Adam Boostrom

Set in 2099, a lot of things have changed, including all men, including trans men are wiped out due to the pandemic Y-fever virus. The only way to have a child is through artificial insemination and all babies are female too. So yes, no men at all...what? I am not sure I would want to live in that world, even though men can be annoying at times.
They are trying to bring back men, but obviously because the virus is still about they need to work out how to stop the men dying, they have a genome, Lazarus to help with this but someone has stolen the genome that was going to help with this process.

Athena, the main character is a 19 year old girl, she is requested to help to find out who has stolen this genome. Unsure why she is chosen but going although with it, she learns the truth about things and it is Athena’s Choice which could change the future forever. Will she decide to have men or no men?
The technology described in the book reminded me of Total Recall/The Demolition Man movies, they were very similar and thinking about the future I can see these being a real part of life.
The story flowed well, I was wary reading it during our own real life pandemic though.
I am not usually a fan of sci-fi and dystopia books but this did keep me engaged, although I will be honest I went into it blind, I chose it for the cover.
The author did a great job with this book and I will look out for more from him.
… (mehr)

In a post-apocalyptic world where men do not longer exist, a girl inherits an unsavory secret that requires her to decide the fate of humankind. Athena's Choice proposes the reader to muse on topics such as feminism, gender identity, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence; however, I think it does so superficially and a bit heavy-handed. I was appreciative of the world building and ingenuous futuristic alternatives that would facilitate daily life in this imagined pos-pandemic world. What I did not enjoyed is that some of the relationships and character development was not fully explore, leading to reader having to take certain events almost at face value.… (mehr)

This was an interesting YA sci-fi story. The characters are well-developed, and it’s interesting to think of a future without men. I would’ve like to see more of the world, and had different perspectives, although I didn’t mind following Athena. It was interesting to see how society was torn on the issue of whether men should be brought back, but at times it was a little uncomfortable with how men were referred to with such a broad (and negative) blanket. Overall, interesting, but not a book I’d read a second time.… (mehr)

It's been decades since I read feminist literature like, e.g., 'Egalia's Daughters' by Gerd Brantenberg. I haven't thought of the premise of a matriarchal society for a very long time, so this book came as quite a surprise.
Where in the books I read back then women and men only had switched roles, so to say, Adam Boostrom is taking it one step further: men don't exist any more on earth. The whole population is female, and they are doing well.
However, some females want to bring back males, because they have fond memories, because they're curious, or because they don't feel complete without a male counterpart.
A renowned scientist is tasked with creating a genome that is resistant to the virus which killed all males five decades ago.
The catch is: somebody stole the genome before its completion.

Enter our heroine: young Athena Vosh.
She is somehow connected to the theft, and gets summoned before the AI who knows everything, and who is responsible for the well-being of the population -- alas, the AI isn't allowed to make decisions regarding life or death, which is why she needs somebody who is allowed to do this.

Athena agrees to help finding the thief, hoping she'll at last find a purpose in life, and maybe even excel.

But things don't quite turn out the way Athena had hoped. She makes acquaintances, and her dreams lead her in a direction I wasn't sure was beneficial for 'womanity' -- would she open Pandora's box?

The characters are well formed out, and the world is fascinating and vividly described. I loved the occasional advertisements throughout the book, as well as the description of all the technical achievements this future holds.
I'm not sure I'd want any of that -- well, maybe the massage thing -- and I certainly don't know what choice I'd make were I in Athena's shoes.
From where I stand now, the choice would be simple, because I have two sons and a grandson (and I had a brother), but if I had grown up without ever knowing any males...

This books combines various subjects: a coming of age story, a utopia, a bit of dystopia, and a future which still seems like science fiction now, but is looming around the corner, what with all the scientific and technological advances humanity has made.
There are enough twists to keep you listening (or reading), and the outcome is totally unexpected.

It gives food for thought, and will certainly stay with me for some time to come.

The narrator does an excellent job, and I especially enjoyed the way she narrated the advertisements. Her enunciation was very good, so that even I, as a non-native speaker, had absolutely no trouble understanding every word.

I received a complimentary copy and I chose to willingly post an honest review.… (mehr)