Speculative Fiction

This is a great speculative novel about a dystopian California in 2026, where the climate crisis has caused havoc, and society has collapsed. Lauren lives in a small middle-class gated neighborhood, but when they eventually become overrun by addicts, arsonists, and looters, she starts her journey north in search of a better life than modern slavery.

Before reading this book, I had heard so much about it. It had a wildly successful TV series, and I had heard that its thoughts around women's rights and fascism had many connections to the political climate of 2025. It has also been banned in several US school libraries for being morally corrupt, which stirs some interest. However, although it is a great book, I found myself not overly Atwood's style of writing, which sadly caused this to fall slightly short of my high expectations.