bookishthea's reviews
168 reviews

The world is in ruins due to the climate crisis, with one man, Thomas Ramsey, held up as the poster boy for climate denial, who sent many people into bankruptcy, depression and also, for those who could afford his shuttle to "Planet B", sent many people to their death when it exploded on launch, taking him with it. However, our story begins forty years later in Otra Vida, a utopic city in the middle of the desert where reincarnation has been scientifically Verified. What would it mean to know exactly who you were in a past life? And what would it mean for all the good you've done trying to mitigate the fallout of the climate crisis and look out for the health and wellbeing of an entire city, if you found out that in your previous life, you were none other than the most hated climate terrorist in the entire world?

This story was a wonderful little thought experiment. I love science fiction and speculative fiction and this short book has a whole lot of depth to sink your teeth into. I loved the way the author explored ways to tackle climate change and the vastly different reactions of each group to the same problem, eg Capitalist vs Marxist ideals which I saw in this book as for the profits vs for the people. This reminded me a lot of an anthropological text I read called A Postcapital Politics which tries to envision how a society outside of the hegemonic capitalist society could work. Ulibarri takes an idea and runs with it, forming the most wonderful society that looks out for its people making sure everyone has exactly what they need in a time where most live in scarcity due to greedy trade deals, border closures, and corrupt government deals. It shows the necessity to evolve from old ways of society and agriculture to a new method more in tune with nature and with more consideration for our mental health and wellbeing. It also shows how others may react to their ways becoming obsolete and the actions they may take to silence those who think differently.

Though that is still a major part of the plot and integral to how the story plays out in its crisis point, it also takes a back seat to the notion of identity and what it means to be human. The discovery of genetic markers, "fingerprints for the soul" on our genetic structure, sends the entire city of Otra Vida into a frenzy. Everyone wants to know who they were in a past life, convinced that people like Thomas Ramsey could only ever be reincarnated as a cockroach. But what if you had been a terrible person in another life? Would that negate any good you do in your current one, and should/could you be persecuted for something you did in a previous life? Furthermore, what if the mass extinction of wildlife across the world could be correlated with the rise in population growth in a different way than we ever thought conceivable? What would happen if animals who had been hunted for sport and greed suddenly found themselves reincarnated in a human body, full of hatred for the human race but unsure of why and what to do with it? These philosophical wicked problems were a very interesting inclusion that took a story that would already have been incredible and took it to even more phenomenal heights!

Another Life is a story of resilience, reinvention, and renewal that provides us with an optimistic blueprint for a better, more thoughtful future. Thank you Netgalley and Steliform Press for the advance copy.

Starting to lose interest. Maybe it would be easier to read this book physically than listening? Not sure. I’m just not taking it in well.