Bumpy Oak Books

**I was provided an audiobook ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Actual rating: 3.5

Catherynne Valente reworks the short story “The Future Is Blue” into the novella The Past is Red. Valente lends her unique style and imagination to climate science fiction with this newest work.

Tetley lives in Garbagetown, a city that floats along the drowned world left behind after Earth was ruined by lack of respect for the environment. Many people are angry with Tetley, but when she makes a new, secret friend, she realizes there may be more left on Earth than she ever thought was possible.

This is undeniably a novella that leans toward adults, particularly due to coarse language. While this doesn’t bother me personally, it may impact some readers who prefer not to use/read profanity. I have heard that Valente’s writing changes significantly with each of her works, but I cannot speak much to that as this was the first work of hers I’ve read. I found the concepts included in this work very interesting, though the more satirical aspects were not necessarily to my taste.

Narrator Penelope Rawlins does a very respectable job with the audiobook. Her voices for each character are distinct and defined. Due to the nature of Valente’s writing, I would have preferred to both listen to the audiobook and follow along physically.

While this novella was not my particular preference, I didn’t have a bad time reading it, and I am definitely interested in more of this author’s works.