3.75 stars. A dystopian book set in the not so distant future, with ideas that could be realities. This was a really interesting book. Took a bit to figure out who was who and how they were connected with the different POVs. The way it unfolded lended itself to the overall story and connections among humans. Great representation of LGBTQ+. Really makes you think about how we are affecting the climate and global warming. Thanks @MacAudio for the copy!

My copy of the audio ALC seemed to be missing chapters, so i unfortunately didn’t get to fully read the book.

I really struggled to get into this book; the fact that the audiobook was missing chapters that appeared in my ARC was very off-putting and left me confused. Ultimately, I might have liked this if the characters seemed like real people cause there was some interesting concepts floated. This is probably best suited to those who enjoyed Korn's first book because the world-building was unclear. The audio narration was adequate but did not improve on the print version.

I received a print ARC and also accessed the audiobook via NetGalley.

"The Shutouts" by Gabrielle Korn is book 2 in a duology of queer dystopian speculative fiction novels. The first one, "Yours for the Taking" was a 5 star fantastic novel that I highly recommend! If you've read that, I highly recommend this one. If you have not, I don't think this one will make much sense.

This story is set in 2041 and 2080, mostly in Northern Canada. The situation they are in is a result of severe climate change that includes extreme storms of all kinds.

From the first book, Ava and her young adult daughter, Brook, are in this, as well as Orchid. We also see Shelby's family of Camilla and her father. There are new characters of Kelly and Vero and Max and a few others.

The first book was mostly about the people living on the Inside. This book is about those living outside, the Shutouts.

Gail Shalan is the narrator for this audiobook.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 4/5
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 30/8 = 3 6/8 rounded up to 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, MacMillan Audio, and Gabrielle Korn for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting followup to Yours For the Taking. I liked that we got to experience more of what the world was like outside of the climate-controlled bubbles from the first book and learn a bit of what happened afterwards. We get to learn more about some characters from book 1 as well as meet some new ones. Somehow it felt quite different from the first book (mostly in the pacing) yet familiar in voice at the same time. It worked for me, but I would advise to go into it expecting a little bit slower of a slower pace compared to book one. I found this to be a satisfying follow-up that readers of the series will enjoy. Recommend for fans of climate sci-fi, survival, and dystopian journeys.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

A brilliant queer dystopian novel from the author of Yours for the Taking, following a cast of characters on the margins of a strange and exclusive new society.

I discovered @gabriellekorn last year and fell in love with her writing style, I had high hopes for this one and it didn’t disappoint.
There’s something about dystopian books that can be a hit or miss for me, and The Shutouts was brilliant; gripping, propulsive and hopeful.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this complimentary audiobook.

The Shutouts is nothing short of a queer dystopian page-turner.
This story has many plotlines woven together to make one well rounded story. Right away I was drawn into Kelly's story and her flashbacks. The Inside Project was also something that I found intence and intersting.

I really liked the themes and topics about humanity and the world. I liked how the author talked about these topics in a way that's part of the world and not just an essay.

I've read Gabrielle Korn's other book, Yours for the Taking, and liked it. But The Shutouts was one I enjoyed more. I already liked her writing style but The Shutouts made me enjoy her writing style even more. I was lucky to get to take this story in by audiobook and the narrator did such a great job of delivering the drama and intense scene of the book. It's read so well.

A thought-provoking dystopian, queer journey, told in a captivating story.

The Shutouts was a propulsive and well-written read. I liked the audio narrator. the character study was thorough.

Actual Rating 2.5

This story is told from dual timelines (one in the 2040s and one in the 2070s) and multiple POVs. I liked one timeline more, and I think that was largely due to the fact that there were less characters present in that one. The second timeline had many characters all around the same age, and I had a difficult time keeping them separate from each other. This was partially because their voices weren’t that distinct, which made it that much harder to keep them separated.

I did enjoy the plots and story overall. The two timelines complimented each other well as the earlier timeline showed us what the before times were like for the 2070s timeline. I would have loved if there had been a stronger feel for the setting, though. It wasn’t incorporated quite as strongly as I would have liked, and I never really felt immersed in it. The micro-communities (some of which are cult-like), the technologies responding to climate change, and the upheaval that were incorporated were all interesting and added much to the worldbuilding.

Apparently this is book two in a series, though it states that nowhere other than saying it’s “set in the same world.” As a standalone, this is an okay read. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved 'Yours for the Taking' and this book is a perfect follow up.

The stories are different enough that I didn't feel like I was reading the same story again, however, the links between the two books were strong and thematically similar enough that they definitely belonged in the same universe.

I really liked that this book took place outside of the Inside. I liked getting to see what happened to the rest of the world and I love a good exploration of the types of societies that are created after a collapse. Korn also seamlessly includes so much LGBTQIA+ rep and feminist arguments that my little heart did happy dances all over the place. This is not your typical post-apocalypse story because it does feature these larger arguments and I absolutely loved their addition to this genre.

If you haven't read the first one, please do because you now have two wonderful apocalypse stories to marathon and enjoy.

This was a decent story, but it didn’t grab me as much as some other dystopian tales I’ve read recently. I did enjoy the characters and the believability of their interactions with each other.

*The Shutouts* is a compelling queer dystopian novel set against a backdrop of climate collapse. Gabrielle Korn’s writing balances an engaging pace with strong, emotionally complex characters. The shifting perspectives and timelines add depth but can feel disorienting at times, leaving some gaps in the narrative.

Gail Shalan’s narration in the audiobook is a standout. She gives each character a distinct voice, bringing the story to life in a way that kept me hooked.

This is a great pick for readers who like dystopian stories with a focus on connection, resilience, and the consequences of environmental neglect. While it left me wanting more, it was still a satisfying and thought-provoking read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

A great follow up by Gabrielle Korn. I loved the world of Yours for the Taking and the Shutouts was a great follow up. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced audiobook of The Shutouts.

Unfortunately, I am unable to give a fair review of the audiobook as it was incomplete, with several chapters of the story missing.

Author Gabrielle Korn returns to her dystopian world, and follows six different women in two different time periods, 2041 and 2078:

-Max: Born into a cult, the Winter Liberation Army, which started as a group of activists attempting to live totally independently of everyone and everything then devolved into the men holding all the power, in 2078 Max attempts to escape with their crush, but gets hurt and abandoned. They eventually encounter Camilla, who had been living with her father, Orchid and others.

-Orchid: In 2078, she left her settlement to find Ava (they were lovers in book one years earlier) in New York City. She finds Ava and Brook outside of their Inside Project compound, and they begin travelling back to Orchid's home together, encountering difficulties and some dangers.

-Kelly: She left her young daughter Orchid behind to join a group of people, the Winter Liberation Army. She becomes disenchanted with their behaviour and changed aims eventually, and attempts to return home in 2041. We learn about her through a series of letters she sent to young Orchid.

-Camilla: Shelby's (from book one) sister, cares for Max, and waits alone for Orchid to return, with the intention of them all reuniting with the others, who have moved to a safer location to settle after storms made it too difficult to stay.

-Ava: Back in the world, and finding it hard to adapt, but is also glad Orchid is with them. The three women travel the long, hard road back to reunite with Camilla.

-Brook: Eager to find a way to reconnect with July, who is living in New Zealand after the shuttle carrying the wealthy landed there.

The writing is compelling, fleshing out our understanding of Orchid, Ava, Brook and Camilla, and introducing new characters, who are equally well drawn.
-Orchid's independence and behaviours (in book one)become clearer with information about Kelly, and how Orchid manages the trip back to her home with a struggling Ava and naïve Brook.
-Kelly's letters are a combination of exciting revelations as she works with the activists, and gradually show a woman full of regret whose choices took her far from the daughter she loves.
-Max must learn to overcome the prejudices of her cult and open themselves to new experiences, ideas and relationships.
-Camilla has become incredibly resourceful, and it's great to see Shelby's younger sister come into her own.

Korn shifts perspectives repeatedly, and each person's section is full of drama, intimacy, pain, and wonderfully brought to life as we see the climate continuing to devolve over the thirty year timespan of the novel. Korn does a wonderful job of making us care about each character, and we see the importance of connection and community in a hard, unforgiving world.

I switched back and forth between the prose and the audiobook, and enjoyed both. Gail Shalan does a great job voicing all the different characters, so that I always knew whose perspective I was listening to. Shalan conveys each person's emotions beautifully, while also bringing the damaged world to life as they make their way through it.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

I wanted to love this, but it wasn’t really for me.

The time jumps kept confusing me, which I’m normally fine with. I also was not a big fan of the writing style. I don’t think this author is for me.

The book was interesting. Led to a place I didn’t expect. The writing was good. It made you think this could have happened.

I enjoyed this dystopian novel. It was set in a future where climate change has plagued the planet and the population is being limited.

It felt a little like you were dropped right into the mix of this story. I enjoyed it a lot, but I think I would have liked a little more background than we got. The story spans multiple generations and flips between timelines, leaving the reader to piece a lot of things together for themselves.

I though the queer representation in the book was fantastic and felt very realistic to the direction the world is moving.

Overall, I enjoyed it, and I would like to see more on this storyline.

Book Review | "The Shutouts" by Gabrielle Korn
A Queer Dystopian Novel: Global Warming Is Coming for All of Us

Original Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/tylermharrison/p/book-review-the-shutouts-by-gabrielle?r=3xp9tw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The Shutouts is a queer dystopian novel chronicling a fictionalized version of our current and future environmental issues. This global warming tale is right on track with our current real-life trajectory, rooted in science and truth, ringing eerily authentic.

The novel involves parallel storylines nearly 40 years apart: one in 2041 following Kelly’s dangerous trek across the States and the other in 2078 where Max leaves a strict commune searching for a life on the outside.

Kelly’s story is one of a young mother with a history of involvement with resistance movements, mainly aimed at ending global warming and fighting big business and the government choosing money over humanity. Kelly’s path is met with heartache and loss, both romantically and familiarly, all for the greater good.

Max finds themself safe and sound in a commune-type society where technology supports their Earth-saving efforts in a highly regulated and oppressive way but that wasn’t always the case. Max breaks free of their chains and discovers the real world outside.

As the reader flips back and forth in time and narrative, we find out how these stories meet, weaving a tale of the United States’ downfall and status decades later—detailing the normality of intense storms, flooding, wildfires, and heat waves and the repercussions. Sound familiar?

Is there hope for survival or is it too late?

Although The Shutouts is a standalone novel set in the world of Korn’s previous book Yours for the Taking, I can’t help but wonder whether I should have started with the latter. The experience was fraught with moments of disorientation, circling back to discover if I’d missed a chapter. This resulted in a choppy intake of the story, playing catchup consistently throughout.

However, the disorientation was balanced with deep, robust vignettes full of ripe detail, unleashing a cinematic adventure in my brain. Gabrielle Korn’s ability to transplant the reader into her vision is uncanny, delivering pockets of literary joy. In the moments of confusion, Korn’s writing saved the day and reeled me back in.

I was left longing for more, desperately needing the rest of the story to be filled in. The novel felt like it had finished prematurely, leaving more questions than answers. The concept is intriguing but the story development left something to be desired, plagued with gaps between the brilliant pieces. It’s safe to say you will complete the novel wishing you had more of this interesting queer dystopian adventure.

And if you choose to listen to this novel, Narrator Gail Shalan knocks it out of the park, breathing life into each distinctive character. Shalan delivers an engaging and skillful performance, masterfully tackling all voices and narratives.

Gabrielle Korn has created a scary but rich world where our consumption will result in real consequences. Somehow global warming has become a political conversation, becoming controversial in nature—but Korn bakes it in rather than throws it in your face. The topic is the fabric of the novel, set as the foundation on which we build and this is performed beautifully.

Overall, I want to know more about this world and Korn’s characters and I want to continue the journey as I feel we have not reached the end of this story.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.