I can't love this book in the same way as Hopkinson's previous collection, Falling In Love With Hominids. Not through any fault of the author's, but of the world's; that came out nearly a decade ago, in times a little less bleak, and my word does it show. And when I say times are tougher, I do so as a white guy, fairly straight-presenting, without much in the way of chronic health conditions - none of them luxuries Hopkinson shares. So little wonder if the mood here is more embattled, the mixture more science fiction and less fantasy, the horizons on that SF a lot closer, stories focused on survival in the coming decades instead of curators from distant eons. Not that it's a catalogue of despair, by any means: among other things this is fiction as resistance, with an eye to the spaces that can be carved out as the old order crumbles. Sometimes, especially in the shortest stories, there's a powerful sense of consolation; the one I found most moving was a working around how much is lost each time someone dies, and whether there might be a better way to memorialise them than name, numbers and platitude on a flat stone. There's also a delightfully icky new twist on that old standby of the plumber who's come to have a look at your...pipes. But for the most part the waters are rising, the authorities coming, the miracles about to be mined away. I'm not holding my breath, but I can at least daydream about another, much more upbeat Hopkinson collection a couple of decades down the line, and what that might imply.

(Netgalley ARC)

I really appreciated the chance to read this book early! I've only read one other book by Nalo Hopkinson, and this collection made me want to read more of her work. I especially liked her story introductions, which gave lovely insight into her process and some background on each piece. Overall I admired these stores more than I loved them, but they were extremely well crafted and I'm very glad I read this collection.

Highlights for me:
- Clap Back
- Pocket Universe
- Inselberg
- Waving At Trains

Thank you to Nalo Hopkinson, Tachyon, and NetGalley for generously providing an ARC for review.

I had encountered some of Nalo Hopkinson's stories before starting this collection, and admired them. So it's with pleasure I can say this is another varied set with which she shows a talent for making strange and thought-provoking tales with concerns including Western and Caribbean cultures, gender, climate change and adaptation and resilience. And cute swimming pigs!

'Broad Dutty Water' is one of the longest and strongest stories. Jacquee is a young female member of a 'taz', an ocean farming cooperative created after a catastrophic climactic flooding process, the Inundation, that has affected the local Caribbean environment. She has received a new 'wetware' cybernetic implant which allows her to bond with and control machines like her ultralight flying craft. Her unpreparedness with the implant is partly what causes her plane to crash on an isolated island, where she must fend for herself. While there, she discovers miraculous 'blob stuff' in a lagoon which may hold the key to preserving endangered species in the face of climate doom. But it is the engaging language and interaction of Jacquee and the other characters in the story which is the most enjoyable.

In 'Jamaica Ginger, we get a 'teslapunk' tale about another young female protagonist in a setting that resembles early 20th century America with many of its racial attitudes. But the usual steampunk cliches are flipped on their head, as the main characters are now poor, disadvantaged people of colour. Plaquette is at the mercy of a master in his workshop, creating mechanical servants or 'Georges', despite that fact that she is the real talent behind his inventions. It's a well-crafted tale with an ending involving a departure to her own personal freedom.

Things take a darkly humourous tone with 'Inselburg', which is an often funny narration by a future Caribbean native tour guide. During his imaginary tour ride, he also relates startling details about dire flooding and an environment that is surviving despite ecological poisoning and disaster. There are also some wicked jabs about foreign tourists and a stark lack of compassion by the guide, as he passes on his cheeky, deadpan way. 'Repatriation' is another related story, in which local Caribbean couple must deal with their own feelings when taking part in a tourist cruise, finding that all the serving people of their own background. But it ends with another burst of hope for the future against climate change.

It might be just my own preference, but the fantasy tale 'San Humanite' is my favourite. It is really just all about a general feeling and aesthetic, which really worked for me. It has the best weird atmosphere in any story this side of H.P Lovecraft. Also 'Whimper' is another tale with a surreal tone, but this time a nightmare.

I would say the parts of this collection that worked best for me were the author's energetic use of Caribbean vernacular, a grasp that is very convincing, at least to an outsider. There's a wide variety in the stories, from slice-of-life ('Waving at Trains'), to blisteringly fast microfiction, to eerie interactions with mysterious creatures ('Child Moon'). Hopkinson's focus on rising sea levels and their effects on island nations is a worthy one. However, her sometimes angry stories may not be for every one - despite how historically racially justified they may be. 'Clap Back' is a story that will get almost reader feeling indignant, and a viciously sly satire focused at the use of the people of developing countries in Western marketing and fashion. However, I was left wishing there was a bit more balance in the racial approaches in some of the stories.

The author has a great way of telling tales, regardless, and it's clear she has things that are important to tell.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)