ebook_em's Reviews (960)

I didn’t expect this to be a 5 star read. I first read it around fourth grade, I think, and only the vibes and obscure details (like “comfort objects” and the bikes) stuck in my memory. I love the spare, dreamlike language Lowry uses and how much worldbuilding she accomplishes in so few pages. The mundane horrors of the Sameness are haunting yet there is so much beauty packed in here. 

Womb City is a cyberpunk sci-fi horror novel set in a future Botswana were people can upload their consciousness into different bodies, thereby extending their lifespans. It explores themes of surveillance, criminality, class, citizenship, reproductive justice, motherhood, memory, and bodily autonomy. Between that premise and the stunning cover, I was so excited to read this and expected that it might be a 5 star read.

Unfortunately, the execution did not deliver what I hoped for. I was hooked in the beginning but the plot quickly shifted to that of a crime thriller with a lot of running around. I didn't feel connected to the characters and they delivered long monologues that cheapened the important messages of the book. With some clunky world-building and inconsistent pacing, I really had to push through to the end of this. I'm disappointed because the premise of this novel is genius but I think this needed a few more rounds of editing to tighten it up. I do want to read more from this author, because xe introduces ideas that appeal to me so much as someone who loves speculative fiction.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC copy.

The story was a little uneven for me but I loved the feel of it (think magic and Jewish folklore of Spinning Silver + vibes of Ring Shout + over-the-top theatricality of Godspell) and there were so many good lines that I had to bump up my rating. It is a powerful meditation on trauma, memory, and keeping culture and heritage of a people alive. 

My Spotify playlist for Thistlefoot: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4rjQJnA2Vg4JhHGgG1YqnV?si=b871c70f95604996