain would pull the horn for no good reason and we would all raise a fist and launch into “This Land Is Your Land” or some other song. Cheesy but it shot tears to my eyes. Partly from exhaustion. Partly from living the end of the world together. As a family. And doing something about it. Trying.”
It’s rare to find a near-future speculative fiction about climate change that is not dystopia. Although it is not an utopia, it has a positive atmosphere with a mixed socialism and capitalism flavor.
Quotes:
P103:"I remember one study that got some attention after the Transition--it showed how suicides had dropped in direct relationship to enrollment numbers. Especially young people. Especially young men. I believe it. Sometimes heading back after pouring concrete all night by floodlight–the sky glowing red with dawn–the ferry captain would pull the horn for no good reason and we would all raise a fist and launch into “This Land Is Your Land” or some other song. Cheesy but it shot tears to my eyes. Partly from exhaustion. Partly from living the end of the world together. As a family. And doing something about it. Trying.”
March 17, 2024
“We don’t get to choose which battles we’re born into,” she says. “The only thing we get is to choose what we'll do. Will we join the fight? Or will we turn our backs?”
This might be the best book I read all year. This utopian climate fiction (cli-fi) spans many years and places through the lives of several intertwined characters and paints a vivid portrait of our planet in the not-so-distant future through compelling and relatable characters. It’s one of very few books I might want to read again.
September 4, 2023
This was well written, thought-provoking, political and thrilling. Overall, it was a very good book. The story really hooked me because with the current course the world is on right now, it all just seemed so possible. It's terrifying to think what the future could hold if we don't start looking after our planet better.
I liked the characters and their stories and the parent/child relationships. I enjoyed reading about the different aspects and effects of the different parenting styles of each parent.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the characters and their stories and the parent/child relationships. I enjoyed reading about the different aspects and effects of the different parenting styles of each parent.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2023
Ever heard the expression "jumped the shark"? It is the moment a TV series begins it's descent from greatness. Refers to an episode of "Happy Days" where the Fonz, the cool motorcycle guy, jumps over a caged shark on water skis. The show was never the same. It seems to me that one way to cause a show to jump the shark is to insert kids into the plot - think "Mad About You", "The Closer", "Major Case", "NCIS Hawaii", and others. Once the kid gets involved, particularly if it is a snarky teenager, some of the narrative drive dissipates. Such is the case here. (Note that stories mainly about kids, the Potter series, for example, and some excellent Young Adult writing are not what I am referring too.)
The pattern of the teen daughter's interview with her mother - "My Mom, Me, My Mom, Me" was driving me batty in the audio version, probably not as distracting in the print version.
I am also not a big fan of vigilante domestic terrorists - if the world collapses as it does here, it will be all of our faults, our unwillingness to change world threatening habits, not just a few greedy capitalists who bring us to grief so hunting them down for assassination is not a cause I can get behind. Tough for me to work up much sympathy for those chasing them down.
Given the positive reviews, a lot of folks enjoyed this story, just not for me.
The pattern of the teen daughter's interview with her mother - "My Mom, Me, My Mom, Me" was driving me batty in the audio version, probably not as distracting in the print version.
I am also not a big fan of vigilante domestic terrorists - if the world collapses as it does here, it will be all of our faults, our unwillingness to change world threatening habits, not just a few greedy capitalists who bring us to grief so hunting them down for assassination is not a cause I can get behind. Tough for me to work up much sympathy for those chasing them down.
Given the positive reviews, a lot of folks enjoyed this story, just not for me.
May 9, 2023
For a review, I will just copy the text of the DM I sent the author on instagram. I might have gone on a bit too long, but that’s okay.
I was fortunate enough to get an ARC from my local bookstore as a giveaway, and read it in a day (when I should have been grading). Thank you for writing a book that takes a clear eyed view of the possible (and likely) tragedies to come but also for giving so much hope. I’m working on a proposal to teach a science fiction literature course at the high school I work at, and I’m already planning to find a way to make it a cornerstone novel for one of the units. I have a 16 year old and the hopelessness that their generation struggles with (because the world is on fire, so who cares about they do in their future, they won’t be alive to see it) is sometimes overwhelming. Your novel gives hope, in a real way. Good science fiction asks and proposes what it means to be human, but the very best asks and proposes what we owe to each other. Yours is in the latter category. Thank you. Sincerely, this was my favorite book of the last several years, and I read a LOT (HS English teacher).
I was fortunate enough to get an ARC from my local bookstore as a giveaway, and read it in a day (when I should have been grading). Thank you for writing a book that takes a clear eyed view of the possible (and likely) tragedies to come but also for giving so much hope. I’m working on a proposal to teach a science fiction literature course at the high school I work at, and I’m already planning to find a way to make it a cornerstone novel for one of the units. I have a 16 year old and the hopelessness that their generation struggles with (because the world is on fire, so who cares about they do in their future, they won’t be alive to see it) is sometimes overwhelming. Your novel gives hope, in a real way. Good science fiction asks and proposes what it means to be human, but the very best asks and proposes what we owe to each other. Yours is in the latter category. Thank you. Sincerely, this was my favorite book of the last several years, and I read a LOT (HS English teacher).
July 5, 2024
Oh sigh, male author writing from female perspective big time Fail.
Better versions of this story exist, almost entirely written by outsider voices (esp BIPOC/LGBTQia2S+ authors). Sadly, the Great Transition provides yet another future where everything has changed except our artificial binary gender heirarchies. I profoundly wish that these dominant caste writers would learn more from the writers they "borrow" so heavily from, especially Octavia Butler, Nnedi Okorafor, NK Jemisin, Margaret Atwood, Ursula Le Guin, Becky Chambers, and Marge Piercy).
I recommend the uncredited originals, especially Butler's Parable of the Sower and Marge Piercy's Woman on the Edge of Time.
Publishing industry: please stop with the misappropriation of stories originally written by women. It's 2023 - can we please work on that a little harder?
Better versions of this story exist, almost entirely written by outsider voices (esp BIPOC/LGBTQia2S+ authors). Sadly, the Great Transition provides yet another future where everything has changed except our artificial binary gender heirarchies. I profoundly wish that these dominant caste writers would learn more from the writers they "borrow" so heavily from, especially Octavia Butler, Nnedi Okorafor, NK Jemisin, Margaret Atwood, Ursula Le Guin, Becky Chambers, and Marge Piercy).
I recommend the uncredited originals, especially Butler's Parable of the Sower and Marge Piercy's Woman on the Edge of Time.
Publishing industry: please stop with the misappropriation of stories originally written by women. It's 2023 - can we please work on that a little harder?
August 19, 2023
5 stars.
A fun read. Great character work. Larch is probably the best written character I’ve read all year. I thought his relationship with Kristina was pretty nuanced and you could empathize with both characters. First climate fiction novel I’ve read and I appreciate that it’s still hopeful despite all the awful things that happen. A little unsettling to read this while we live through our own climate crisis.
A fun read. Great character work. Larch is probably the best written character I’ve read all year. I thought his relationship with Kristina was pretty nuanced and you could empathize with both characters. First climate fiction novel I’ve read and I appreciate that it’s still hopeful despite all the awful things that happen. A little unsettling to read this while we live through our own climate crisis.
September 22, 2023
Congratulations, you made the apocalypse boring (also, way to glorify an eating disorder— that won’t be problematic at all)
April 20, 2024
A nice addition to the rapidly growing ‘climate-fiction’ (or cli-fi, if you must) genre. Having read a couple of these now, it seems to me like there are some common elements, or genre tropes, that distinguish it from other genres.
1. Writers doing their homework!
One of the cool things about The Great Transition is that Fuller Googins packs the book with climate solutions that are either drawn directly from real life or inspired by real-life technology. When these are just mentioned in passing it can get a bit jargon-heavy, but many of them are described in quite some detail and really bring the post-transition world to life. I’d say this is more or less the defining feature of many cli-fi novels.
2. Characters travel… a lot
Another cli-fi trope is that the plot involves a lot of travel, to show the reader how the world works. In The Great Transition this happens both literally, with characters traveling from place to place, and figuratively when we jump back and forth in time exploring the main characters’ memories.
By flashing back to the characters’ pasts The Great Transition doles out the story of the unfolding climate crisis slowly, and in bits. This was a nice way to get the backstory of the world, and the flashbacks with Kristina and Larch were probably my favorite parts of the book.
3. “And then they did some stuff”
In sci-fi, readers get over stuff being weird or different relatively quickly. In climate-fiction, writers need to spend a lot of time explaining why things are the way they are, because we as readers are so familiar with the starting point.
This hurts the plot, at times. Fuller Googins spends a lot of time describing the places, communities and backstory of the world the main characters inhabit, but that doesn’t leave a lot of room for plot development. It mostly works, because the aforementioned flashbacks really do give the story depth, but it also means I ended up being less invested in the outcome of the story.
4. Manifesto-speak
There probably aren’t a lot of genres where your mileage will vary as much, depending on your political preferences, as with climate fiction. While I thought the characters in The Great Transition felt real, there is always the risk that characters become mere stand-ins for a particular ideology. For example, to someone with more moderate sensibilities, the Kristina character can be quite infuriating, as she is so radical she almost loses all humanity.
Characters in climate fiction tend to have long, philosophical discussions, in which the writer can compare and contrast various ideologies that are relevant to their version of events. Fuller Googins does a pretty good job keeping those discussions tethered to some kind of storyline and emotional stakes, to keep them from sounding too much like political manifestos.
*
All in all, I found the Great Transition to be an enjoyable read and a solid take on the climate fiction genre. Fuller Googins has a distinct way of writing (he really likes short sentences) that can be a bit jarring, but also keeps the book moving at a brisk pace.
I’d argue the main goal of climate fiction is to help readers imagine different ways the climate crisis could play out. From that perspective, The Great Transition lives up to this and delivers on its promise.
1. Writers doing their homework!
One of the cool things about The Great Transition is that Fuller Googins packs the book with climate solutions that are either drawn directly from real life or inspired by real-life technology. When these are just mentioned in passing it can get a bit jargon-heavy, but many of them are described in quite some detail and really bring the post-transition world to life. I’d say this is more or less the defining feature of many cli-fi novels.
2. Characters travel… a lot
Another cli-fi trope is that the plot involves a lot of travel, to show the reader how the world works. In The Great Transition this happens both literally, with characters traveling from place to place, and figuratively when we jump back and forth in time exploring the main characters’ memories.
By flashing back to the characters’ pasts The Great Transition doles out the story of the unfolding climate crisis slowly, and in bits. This was a nice way to get the backstory of the world, and the flashbacks with Kristina and Larch were probably my favorite parts of the book.
3. “And then they did some stuff”
In sci-fi, readers get over stuff being weird or different relatively quickly. In climate-fiction, writers need to spend a lot of time explaining why things are the way they are, because we as readers are so familiar with the starting point.
This hurts the plot, at times. Fuller Googins spends a lot of time describing the places, communities and backstory of the world the main characters inhabit, but that doesn’t leave a lot of room for plot development. It mostly works, because the aforementioned flashbacks really do give the story depth, but it also means I ended up being less invested in the outcome of the story.
4. Manifesto-speak
There probably aren’t a lot of genres where your mileage will vary as much, depending on your political preferences, as with climate fiction. While I thought the characters in The Great Transition felt real, there is always the risk that characters become mere stand-ins for a particular ideology. For example, to someone with more moderate sensibilities, the Kristina character can be quite infuriating, as she is so radical she almost loses all humanity.
Characters in climate fiction tend to have long, philosophical discussions, in which the writer can compare and contrast various ideologies that are relevant to their version of events. Fuller Googins does a pretty good job keeping those discussions tethered to some kind of storyline and emotional stakes, to keep them from sounding too much like political manifestos.
*
All in all, I found the Great Transition to be an enjoyable read and a solid take on the climate fiction genre. Fuller Googins has a distinct way of writing (he really likes short sentences) that can be a bit jarring, but also keeps the book moving at a brisk pace.
I’d argue the main goal of climate fiction is to help readers imagine different ways the climate crisis could play out. From that perspective, The Great Transition lives up to this and delivers on its promise.
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