This wasn't really what I was expecting. Based on the description, I was expecting a cli-fi story. It turned out to be a literary fiction novel about a middle aged woman finding her way and her relationship (Bo) with a dying woman (Mia.) In this speculative future, some
…more people are living way past the century mark. Mia is 130. At around 40, perhaps Bo is the equivalent of a twenty-something in this world,
Bo has been struggling to stay or flee her California City which is on the brink of being unlivable. When we meet her, she's a non-practicing artist. She takes a gig taking care of Mia, an elderly Chinese-American woman with no local family, Mia creeps closer to death as the book progresses, and Bo connects more with her life and art. Mia provides Bo with interesting stories about her long life and family history. The cli-fi element of this novel doesn't really add to the story and it could have been solely about the relationship between the two women.
The book was well written and Kwan used language to beautifully tell this story, even if it wasn't the story I was really looking for. If you're a fan of modern art and the process, you might find this one especially interesting. (less)
