User Profile

Other than some Asimov, a couple of science-fiction books I read in middle school, and The Martian, I haven't read too many sci-fi novels. Part of what turned me off from the genre is that a lot of works were fantasy veiled in technology and pseudoscience. Another is the lack of attention to social and environmental issues that often elude many science-fiction writers, one of the main critiques of sci-fi that I've gathered from my recent research on feminist futurology.

Aurora checks all of these boxes. But good science necessities detail and the author walked a fine line between specificity and engagement, for me. I felt like I had to slog through the beginning a bit. I was lost in the weeds, perhaps. That's why I knocked off a star (I'd remove only half if I could).

But the payoff was worth it. Robinson left no stone unturned (except for intentional dramatic effect) in describing the the "hard," social, and ecological sciences and their effect on the characters' emotional states. It's a novel you get lost in and that becomes engrossing by the end. It also contains one of the most beautiful and interesting falling actions I've read in a long time.

I’m writing this review as a scholar of masculinities and veg (vegan or vegetarian) diets and lifestyles.

I wanted to dislike this book more than I did. It can sometimes simplify facts or reduce concepts. And it does have a specific audience which is what you would expect from the title.

But I was surprised from the empathy that the authors took towards not only their diet but towards the reader. Men tend to become veg due to science (e.g., environmental concerns or nutritional). They use this logic to retain their masculinity, avoiding the more emotional rationale associated with women (e.g., a personal connection with animals). The authors were unabashed in their empathy with animal suffering, albeit with a bro-y delivery.

Furthermore, my research suggests that women who date veg men desire their men to be strong. No surprises there, except for that they view adhering to a veg diet as a marker of masculine strength.

However, the authors don’t follow this trend. They reassure the reader that there are multiple paths towards veganism and that there is no competition or absolutism necessary. It’s a stance I find refreshing in this field and something with which I personally agree.

If you investigated this book, then you’re either vegan or an average guy who’s interested in the lifestyle. Veg*ns won’t find anything new. But if you fall into the latter camp, you might just relate to these cruelty-free bro’s.