Inspired by their most recent album and emotion picture, Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe and some amazing collaborators brought us The Memory Librarian and other Stories of Dirty Computer. It’s a science fiction afrofuturistic book of short stories that all ponder the future of tech, class, love, gender, and liberation. All of the main characters are nonbinary and/or transgender and Black or BIPOC.
I love that each story also has a setting or concept that was shown in the Dirty Computer emotion picture like the Pynk Motel. Thanks to this cohesion, I was able to have an easier time picturing the world within this book. My favorite stories are Nevermind and Timebox Altar[ed]. I don’t wanna spoil the book for y’all so I recommend you watch the emotion picture and then read this book.
As an audiobook girlie, I had to listen to it! I mean, Janelle and Bahni Turpin are the narrators! Janelle’s voice is probably the most soothing narration I’ve ever heard (aside from Toni Morrison’s).
Absolutely 5 out of 5 stars!
Content Warnings: TERFs, Transphobia, State Violence, Burnout