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Universal Love
A hypnotic collection of speculative fiction about compassion, love, and human resilience in the technological hyper-age, from Alexander Weinstein, author of Children of the New World.
Universal Love welcomes readers to a near-future world where our everyday technologies have fundamentally altered the possibilities and limits of how we love one another. In these gripping stories, a young boy tries to understand what keeps his father tethered to the drowned city they call home. A daughter gets to know her dead mother's hologram better than she ever knew her living mother. And, at a time when unpleasant memories can be erased, a man undergoes electronic surgery to have his depression, and his past, forever removed.
In an age when technology offers the easiest cures for loneliness, the characters within these stories must wrestle with what it means to stay human in an increasingly cybernetic future, and how love can endure even the most alluring upgrades.
In the vein of Weinstein’s critically-acclaimed first collection, Universal Love is a visionary book, written with one foot in the real world and one stepping bravely into the future.
Universal Love welcomes readers to a near-future world where our everyday technologies have fundamentally altered the possibilities and limits of how we love one another. In these gripping stories, a young boy tries to understand what keeps his father tethered to the drowned city they call home. A daughter gets to know her dead mother's hologram better than she ever knew her living mother. And, at a time when unpleasant memories can be erased, a man undergoes electronic surgery to have his depression, and his past, forever removed.
In an age when technology offers the easiest cures for loneliness, the characters within these stories must wrestle with what it means to stay human in an increasingly cybernetic future, and how love can endure even the most alluring upgrades.
In the vein of Weinstein’s critically-acclaimed first collection, Universal Love is a visionary book, written with one foot in the real world and one stepping bravely into the future.
225 pages, Hardcover
First published January 21, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
October 18, 2019
Does technology benefit deep meaningful relationships, or does it strip us of that intimacy? How do we find a positive balance? In these short stories, the reader examines layers of technological advancement possibilities and the effect on family, relationships, and life’s purpose. Will technology replace parenting? Or, has that process already began? In the future, will we need an active physical military to go abroad for tours or will gamers connected to drones suffice? Should we be able to choose our emotions and our memories? Will making connections with friends depend on access to apps and immersive reality?
Universal Love is comprised of eleven short stories. Out of the eleven short stories, I found three that were very strong and completely original. The technology that had conquered the near future was believable and, in some cases, very close to situations that occur today. The themes were easy to relate to, but the characters felt out of reach. In most of the stories, it was hard to connect and invest in the characters. Two of stories that I did not enjoy at all, and one I enjoyed but did not like the ending. The rest I enjoyed. 3.5 stars
Short stories: "The Year of Nostalgia" 1-15% (holographic replacements), "Beijing" 15-23% (patching memories), "Comfort Porn" 23-36% (friendships vs. virtual friends), "We Only Wanted Their Happiness" 36-39% (technology replaces family time), "Purple Heart" 39-50% (virtual tech for war), "True Love Testimonials" 50%-55%- (sex app), "Childhood" 55-65% (robot children), "Sanctuary" 65-71% (future border crisis), "Infinite Realities" 71-83% (multiverse), "Mountain Song" 83-90% (thought control), "Islanders" 90-100% (flooded world)
*There are explicit sexual situations and sexual language used in a couple of these stories. *
Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Alexander Weinstein for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.
Universal Love is comprised of eleven short stories. Out of the eleven short stories, I found three that were very strong and completely original. The technology that had conquered the near future was believable and, in some cases, very close to situations that occur today. The themes were easy to relate to, but the characters felt out of reach. In most of the stories, it was hard to connect and invest in the characters. Two of stories that I did not enjoy at all, and one I enjoyed but did not like the ending. The rest I enjoyed. 3.5 stars
Short stories: "The Year of Nostalgia" 1-15% (holographic replacements), "Beijing" 15-23% (patching memories), "Comfort Porn" 23-36% (friendships vs. virtual friends), "We Only Wanted Their Happiness" 36-39% (technology replaces family time), "Purple Heart" 39-50% (virtual tech for war), "True Love Testimonials" 50%-55%- (sex app), "Childhood" 55-65% (robot children), "Sanctuary" 65-71% (future border crisis), "Infinite Realities" 71-83% (multiverse), "Mountain Song" 83-90% (thought control), "Islanders" 90-100% (flooded world)
*There are explicit sexual situations and sexual language used in a couple of these stories. *
Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Alexander Weinstein for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.
February 6, 2020
I loved – LOVED! – Alexander Weinstein’s 2016 debut Children of the New World, an all-killer, no-filler collection of short fiction set in near-future worlds. The stories within share themes and moods: each depicts a world ravaged by humans and altered by technology, each has a strong emotional component and an emphasis on connection between people, and there are intimations of a shred universe between stories. This is essentially more of the same; if that sounds like a criticism, I should point out that Children of the New World is my favourite short story collection of the past decade.
Reading Universal Love was like sinking into a warm bath. While writing my review, I had to remove all instances of the sentence ‘one of the strongest stories in the book’ because I was saying it about a majority of the stories. Nevertheless, if I had to pick three favourites they’d be ‘Childhood’, ‘Purple Heart’ and ‘Comfort Porn’.
‘The Year of Nostalgia’ In the aftermath of their mother’s death, sisters Leah and Nin are concerned about their dad. When they discover the Nostalgia app – which can create a hologram of their mom using their old feeds – they think they’ve hit on a solution. Leah’s journey of realisation, from a new understanding of her mother to a dismaying revelation, is brilliantly written.
‘Beijing’: Gabriel moved to Beijing with his boyfriend, David, in the days when clean air was abundant and jobs were plentiful. Their relationship broke down – partly thanks to David’s addiction to ‘patching’, a way of erasing memories – and now Gabriel’s homophobic brother might be the only one who can offer escape. The ending is emblematic of the book's themes: in the midst of despair there is a glimmer of possibility.
‘Comfort Porn’: Mandy is addicted to ‘comfort porn’ – POV videos which simply depict happy everyday scenes, such as a group of friends welcoming you to a party. The reader gradually becomes aware that despite her obsession with these videos, Mandy actually pushes away attempts at real connection. The world of this story is so convincing and I loved watching this character grow.
‘We Only Wanted Their Happiness’: A first-person-plural chorus tell of their sorrow at losing their children to the latest tech phenomenon: a virtual reality implant. A discomfiting cautionary tale.
‘Purple Heart’: All the stories in Universal Love are emotionally involving, but especially ‘Purple Heart’, which tells of a father and son bonding through the eponymous war game. The thing about Purple Heart is that, once you unlock ‘Combat Mode’, you’re no longer just playing; you’re remotely operating droids in a real war zone. The setup is horribly plausible and the narrator’s experience is an excellent way to analyse it.
‘True Love Testimonials’: Narrators of different ages and genders take turns recounting their experiences with a bodysuit system which allows sexual partners to customise their appearance. Most of the stories in the book end on a note of hope... but this one has a bitter twist.
‘Childhood’: It’s a close-run thing, but this may be my favourite of the lot. Joey and Lacy are robots, designed to serve as the children of parents who couldn't conceive. As they get older, Lacy starts to question her programming: her chosen form of rebellion involves a very creative sort of drug-taking. Joey is determined to stay loyal to their parents, but also wants to protect Lacy. As the protagonists aren’t human, this story is subtly but significantly different from the others, and that’s reflected in its conclusion: comfort laced with a chill, the intimation of what’s to come.
‘Sanctuary’: Aliens appear on Earth – not in physical reality but in virtual environments. The invasion of enormous insect-like creatures prompts violent retaliation, the inevitable chaos of the ending providing sour parallels with contemporary conflicts.
‘Infinite Realities’: Luke and Donnie are scientists who, after almost a decade of work, have found a way to move objects (and possibly people) between realities. Luke unwisely decides to fix his failing relationship by locating an alternate-world version of his girlfriend. While I thought the concept of ‘Infinite Realities’ was fantastic, it’s the only stumble in the book: even allowing for suspension of disbelief, the science is flimsy, and Luke is both unappealing and somewhat unevenly written.
‘Mountain Song’: The narrator of this story might be a grown-up version of one of the children described in ‘We Only Wanted Their Happiness’. He spends all his time immersed in the ‘thinkstream’, making money by selling advice. The distracted, jittery nature of this existence is palpable. The story offers a moving portrait of the divide between the narrator’s generation and that of his parents, the ‘binge drinkers of old tech’.
‘Islanders’: Most of the world is under water; Josh and his father eke out a living, surviving on shellfish and trying to salvage usable materials from flooded buildings. When Josh’s dad meets someone, things seem set to change dramatically. This melancholy tale acts as a reflective conclusion to the collection.
I received an advance review copy of Universal Love from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
Reading Universal Love was like sinking into a warm bath. While writing my review, I had to remove all instances of the sentence ‘one of the strongest stories in the book’ because I was saying it about a majority of the stories. Nevertheless, if I had to pick three favourites they’d be ‘Childhood’, ‘Purple Heart’ and ‘Comfort Porn’.
‘The Year of Nostalgia’ In the aftermath of their mother’s death, sisters Leah and Nin are concerned about their dad. When they discover the Nostalgia app – which can create a hologram of their mom using their old feeds – they think they’ve hit on a solution. Leah’s journey of realisation, from a new understanding of her mother to a dismaying revelation, is brilliantly written.
‘Beijing’: Gabriel moved to Beijing with his boyfriend, David, in the days when clean air was abundant and jobs were plentiful. Their relationship broke down – partly thanks to David’s addiction to ‘patching’, a way of erasing memories – and now Gabriel’s homophobic brother might be the only one who can offer escape. The ending is emblematic of the book's themes: in the midst of despair there is a glimmer of possibility.
‘Comfort Porn’: Mandy is addicted to ‘comfort porn’ – POV videos which simply depict happy everyday scenes, such as a group of friends welcoming you to a party. The reader gradually becomes aware that despite her obsession with these videos, Mandy actually pushes away attempts at real connection. The world of this story is so convincing and I loved watching this character grow.
‘We Only Wanted Their Happiness’: A first-person-plural chorus tell of their sorrow at losing their children to the latest tech phenomenon: a virtual reality implant. A discomfiting cautionary tale.
‘Purple Heart’: All the stories in Universal Love are emotionally involving, but especially ‘Purple Heart’, which tells of a father and son bonding through the eponymous war game. The thing about Purple Heart is that, once you unlock ‘Combat Mode’, you’re no longer just playing; you’re remotely operating droids in a real war zone. The setup is horribly plausible and the narrator’s experience is an excellent way to analyse it.
‘True Love Testimonials’: Narrators of different ages and genders take turns recounting their experiences with a bodysuit system which allows sexual partners to customise their appearance. Most of the stories in the book end on a note of hope... but this one has a bitter twist.
‘Childhood’: It’s a close-run thing, but this may be my favourite of the lot. Joey and Lacy are robots, designed to serve as the children of parents who couldn't conceive. As they get older, Lacy starts to question her programming: her chosen form of rebellion involves a very creative sort of drug-taking. Joey is determined to stay loyal to their parents, but also wants to protect Lacy. As the protagonists aren’t human, this story is subtly but significantly different from the others, and that’s reflected in its conclusion: comfort laced with a chill, the intimation of what’s to come.
‘Sanctuary’: Aliens appear on Earth – not in physical reality but in virtual environments. The invasion of enormous insect-like creatures prompts violent retaliation, the inevitable chaos of the ending providing sour parallels with contemporary conflicts.
‘Infinite Realities’: Luke and Donnie are scientists who, after almost a decade of work, have found a way to move objects (and possibly people) between realities. Luke unwisely decides to fix his failing relationship by locating an alternate-world version of his girlfriend. While I thought the concept of ‘Infinite Realities’ was fantastic, it’s the only stumble in the book: even allowing for suspension of disbelief, the science is flimsy, and Luke is both unappealing and somewhat unevenly written.
‘Mountain Song’: The narrator of this story might be a grown-up version of one of the children described in ‘We Only Wanted Their Happiness’. He spends all his time immersed in the ‘thinkstream’, making money by selling advice. The distracted, jittery nature of this existence is palpable. The story offers a moving portrait of the divide between the narrator’s generation and that of his parents, the ‘binge drinkers of old tech’.
‘Islanders’: Most of the world is under water; Josh and his father eke out a living, surviving on shellfish and trying to salvage usable materials from flooded buildings. When Josh’s dad meets someone, things seem set to change dramatically. This melancholy tale acts as a reflective conclusion to the collection.
I received an advance review copy of Universal Love from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
March 16, 2020
Children of the New World, Weinstein's first collection, absolutely blew me away - Universal Love had a lot to live up to. But even my high expectations were met and then exceeded.
You're going to see comparisons to Black Mirror all over the reviews, and they're justified; these stories have a sense of those early episodes that blew us away with their cheerful, sunny dystopias that hid pointed fangs beneath smiling facades. Technological advances walk a fine line between making our lives easier and making our lives easier to control, and Alexander Weinstein plays with that concept like he's a master.
This time around, there's more of the human in there too. The world at the moment is in a state of flux, with one generation about to give way to the next, and it's reflected in these pages. Parents and children occupy a few of these stories, and whether it's an aging father who misses his wife, or a couple who find themselves with a robotic juvenile delinquent on their hands, they're all families that feel solidly real.
Alexander Weinstein has quickly become an author I can count on to get me thinking. If you pick this up, hopefully you enjoy it just as much.
You're going to see comparisons to Black Mirror all over the reviews, and they're justified; these stories have a sense of those early episodes that blew us away with their cheerful, sunny dystopias that hid pointed fangs beneath smiling facades. Technological advances walk a fine line between making our lives easier and making our lives easier to control, and Alexander Weinstein plays with that concept like he's a master.
This time around, there's more of the human in there too. The world at the moment is in a state of flux, with one generation about to give way to the next, and it's reflected in these pages. Parents and children occupy a few of these stories, and whether it's an aging father who misses his wife, or a couple who find themselves with a robotic juvenile delinquent on their hands, they're all families that feel solidly real.
Alexander Weinstein has quickly become an author I can count on to get me thinking. If you pick this up, hopefully you enjoy it just as much.
August 7, 2021
Black Mirror esque definitely
October 15, 2019
No reviews for this one yet? Oh, that’s criminal. Well, ok then I’m the first. And nothing but good things to say. In fact, Weinstein’s first collection was pretty awesome. There is a trend now (as trends tend to go of picking a pop culture darling and comparing things to it) of comparing a specific kind of speculative fiction stories with morals to Black Mirror. If a book deals with social implications of technology, it’s practically a shoe in. And the thing is not every book can and/or should be held up to that mirror. It isn’t fair to book, readers and, frankly, the dramatically uneven overall due to the later years lacklusterness tv show. But the thing is in Weinstein’s case the comparison is actually right on the money, apt and well deserved. Because Weinstein’s stories are very much like Black Mirror episodes from the good (early) years. They are cleverly plotted imaginative and original tales contemplating the sociological effects on rampant pervasive technology. They are scenarios where the technological advancements have outpaced the mental and emotional states of the people utilizing them. It’s about creating a tool and forgetting to treat it as such. Not always, but all too often. Sometimes as in the first story, Nostalgia can be used to cope with death of a loved one, but even the technology meant to bring you comfort isn’t without its quirks. What makes this (and his previous collection) so great is…ok, well, it’s many things. First off, the absolutely awesome imagination, each story is such a fascinating original concept. But there is always, much like in a Black Mirror, an awareness that the technology we so desperately crave and so obsessively utilize and get addicted to is but a substitute for the things that really matter, such as personal connections, solace, love. And oftentimes an ersatz substitute at best, something that seems like a shortcut and has enough immediately glitzy appeal to distract from the fact that it isn’t a solution. I suppose if there was a general message here, it would be something along the lines of how you can’t make substitutions for real connections. That’s why there’s so much loneliness and isolation in this book, despite the pretty creative dating app inventions, that’s why there’s so much loneliness in the world. Despite the pretense of connection social media and such offer. But enough moralizing, you can do that for yourself (or at the very least it'll make you think) when you read this book. Which you should certainly do. And then read Weinstein’s other collection too. Yeah, he’s that good. Loved this book. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
January 8, 2020
"Mom, in her death, was helping me understand that everyone carried around an inner world they never shared."
This was f**king amazing and now I need to read his other book.
RTC
This was f**king amazing and now I need to read his other book.
RTC
November 8, 2019
Universal Love is a collection of short stories that hits all the marks of what a short story collection can - and should - be. So often, collections like this are off on something, something hard to put a finger on, like flow, length, tone, or message. But this book is inventive, moving, human, and captivating all at once. Not only does Weinstein construct haunting near-future worlds of dystopian technology, but he connects each of them to a lesson about true human connection. What we gain in efficiency due to technological upgrades, we may lose in empathy and interpersonal interactions - the things that make us human.
Weinstein creates brilliant worlds of future tech. I can visualize all of these technologies existing in some form - an app that reconstructs deceased people in hologram form programmed with their personalities so you never truly lose them; a world in which “patching” memories to selectively forget things is the new club drug; a video game that allows teenagers and middle-aged men to kill in real life via weaponized droids controlled by game players; a service called “comfort porn” that allows you to insert your name and receive videos of friends welcoming you and making you feel part of a group. However, he doesn’t go overboard with these conceits. They are always a backdrop to the stories, providing mere context for the real stories of their effects on the people living in these worlds. Each story has a new and inventive concept, but Weinstein doesn’t let it carry the plot or overburden the reader with newfangled tech names and histories. Quite the opposite actually - I’m impressed at the restraint he exercises in choosing what lesson he wants the reader to walk away with, what relationships he’s commenting on, and the perfect moment to end the story.
I loved the length of the book and the length of each story within. Some short story collections make each chapter so short that you don’t even connect to the plot while reading it; some make each story so long that they could be novellas. Weinstein draws the story out just enough for you to understand the technological conceit and get to know the characters, getting the pace just right. You anticipate the moment of ending as a natural conclusion of the plot, but he still snaps the story closed with some moving, reflective moment. I needed a few minutes to really digest each story after it ended, particularly since you don’t see the same tech or same characters in any two chapters.
Side note: I often hear books like this touted as the new Black Mirror, which used to grab my attention as someone hungry for more of that addictive show. But I was let down too many times, and now that reference is so overused it means next to nothing to me. However, Universal Love is the first book with this tagline that actually lived up to the show. Not just because I can see the tech in these stories existing in the show, but because the best episodes of Black Mirror do the same thing that Weinstein does here: they comment on technology’s effect on humanity, what it does to our minds and souls and relationships. The technology almost becomes a side character, just another factor in the main characters’ lives.
I can’t recommend these stories enough - this is a quick read, but packs a punch. Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and Netgalley for the Arc.
Weinstein creates brilliant worlds of future tech. I can visualize all of these technologies existing in some form - an app that reconstructs deceased people in hologram form programmed with their personalities so you never truly lose them; a world in which “patching” memories to selectively forget things is the new club drug; a video game that allows teenagers and middle-aged men to kill in real life via weaponized droids controlled by game players; a service called “comfort porn” that allows you to insert your name and receive videos of friends welcoming you and making you feel part of a group. However, he doesn’t go overboard with these conceits. They are always a backdrop to the stories, providing mere context for the real stories of their effects on the people living in these worlds. Each story has a new and inventive concept, but Weinstein doesn’t let it carry the plot or overburden the reader with newfangled tech names and histories. Quite the opposite actually - I’m impressed at the restraint he exercises in choosing what lesson he wants the reader to walk away with, what relationships he’s commenting on, and the perfect moment to end the story.
I loved the length of the book and the length of each story within. Some short story collections make each chapter so short that you don’t even connect to the plot while reading it; some make each story so long that they could be novellas. Weinstein draws the story out just enough for you to understand the technological conceit and get to know the characters, getting the pace just right. You anticipate the moment of ending as a natural conclusion of the plot, but he still snaps the story closed with some moving, reflective moment. I needed a few minutes to really digest each story after it ended, particularly since you don’t see the same tech or same characters in any two chapters.
Side note: I often hear books like this touted as the new Black Mirror, which used to grab my attention as someone hungry for more of that addictive show. But I was let down too many times, and now that reference is so overused it means next to nothing to me. However, Universal Love is the first book with this tagline that actually lived up to the show. Not just because I can see the tech in these stories existing in the show, but because the best episodes of Black Mirror do the same thing that Weinstein does here: they comment on technology’s effect on humanity, what it does to our minds and souls and relationships. The technology almost becomes a side character, just another factor in the main characters’ lives.
I can’t recommend these stories enough - this is a quick read, but packs a punch. Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and Netgalley for the Arc.
February 20, 2023
Wowowozaaa talk about FOOD for THOUGHT! This short story collection is striking, chilling, & eerily familiar. Weinstein’s stories have emotional depth & creative flair. Each one gave me a reason to think in a new way. Perhaps if everyone reads these stories we can proactively avoid creating these realities, which unfortunately don’t feel too far off. This was fantastic & fans of Black Mirror will enjoy this read.
Read
January 31, 2020The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Universal Love: Stories
‘Weinstein is a master of his craft.’
Millions
‘These are deeply imaginative and compelling stories, written with exquisite poise, that bring the speculative and uncanny very close to home. Weinstein is here to remind us that questions of technology, of the future of our world, are also, always, questions of human intimacy and human care.’
Jennifer Mills
‘Weinstein is a master of his craft.’
Millions
‘These are deeply imaginative and compelling stories, written with exquisite poise, that bring the speculative and uncanny very close to home. Weinstein is here to remind us that questions of technology, of the future of our world, are also, always, questions of human intimacy and human care.’
Jennifer Mills
June 26, 2021
A stellar book. Stunning writing - some lines were like a punch to the gut. Weinstein draws you in with the relatable humanity of characters who are still like us in 'unimaginable' futures that - eerily enough - are not hard to imagine at all. Universal Love, like Weinstein's fantastic debut Children of the New World, raises and answers questions about undeterred technological 'progress' in a neoliberal world. It asks what, if any, place there is for human social values within that drive forward. "What's forward and what's backward?" we should all wonder. These stories help the imagination.
In my opinion, Alexander Weinstein is as underhyped as Becky Chambers, if not more, both of them saying things about the times we live in that need universal hearing.
In my opinion, Alexander Weinstein is as underhyped as Becky Chambers, if not more, both of them saying things about the times we live in that need universal hearing.
January 9, 2020
QUOTES:
Everyone carried around an inner world they never shared.
Because I know there are countless timelines where I'm someone good, parallel universes where I make the right choices and no one gets hurt, infinite realities where I'm a better human being. And maybe, if I try hard enough, one of those realities can also be this one.
I was always leaving anyhow, on my way toward some other world, full of strangers, one of them my mother, and a future, which like a deep-sea fish is out there waiting to be caught.
Everyone carried around an inner world they never shared.
Because I know there are countless timelines where I'm someone good, parallel universes where I make the right choices and no one gets hurt, infinite realities where I'm a better human being. And maybe, if I try hard enough, one of those realities can also be this one.
I was always leaving anyhow, on my way toward some other world, full of strangers, one of them my mother, and a future, which like a deep-sea fish is out there waiting to be caught.
August 7, 2021
Average rating 3.6* rounded up to 4*
Agree with many of the reviews which likens these short stories to Black Mirror and I can definitely see how some of them would make amazing episodes. Other stories were just an intense look at how some already treat technology.
Agree with many of the reviews which likens these short stories to Black Mirror and I can definitely see how some of them would make amazing episodes. Other stories were just an intense look at how some already treat technology.
July 23, 2021
This was brilliant! Each story was impressively innovative and immersive, definitely very black mirror esque.
November 5, 2019
I must have picked up this ARC three times before I committed to reading this book. Mostly because I'm not usually a fan of speculative fiction and I find short stories viscerally unsatisfying.
I am thrilled to say how wrong I am on both accounts, at least when it comes to Alexander Weinstein.
His latest collection, Universal Love, explores the inevitable-albeit fascinating-counterpoint between the evolution of technology in our lives and its isolating influences on human intimacy. To say I was gobsmacked by this collection is an understatement: Universal Love has transfixed me in a haunting spell, one I can't get out of my mind. I cannot recommend it enough and I'm sure everyone is going to get sick of me talking about it, but no matter. This collection is worth all of efforts.
I am thrilled to say how wrong I am on both accounts, at least when it comes to Alexander Weinstein.
His latest collection, Universal Love, explores the inevitable-albeit fascinating-counterpoint between the evolution of technology in our lives and its isolating influences on human intimacy. To say I was gobsmacked by this collection is an understatement: Universal Love has transfixed me in a haunting spell, one I can't get out of my mind. I cannot recommend it enough and I'm sure everyone is going to get sick of me talking about it, but no matter. This collection is worth all of efforts.
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October 30, 2021EDIT: I read this book two months ago and every day I still think about one of its short stories -- the one about brainwaves and mental pollution. I feel it in my bones. It won't leave me alone. When I feel overwhelmed and my mind reels together fragments of tweets, pop songs, old memories, film stills -- I think of that short story, of how sharp and clear-eyed it was. Everything else in this book might have been terrible and it would not matter because of this. (yes, I HAVE been having a mental breakdown since Facebook announced the Meta rebranding in the middle of their worst PR crisis in years. I would rather kill myself than live in a world where owning a VR headset is as common as owning a smartphone, and I'm not sorry about this, I don't care!).
old review:
Perhaps it's impossible to write a good dystopia today. And maybe that is because everything is so heavy-handed now. Go open the business page of the New York Times. Go read fucking TechCrunch. It all looks like a parody of 60s scifi. I'm so tired man!!! It's literally all of it. The present is heavy-handed and fast and ridiculous. And yes the short stories here are very inventive and interesting (some VERY heavy-handed exposition and weird prose, though; was surprised to learn this is not this dude's first book). But it doesn't matter how good these plot twists are, or how moving some of these characters. Nothing can hold a candle to any tech journalism written today. All the good sci-fi writing is non-fiction. Every deep philosophical question is an engineering problem. Etc. Still a good book, tho. Gotta get my Black Mirror fix somewhere.
old review:
Perhaps it's impossible to write a good dystopia today. And maybe that is because everything is so heavy-handed now. Go open the business page of the New York Times. Go read fucking TechCrunch. It all looks like a parody of 60s scifi. I'm so tired man!!! It's literally all of it. The present is heavy-handed and fast and ridiculous. And yes the short stories here are very inventive and interesting (some VERY heavy-handed exposition and weird prose, though; was surprised to learn this is not this dude's first book). But it doesn't matter how good these plot twists are, or how moving some of these characters. Nothing can hold a candle to any tech journalism written today. All the good sci-fi writing is non-fiction. Every deep philosophical question is an engineering problem. Etc. Still a good book, tho. Gotta get my Black Mirror fix somewhere.
February 20, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review
A new short story collection is here and I’d say that they run in the vein of science fiction meets contemporary fiction. UNIVERSAL LOVE covers the topic of technology and how we love and interact with one another. With technology advancing the way it is, a lot of these stories feel so plausible and it’s almost eerie how close we are to this point.
As is the case for most short story collections, there were some standouts and some that weren’t for me, but overall I enjoyed the majority of them. One I particularly liked was the first story about the Nostalgia App. If you could bring a person back to life in the form of a holograph for someone you love, would you? If some of their memories would hurt that person, would you suppress them? There are so many questions and possibilities with this technology and I wonder how it would actually play out if it was possible.
While most of the stories raised questions like this but a couple came off a little on the preachy side. I understand the message the author is trying to convey when it comes to the potential consequences of these technologies and how they can actually be hindering true human interaction, but some could have been expressed a little better. Overall, if this topic interests you, then I highly recommend giving this collection a try! Definitely a topic that makes you think – is this the possible future that relationships will be going through?
A new short story collection is here and I’d say that they run in the vein of science fiction meets contemporary fiction. UNIVERSAL LOVE covers the topic of technology and how we love and interact with one another. With technology advancing the way it is, a lot of these stories feel so plausible and it’s almost eerie how close we are to this point.
As is the case for most short story collections, there were some standouts and some that weren’t for me, but overall I enjoyed the majority of them. One I particularly liked was the first story about the Nostalgia App. If you could bring a person back to life in the form of a holograph for someone you love, would you? If some of their memories would hurt that person, would you suppress them? There are so many questions and possibilities with this technology and I wonder how it would actually play out if it was possible.
While most of the stories raised questions like this but a couple came off a little on the preachy side. I understand the message the author is trying to convey when it comes to the potential consequences of these technologies and how they can actually be hindering true human interaction, but some could have been expressed a little better. Overall, if this topic interests you, then I highly recommend giving this collection a try! Definitely a topic that makes you think – is this the possible future that relationships will be going through?
January 11, 2020
This is an engaging and thought provoking story collection set in the near future. A facinating premis on technologies that radically alter our ability to love one another.
Technology is so easily accessible and always evolving, so the idea behind these stories was an instant draw for me, very futuristic, they didn't dissapoint!
My favorite story was about two sisters seeking to comfort their father in the wake of their mothers death. The "Nostalgia App" takes their old feeds and creates a hologram of their mother. This takes the one sister on a journey to knowing her mother better and unearth a new revelation.
All these stories are well written, sharing similar themes and tones, of lonliness and loss of personal connections, and they all hit hard emotionally. I think what captured me the most was how realistic these almost scifi storylines were and could one day be a reality, like eerie cautionary tales. Some technology helps us and some hurts us. It can already limit our personal face to face interactions, relationships and intimacies so where do we draw a line and find balance?
This is a collection I will not soon forget!
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Thank You to the tagged publisher for sending me this book opinions are my own.
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For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
Technology is so easily accessible and always evolving, so the idea behind these stories was an instant draw for me, very futuristic, they didn't dissapoint!
My favorite story was about two sisters seeking to comfort their father in the wake of their mothers death. The "Nostalgia App" takes their old feeds and creates a hologram of their mother. This takes the one sister on a journey to knowing her mother better and unearth a new revelation.
All these stories are well written, sharing similar themes and tones, of lonliness and loss of personal connections, and they all hit hard emotionally. I think what captured me the most was how realistic these almost scifi storylines were and could one day be a reality, like eerie cautionary tales. Some technology helps us and some hurts us. It can already limit our personal face to face interactions, relationships and intimacies so where do we draw a line and find balance?
This is a collection I will not soon forget!
•
Thank You to the tagged publisher for sending me this book opinions are my own.
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
March 19, 2020
-disatisfying
-why does a book called "Universal Love", lack hope and actual love
-sure, there's cool tech but the writing lacks heart
-just because it's sad and depressing, doesn't mean it's nuanced
-maybe this was not the right time to read this book?
-i dont think tech "ruins" lives, i think unbridled capitalism and incompetent, unfair structures of power do
-so this felt a lil cheapening
-why does a book called "Universal Love", lack hope and actual love
-sure, there's cool tech but the writing lacks heart
-just because it's sad and depressing, doesn't mean it's nuanced
-maybe this was not the right time to read this book?
-i dont think tech "ruins" lives, i think unbridled capitalism and incompetent, unfair structures of power do
-so this felt a lil cheapening
May 10, 2020
An okay collection of short stories; some great, some not so much. A few of them came off way too preachy, while others were thought-provoking and genuinely amazing.
I'm always conflicted about these kinds of books, my rating never truly reflecting my thoughts, but I'd definitely recommend this book; it's a relatively easy read with some great ideas, even if I didn't connect with all of them.
I'm always conflicted about these kinds of books, my rating never truly reflecting my thoughts, but I'd definitely recommend this book; it's a relatively easy read with some great ideas, even if I didn't connect with all of them.
July 4, 2021
Universal Love offers a thought experiment of love and relationships in a cyber age. Each short story presents a different scenario of social interaction imagining up plausible pluses and risks. It’s a book to make you think about what it means to love when current digital and (and even climate change) trends are supercharged.
Just a few of the propositions I’ve thought about since finishing: Would you delete trauma and bad memories to resolve depression if you had wipe away pivotal emotional attachments as well? Is virtual sex in an avatar with another avatar an even more efficient way to hook up? What if avatar sex is more physically satisfying than the real thing? How would you feel if your partner was a man when you thought they were a woman (or vice versa) because their avatar disguised their real self? Is online sex a betrayal of a real life partner? Can technology soothe loneliness? So many questions and ideas are generated in each new story.
I was particularly taken with the first story where 2 daughters create a lifelike hologram of their mother to ease the incredible grief their father was suffering following her death. It brought dad back from the brink but also encouraged one of the daughters to chat with her mum about her youth as she too could access her post death form. The daughter learnt some surprising things about her mum when as a young woman. This new understanding leads to an excellent plot twist that made me laugh out loud.
Not all the stories were fantastic but definitely thought provoking. I’m not sure whether to embrace the future with excitement or dread but I’m pretty certain many things will bear a resemblance to one or other of the scenarios in Universal Love.
Just a few of the propositions I’ve thought about since finishing: Would you delete trauma and bad memories to resolve depression if you had wipe away pivotal emotional attachments as well? Is virtual sex in an avatar with another avatar an even more efficient way to hook up? What if avatar sex is more physically satisfying than the real thing? How would you feel if your partner was a man when you thought they were a woman (or vice versa) because their avatar disguised their real self? Is online sex a betrayal of a real life partner? Can technology soothe loneliness? So many questions and ideas are generated in each new story.
I was particularly taken with the first story where 2 daughters create a lifelike hologram of their mother to ease the incredible grief their father was suffering following her death. It brought dad back from the brink but also encouraged one of the daughters to chat with her mum about her youth as she too could access her post death form. The daughter learnt some surprising things about her mum when as a young woman. This new understanding leads to an excellent plot twist that made me laugh out loud.
Not all the stories were fantastic but definitely thought provoking. I’m not sure whether to embrace the future with excitement or dread but I’m pretty certain many things will bear a resemblance to one or other of the scenarios in Universal Love.
November 15, 2022
After reading ‘Children of the New World ‘ and watching ‘After Yang’, I wanted to check out more of Alex Weinstein’s work.
The situations in his stories which are set in the future are entirely plausible.
He writes about
Dead people being restored as interactive holograms.
Humans who erases their bad memories and gets ‘patched’.
People watching ‘Comfort Porn’ (simulated videos of people hanging out at beaches, summer camps, parties, sports events. Romantic hallmark moments. Cute animals and babies) , without actually interacting with other people.
Futuristic kids under thirteen retaliating against their parents for putting up parental control on their electronic devices.
A world without actual military operations but brimming with the video game kind.
Dating in app based , profile based future .
Childless people adopting AI humanoids and their growing pains.
Extra Terrestrial insects attacking immersive virtual platforms.
Folks experimenting with parallel universes.
A future where minds and thoughts are privatized.
A future where major Cities are submerged in the ocean.
That’s just the surface level details.
The stories made me sad for the future, for the humankind , for the things we will lose in the name of development and progress.
But, they also made me hold on to a flicker of hope that somehow love will prevail.
Recommended to readers of Sci -Fi + other literary fiction readers.
The situations in his stories which are set in the future are entirely plausible.
He writes about
Dead people being restored as interactive holograms.
Humans who erases their bad memories and gets ‘patched’.
People watching ‘Comfort Porn’ (simulated videos of people hanging out at beaches, summer camps, parties, sports events. Romantic hallmark moments. Cute animals and babies) , without actually interacting with other people.
Futuristic kids under thirteen retaliating against their parents for putting up parental control on their electronic devices.
A world without actual military operations but brimming with the video game kind.
Dating in app based , profile based future .
Childless people adopting AI humanoids and their growing pains.
Extra Terrestrial insects attacking immersive virtual platforms.
Folks experimenting with parallel universes.
A future where minds and thoughts are privatized.
A future where major Cities are submerged in the ocean.
That’s just the surface level details.
The stories made me sad for the future, for the humankind , for the things we will lose in the name of development and progress.
But, they also made me hold on to a flicker of hope that somehow love will prevail.
Recommended to readers of Sci -Fi + other literary fiction readers.
December 7, 2024
"The Year of Nostalgia" I wouldn't be surprised, now that we have AI, to see something like this app in my lifetime. Dead not being really dead.... I think we need to explore it more than this short story did, though. 4* until the end, then 3 because of the silly twist.
"Beijing" Hm. Not sure I understand what the author was driving at, with the end. But in my own interpretation of what comes next, I find that things will be ok-ish. Definitely dystopian though.
"Comfort Porn" Yeah, there's some explicit yuck, but this time I actually like the ending. Fave so far.
"We Only Wanted Their Happiness" Yikes. Definitely near-future dyst.
"Purple Heart" Double yikes. This collection is getting awfully dark, unlike the cover art.
"True Love Testimonials" Ok, this is more pleasant, with all the people who wear bodysuits, pay biggish money, and have virtual sex. Or not. For example, one woman found men (or at least people who purported to be men) who enjoyed just having 'dinner' and conversations. And one couple found 'True Love' so nice. 4*
"Childhood" Um. The manufacturer wouldn't stay in business for long if the models were so vulnerable to being messed up. None of the three 'children' we met were anything that a person would actually want to buy. 3*
"Sanctuary" Ugh. Human nature. We really don't deserve this beautiful planet. Maybe the virtual invaders do. 3*
"Infinite Realities" Alternate universes story that works for fans of Time Travel. 4*
"Mountain Song" I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but I'm with his parents; it's not good. I do find interesting the idea of staying home, wearing a bodysuit that is connected to a self-driving truck, and monitoring the truck in case it needs a human to make a choice or to react to something novel. Beautifully immersively written. 4*
"Islanders" Melancholy, poignant. Apparently most of the world literally drowned, and this is one vision of what it would be like for just a very few of the survivors. 4*
"Beijing" Hm. Not sure I understand what the author was driving at, with the end. But in my own interpretation of what comes next, I find that things will be ok-ish. Definitely dystopian though.
"Comfort Porn" Yeah, there's some explicit yuck, but this time I actually like the ending. Fave so far.
"We Only Wanted Their Happiness" Yikes. Definitely near-future dyst.
"Purple Heart" Double yikes. This collection is getting awfully dark, unlike the cover art.
"True Love Testimonials" Ok, this is more pleasant, with all the people who wear bodysuits, pay biggish money, and have virtual sex. Or not. For example, one woman found men (or at least people who purported to be men) who enjoyed just having 'dinner' and conversations. And one couple found 'True Love' so nice. 4*
"Childhood" Um. The manufacturer wouldn't stay in business for long if the models were so vulnerable to being messed up. None of the three 'children' we met were anything that a person would actually want to buy. 3*
"Sanctuary" Ugh. Human nature. We really don't deserve this beautiful planet. Maybe the virtual invaders do. 3*
"Infinite Realities" Alternate universes story that works for fans of Time Travel. 4*
"Mountain Song" I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but I'm with his parents; it's not good. I do find interesting the idea of staying home, wearing a bodysuit that is connected to a self-driving truck, and monitoring the truck in case it needs a human to make a choice or to react to something novel. Beautifully immersively written. 4*
"Islanders" Melancholy, poignant. Apparently most of the world literally drowned, and this is one vision of what it would be like for just a very few of the survivors. 4*
June 14, 2023
If you're in the mood to read a bunch of dystopian short stories about technology, consumerism, relationships and climate change (with a short interlude into war drones and the military, child exploitation and a few other fun themes) in the exact same tone (and sometimes on the exact same topics) as Black Mirror, this is a good candidate.
The stories were always well-grounded from the beginning, so whatever new technology they were using became immediately understandable, and the characters were three-dimensional and not always likeable, in a good way. Not groundbreaking in the genre, but interesting enough to give it a read.
The stories were always well-grounded from the beginning, so whatever new technology they were using became immediately understandable, and the characters were three-dimensional and not always likeable, in a good way. Not groundbreaking in the genre, but interesting enough to give it a read.
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February 12, 2020The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Universal Love
‘Weinstein is a master of his craft.’
Millions
‘A darkly mesmerising, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.’
Emily St. John Mandel
‘These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.’
LitHub
‘Weinstein is a master of his craft.’
Millions
‘A darkly mesmerising, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.’
Emily St. John Mandel
‘These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.’
LitHub
August 31, 2020
pretty good collection of short stories surrounding the intersection of tech and love. would recommend to fans of black mirror. could get a little preachy about the consequences of technology, but well written.
fav stories were:
- the year of nostalgia
- comfort porn
- true love testimonials
- infinite realities
fav stories were:
- the year of nostalgia
- comfort porn
- true love testimonials
- infinite realities
April 3, 2021
I had been searching for a book that could scartch that Black Mirror itch.
This is an anthology collection of short stories that showcase different ways technology could end up influencing our lives. It all centers around how technology changes the way we relate to one another. How it can enhance or break down communication and remove us from what makes us human.
I usually do not like short story collections as it doesn't give me time to care, but this was really good. I didn't feel like any one story was a dud. Color me impressed
This is an anthology collection of short stories that showcase different ways technology could end up influencing our lives. It all centers around how technology changes the way we relate to one another. How it can enhance or break down communication and remove us from what makes us human.
I usually do not like short story collections as it doesn't give me time to care, but this was really good. I didn't feel like any one story was a dud. Color me impressed
July 10, 2021
This is not a science fiction book. It’s a beautiful (and sometimes sad) testament about our future in 30 to 50 years. You are not going to find robots fighting mankind or spaceships. You will find relationships and “day a day” life reshaped by technology.
September 13, 2022
SLAY!!! SLAYYYY!!! I randomly picked this book up at the library and wasn't really sure what to think but it made me think and feel and UGh just so good!!! Also really quick and easy to read so i didnt have to think to think (iykyk)
April 28, 2023
As most short story books it falls short as a whole but the concept and execution of some of those stories makes it up for it big time. Beautiful concept and execution on a handful that will most certainly inspire artists on their own projects. It sure did it for me!
March 27, 2020
Short stories that take place in the slightly distant future are my jam. Inhaled this, keep writing all the things please.
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