This wasn't really what I was expecting. Based on the description, I was expecting a cli-fi story. It turned out to be a literary fiction novel about a middle aged woman finding her way and her relationship (Bo) with a dying woman (Mia.) In this speculative future, some …more people are living way past the century mark. Mia is 130. At around 40, perhaps Bo is the equivalent of a twenty-something in this world,

Bo has been struggling to stay or flee her California City which is on the brink of being unlivable. When we meet her, she's a non-practicing artist. She takes a gig taking care of Mia, an elderly Chinese-American woman with no local family, Mia creeps closer to death as the book progresses, and Bo connects more with her life and art. Mia provides Bo with interesting stories about her long life and family history. The cli-fi element of this novel doesn't really add to the story and it could have been solely about the relationship between the two women.

The book was well written and Kwan used language to beautifully tell this story, even if it wasn't the story I was really looking for. If you're a fan of modern art and the process, you might find this one especially interesting. (less)

This glam metal/spy thriller combo taking place in the mid-late 1980's was really a fun distraction from current events. The story is pretty ridiculous - stereotypical glam-metal pretty boys getting wrapped up in a CIA mission to end the cold war. It took the zeitgeist of …more that period - over the top hair metal and matched it up with clandestine cold war ops. I remember the cold war and hair metal vividly from my childhood. These two topics dominated the media, but separately. Having them marry up was fantastic.

Reading these guys get wrapped up in the propaganda machine was actually one of my favorite and funniest features of this story. The CIA got involved in the band was entertaining. I can actually see myself going down a rabbit hole to see how pop culture was used behind the iron curtain. (See ya in like 8 hours!)

Overall this book was super entertaining, the "bro" glam metal characters were funny and the protagonist, Rikki Thunder was very loveable. It was a light read that I'm sure gen-x and "elder" millennials will enjoy not just for the nostalgia, but for the satire and escape. (less)