Review: Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future

*I received my copy of Glory O’Brien on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *

Title: Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future

Author: A. S. King

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Date Published: October 2014

ISBN: 9780316222723

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Graduating from high school is a time of limitless possibilities–but not for Glory, who has no plan for what’s next. Her mother committed suicide when Glory was only four years old, and she’s never stopped wondering if she will eventually go the same way…until a transformative night when she begins to experience an astonishing new power to see a person’s infinite past and future. From ancient ancestors to many generations forward, Glory is bombarded with visions–and what she sees ahead of her is terrifying: A tyrannical new leader raises an army. Women’s rights disappear. A violent second civil war breaks out. And young girls vanish daily, sold off or interned in camps. Glory makes it her mission to record everything she sees, hoping her notes will somehow make a difference. She may not see a future for herself, but she’ll do anything to make sure this one doesn’t come to pass.

Glory O’Brien is a cool character. She feels out of place and doesn’t relate well to others her age. She’s stagnant, not knowing what she wants to do with her life, or what the point of living really is. But in this novel, she undergoes a transformation as she discovers her own power, strength, beauty, and capability. She becomes a woman. I’ve heard wonderful things about A.S. King’s writing, and this book has me in full agreement that A.S. King creates engaging and captivating prose.

The world that this book explores is a dangerous one. As Glory sees the future of the world, she becomes determined to make a difference, even if she isn’t sure how she’s going to go about it. She’s sees a future in which women become slaves and society disintegrates. She can’t understand why people would continue to have children only to condemn them to this life of horror. She tries to understand why her mother killed herself all those years ago, and attributes it to what she perceives as the awfulness of the world around her. As Glory learns more about the history of the future, she comes to understand that every person has the ability to make a change and to influence their world. She finds purpose for herself and hope in her own future. She is determined to face the world in a way that her own mother couldn’t, but she hopes to see the world in the same open and honest way.

Glory’s narration is funny, absurd, and a tad dark. She’s blunt and judgemental, but when it comes down to it, she’s honest and loyal. She’s ready to make a difference. She’s ready to better her situation. She’s beautiful and strange.

Overall, excellent, excellent read. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but I loved it. Read this. You must.