Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz blends feminist fiction, punk rock, time travel, and LGBT+ rights into one intense and condensed novel. Admittedly, this novel covers some heavy themes and is similar to The Handmaid’s Tale (until you hit the time-traveling bits). But it’s a worthwhile read for a variety of reasons.

The novel follows the discovery of time travel, during which several groups seek to make alterations that would better fit their political agendas. On one side is the Daughters of Harriet – a group of women trying to better the rights of women and allies alike. On the other side are Comstocker’s men who want to remove all rights from women (along with anybody who doesn’t identify as a straight man).

In this character-driven story, these two groups clash again and again. The unique perspective on time traveling will make it memorable, and no doubt this book will leave a lasting impact on the readers.

Writing

Annalee Newitz took multiple themes and concepts and somehow fit them into something entirely new in a world full of time travel novels. The Future of Another Timeline defies expectations while providing serious food for thought.

Sure, the Future of Another Timeline was intense, but it was also beautifully written. And it was exceptionally respectful of some of the heavier subjects mentioned within its pages (such as sexism, transphobia, and antisemitism).

There are two main perspectives in this novel. Tess and Beth. Tess is the time traveler in the novel, a fact that is quickly established. And Beth is a teenage girl living in 1992. I know these two don’t seem to have much in common, but their tales do weave together as the novel progresses.

Development

The Future of Another Timeline threw us right into the middle of things, wasting no time introducing us to one of the two main perspectives and her mission. From there, the dramatic revelations slow down. Instead, the two separate stories move forward, slowly unraveling the mystery of how they’re both connected.

The novel jumps around at several points in time but consistently only shows two main perspectives. This helps to ground the plot while showing the readers a broader range of events.

This novel had a unique take on time travel, from the machines allowing it to how changes were reinforced. It was unexpected, but it also fits in well with the overrunning theme of the story. I’ve read more than my fair share of time-travel novels, but I’ve never quite seen anything like this one.

The Future of Another Timeline had a brilliant tone, this amazing punk rock edge in Beth’s side of the story, and a suffragette feel for Tess’ tales. The two combined oddly well. Together, they made something new and captivating.

Conclusion

The Future of Another Timeline was an emotional tale pulled from the intense emotions created by the fight for equality. Because of that, it’s a heavy read. But it will resonate with many readers – driving a deep and personal connection.

The unique take on time travel likely won’t fit the reader’s expectations, whether good or bad. But it results in something different and memorable, no matter how you look.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

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