The Membranes by Chi Ta-weiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
It's queerer than you might think— and that's good.
Written in 1995 and set in the 2100s, The Membranes takes place at the bottom of the ocean, where humanity retreated because of climate change, depleted ozone, and environmental collapse. The main protagonist is Momo, who is a famous dermal skin technician. The story opens into Momo's life just before she turns 30 and then slowly moves backward through her memories as a journey of self-discovery.
This slim, intelligent novella reads quickly and easily, yet there's a surprising density of information. As short as it is, the author manages to masterfully build this futuristic world envisioning global formations that are militarized and corporate. There isn't much of a plot so much as there are twists and reveals akin to The Matrix and Inception with a gender-bending queer flare.
It's tough to talk about this book without getting into spoiler territory. But I can say that I was surprised several times with how my understanding of what is happening is up-ended-- nothing is what it seems.
The Membranes is an exceptionally well-conceived science-fiction story. It's deceptively simple-looking on the surface, but it is truly an impressive piece of work and a must-read for anyone LGBTQIA+.
I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
#LGBTQIA #GenderPerformativity #GenderIdentity #IdentityFabrication #Feminism #Transhumanism #NeoColonialism #SelfHood #QueerSFF #ScienceFiction
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