Poor Relations

by Jo Walton

"When it came down to it, you couldn't legislate against the economics of sex and gender any more than you could legislate against people being poor."

It's the twenty-fourth century. Humanity has spread throughout the solar system--but for most of us, life is as precarious as it was in Dickensian England. Brothers Achille, Marcantonio, and Nore have been raised rich, but after their father spends the family fortune and puts a laser to his head, they're forced to face facts. The wealthy Luke Bailey is willing to pay top dollar for what's left of their estate, enough to buy Achille a commission in the space Navy. But only if Marcantonio and Nore will both become female--Marcantonio to marry Luke, and Nore to be their spinster housekeeper, for as long as Luke lives.

Over the next two decades, the now-female Marcantonio and Nore struggle to make lives for themselves in the service of their wealthy keeper. Then the alien invasion arrives.

Genres: Science Fiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2018

About the author

Jo Walton writes science fiction and fantasy novels and reads a lot and eats great food. It worries her slightly that this is so exactly what she always wanted to do when she grew up. She comes from Wales, but lives in Montreal.

Reviews

[Mel]

It looks like this book won't be published and I have to say that I'm not exactly thrilled about this.

I mean, I wanted to read this, although the premise (forced gender change) sounds problematic. Actually, this is the reason I wanted to read this, to see whether it was super harmful or distasteful or whether it, and that is what I hoped, had something to contribute to the gender discourse. Well, I won't be finding out now...

The reason I am disappointed is that I don't like how the fear of sth being potentially harmful deters and erases the possibility of discourse and critical thought.

[Troubletail]

I'm going to withhold judgement until it's published - or at least until arc reviews start circulating- but is this blurb setting off warning flags for anyone else? I hope that JW makes a point of getting some trans people to preview/beta read/SR/etc this one before it hits the shelves. A premise like this has the potential to go really badly/hurtfully, even with the best of intentions.

[MB (What she read)]

If this is anything like as good as Tooth and Claw, I am so in.

(Hard to top that one though...)

[Ada]

This could be super interesting or super disappointing.

Er is geen middenweg. No way in between (I think that's how you translate that).