ember's review against another edition
5.0
this is!! some of the best and most soul-healing post-apocalyptic fiction I have ever read!! my heart is so warm
books_and_keys's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
xeni's review against another edition
I liked this collection a tiny smidge less than the first one (4-4.5 stars). I think it's because some of the stories in the first collection were continued in this one, and I just did not jive with where they were heading.
I still liked how many of these tales are set in Australia. It's really neat to have a whole different continent be the default!
I liked that this set of stories is focusing more on growth again, healing, overcoming the trauma of the apocalypse and finding a new path forward in a ravaged world. I don't think I always liked the worlds or the characters presented, but overall it was fascinating. I also still loved that the protagonists are all people with various kinds of disabilities and their stories are great stories, not stories of giving up or dying.
I still liked how many of these tales are set in Australia. It's really neat to have a whole different continent be the default!
I liked that this set of stories is focusing more on growth again, healing, overcoming the trauma of the apocalypse and finding a new path forward in a ravaged world. I don't think I always liked the worlds or the characters presented, but overall it was fascinating. I also still loved that the protagonists are all people with various kinds of disabilities and their stories are great stories, not stories of giving up or dying.
voldycat's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Medical content, Chronic illness, Death, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Grief, Terminal illness, Ableism, and Violence
Minor: Antisemitism, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
queenofthesouthernsun's review against another edition
5.0
This anthology is all of the things I never knew I wanted. Post-post-apocalyptic stories dealing with how to rebuild? Rebuilding society in ways that not only help people but all people? Refusing to give in to the cynicism of the past in order to show that there is a way forward?
God, I love these stories. The best label I could find for this collection is hopepunk, because all of these stories centre the idea of hope: things can and will be better. It's not an easy road, but it is a necessary one.
A few favourites that stand out: I Will Lead My People, by Janet Edwards; All the World in Seafoam Green, by Lauren Ring; Merry Shitmas, by Kristy Evangelista; The Science of Pacific Apocalypse, by Octavia Cade; The Rest Is, by Stephanie Gunn; Leaving Dreamland, by E.H. Mann; and Nothing But Flowers, by Katharine Duckett
God, I love these stories. The best label I could find for this collection is hopepunk, because all of these stories centre the idea of hope: things can and will be better. It's not an easy road, but it is a necessary one.
A few favourites that stand out: I Will Lead My People, by Janet Edwards; All the World in Seafoam Green, by Lauren Ring; Merry Shitmas, by Kristy Evangelista; The Science of Pacific Apocalypse, by Octavia Cade; The Rest Is, by Stephanie Gunn; Leaving Dreamland, by E.H. Mann; and Nothing But Flowers, by Katharine Duckett
macthekat's review
hopeful
5.0
Excellent anthology! It's rare to read a collection with this many stories that are enjoyable. The theme is broad enough not to become tiring and narrow enough to be meaningful #hopepunk
hairymclary28's review
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Every story in here was great. Utterly inclusive, hopeful, beautiful stories. It was also nice to get follow-up on some of the characters from Defying Doomsday. Made me feel warm inside.
Specific disability rep:
Also many side characters with various disabilities, a lot of adaptive environments (signing, wheelchair-friendly, sensory processing adaptation), and lots of LGBTQ and POC rep
Specific disability rep:
Spoiler
physical (one hand), prosopagnosia and autism, Crohn's, physical (partial left hand), autism, anxiety, autism, blind, unnamed chronic condition may be Huntington's, scoliosis and neurodiversity, autism, ADHD, visual impairment and hypothyroidism and cerebral palsy and arthritis, gross motor dyspraxia and chronic pain from injuriesAlso many side characters with various disabilities, a lot of adaptive environments (signing, wheelchair-friendly, sensory processing adaptation), and lots of LGBTQ and POC rep
hwesta's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
verumsolum's review against another edition
5.0
One of the things I really liked about this was that it really had multiple aims. I was mostly pleased to read stories about recovering and moving on from disaster. Too often, spec fic either is working to avoid the disaster or simply surviving after it. But this anthology was more… optimistic. Survival is not life, only a necessary prerequisite to it. And this book celebrated life.
I was also glad to see that it was inclusive: unlike many other stories elsewhere, this book's stories weren't centered only around heterosexual men. As somebody who is neither, I appreciated that, too.
There was other inclusion, too, around disability and chronic illness. I will admit that I was… unsure what to expect from this aspect. That's probably because I've seen far more token inclusion. I also know that many of these writers were writing about what they know, rather than simply including something that would make their work more marketable. This book languished on my mountainous to-read list for months, so by the time I started it, I had forgotten about this aim of the book, and it was most of the way through the book when I remarked to myself how many characters in the stories had conditions. I will reassure you, though… they are real people, with hopes and dreams, and their disabilities and illnesses are not the only features of those characters on display.
About my only complaint about this book? I wish it was longer; I wish there were more stories; I wish it didn't have to end! It also makes me very interested in reading [b:Defying Doomsday|28185450|Defying Doomsday|Tsana Dolichva|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460005216l/28185450._SY75_.jpg|48207427], even though I am not a huge fan of apocalypse fiction. Because Rebuilding Tomorrow has such stellar authors that I expect that they have crafted good stories set in that type of environment.
I was also glad to see that it was inclusive: unlike many other stories elsewhere, this book's stories weren't centered only around heterosexual men. As somebody who is neither, I appreciated that, too.
There was other inclusion, too, around disability and chronic illness. I will admit that I was… unsure what to expect from this aspect. That's probably because I've seen far more token inclusion. I also know that many of these writers were writing about what they know, rather than simply including something that would make their work more marketable. This book languished on my mountainous to-read list for months, so by the time I started it, I had forgotten about this aim of the book, and it was most of the way through the book when I remarked to myself how many characters in the stories had conditions. I will reassure you, though… they are real people, with hopes and dreams, and their disabilities and illnesses are not the only features of those characters on display.
About my only complaint about this book? I wish it was longer; I wish there were more stories; I wish it didn't have to end! It also makes me very interested in reading [b:Defying Doomsday|28185450|Defying Doomsday|Tsana Dolichva|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460005216l/28185450._SY75_.jpg|48207427], even though I am not a huge fan of apocalypse fiction. Because Rebuilding Tomorrow has such stellar authors that I expect that they have crafted good stories set in that type of environment.
blauerbuchling's review against another edition
5.0
The anthology is extremely well put together, in my opinion; the stories flow into each other very smoothly. That doesn’t mean that they are all the same, which couldn’t be farther away from the truth. In fact, they offer a broad range of diversity, often intersectional characters at their core. But the editor was very sensible in picking out elements that they share and thread them together into a delightful collection of thoughts about how rebuilding our society after an eventual collapse could look like - and that it can be far from savagery and scramble for scraps. Strength lies in community, in most of these stories, and that is something that I found wonderful.