A review by myclutteredbookshelf
The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe

3.5

American singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe released her third studio album Dirty Computer in 2018, accompanied by a short film of the same name. The film follows a trio of lovers—Jane (Monáe), Zen (Tessa Thompson), and Ché (Jayson Aaron)—living in a future where the government deems anyone that isn't white, monogamous, or heterosexual as "dirty computers." These individuals are constantly at risk of being abducted by law enforcement and taken to the House of New Dawn to have their memories deleted. In The Memory Librarian, Monáe collaborates with a team of established authors—Yohanca Delgado, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Sheree Thomas, Danny Lore, and Eve Ewing—to further explore the world of Dirty Computer outside the context of the film.

Now, as a fan of Monáe's music, I must admit that I was both excited and apprehensive about reading this collection. Monáe has already proved herself to be a skilled lyricist and storyteller with her first two albums, which detail the exploits of android fugitive Cindi Mayweather. However, there is a huge difference between writing songs and writing prose, and while I don't want to imply that collaborative writing projects are inferior to solo ones, I couldn't help but worry that this was a sign that Monáe was out of her depth.

Read the full review at My Cluttered Bookshelf.

 
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