Chronicles of an American Family 1913-2259

Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction that posits the rise of the religious right,
Review:
The reader-reviewer who thought Mooberry's very original novel reflects today's America was right. That reader was also discerning, because the author never lectures and is subtle in the way she shares her social and political concerns. Nonetheless, I got the impression she was so alarmed by the way things are going, she imagined (in impressive detail) a 23rd century America with fewer problems (and fewer people). It is from that world that her protagonist observes our recent past, our present and our near future.

Mooberry is able to see remarkably clearly from this imagined distance in time. She describes the 60's in both their positive and negative aspects, and she captures the 80's atmosphere very well. She also takes us to the Middle-East during the first half of the twentieth century. She uses the British and the French as surrogates to suggest in a way less threatening to Americans that Muslims may have reasons for anger.

More remarkably, Mooberry is very intuitive. She writes about the rule of the "religious right" in the late 21st century, during which gays and lesbians and some scientists are hunted down and persecuted; this portion of the book seems much more likely now than it was at the time Mooberry wrote it (the book was published well before November 2004). She also talks about the suppression of science, and the destruction of patents for environment-friendly technology that would impact on corporate profits. She talks about corporate rule-which seems to be already with us (and a revolt against it which may not happen).

All of this is shown to the readers through journals left by the protagonist's ancestors, who themselves or whose forebears came to America from different parts of the world. The first person narration of the journal entries imparts immediacy to them. An Irish friend of mine (from whom I borrowed the book) said they put her in mind of Irish story telling, a long and honored tradition in her country.

Meanwhile, the protagonist is in the midst of a frustrating romance, and her ancestors' stories are interwoven with hers. Mooberry's prose makes the book not just extremely readable, but great fun, too. She may be appalled at the path our country is following, but vitriol is absent in her writing. For the most part, her tone is good-humored and humorous. Actually,the lack of criticism may be a fault,so I will subtract one star, but I highly recommend this book anyway.


Rating:
Summary: A sci-fi genre-bender with prescient post-9/11 implications
Review: Genres are sometime things. Sometimes they illuminate; at other times they obscure. A novel about the future falls, by definition, into the sci fi genre. But that term is a Procrustean bed for this novel. First, because its characters (and even Oscar, Gabrielle's household computer) are unusually fully developed, even over several generations. Secondly, because its underlying sociological -- and, especially, political -- themes and subtleties have nothing to do with the future, mythic or otherwise, but have much to do with contemporary life in this country. In addition, the worlds portrayed by science fiction generally fall unequivocally into utopias or dystopias. But the world portrayed in Mooberry's "Chronicles" fits both and therefore neither definition. Stereotypes are equally absent in its setting, which is unequivocally San Francisco, in all its myriad particularities, as it was and now is -- and will be?

Last but not least, though this novel must have been conceived and written long before 9/11, it is impossible, today, to read it without having 9/11 uneasily always at the back -- and sometimes in the front -- of one's mind. An eery amplification of the dark side of the author's story, which she could not have foreseen, but has somehow foretold.

Rating:
Summary: A sci-fi genre-bender with prescient post-9/11 implications
Review: Genres are sometime things. Sometimes they illuminate; at other times they obscure. A novel about the future falls, by definition, into the sci fi genre. But that term is a Procrustean bed for this novel. First, because its characters (and even Oscar, Gabrielle's household computer) are unusually fully developed, even over several generations. Secondly, because its underlying sociological -- and, especially, political -- themes and subtleties have nothing to do with the future, mythic or otherwise, but have much to do with contemporary life in this country. In addition, the worlds portrayed by science fiction generally fall unequivocally into utopias or dystopias. But the world portrayed in Mooberry's "Chronicles" fits both and therefore neither definition. Stereotypes are equally absent in its setting, which is unequivocally San Francisco, in all its myriad particularities, as it was and now is -- and will be?

Last but not least, though this novel must have been conceived and written long before 9/11, it is impossible, today, to read it without having 9/11 uneasily always at the back -- and sometimes in the front -- of one's mind. An eery amplification of the dark side of the author's story, which she could not have foreseen, but has somehow foretold.

Rating:
Summary: Chronicles of an American Family 1913-2259
Review: Moobery's book is a science fiction romance. Not a common combination, I would guess, but here it works well. One of the main characters is a "Household Computer," Oscar, whose function is to make the life of the narrator, Gabrielle, go as smoothly as possible. Gabrielle suspects that Oscar has developed many attributes that are not normally associated with machines. he certainly does have a sense of humor and tries his best to undertand romance, but whether he is a conscious being or not is never resolved. The novel is definitely sci-fi containing, as it does, artificial intelligence and quantum weirdness, but it has lots of romance. Gabrielle's ancestors can still be heard in her hedonistic future society (where romance is almost dead) telling stories of love in past times. And the 23rd century necessary change to their society. This is a great read for lovers of Science fiction, speculative fiction and romance, and in fact for most people who enjoy a good story with well drawn believable characters.

Rating:
Summary: Chronicles of an American Family 1913-2259
Review: Moobery's book is a science fiction romance. Not a common combination, I would guess, but here it works well. One of the main characters is a "Household Computer," Oscar, whose function is to make the life of the narrator, Gabrielle, go as smoothly as possible. Gabrielle suspects that Oscar has developed many attributes that are not normally associated with machines. he certainly does have a sense of humor and tries his best to undertand romance, but whether he is a conscious being or not is never resolved. The novel is definitely sci-fi containing, as it does, artificial intelligence and quantum weirdness, but it has lots of romance. Gabrielle's ancestors can still be heard in her hedonistic future society (where romance is almost dead) telling stories of love in past times. And the 23rd century necessary change to their society. This is a great read for lovers of Science fiction, speculative fiction and romance, and in fact for most people who enjoy a good story with well drawn believable characters.