Thick and the Lean

All science fiction is about the moment in which it is written. People who reject or overlook this truism may not appreciate "The Thick and the Lean." The similarities between our world and the one Porter creates are many, and they are pointed. Capitalism merging with religion to oppress the people, particularly the indigenous and the disabled. Men exploiting women under the guise of sexual liberation. Even a climate crisis, though this one is caused by the converging orbits of the planet's two moons. But the author spices these similarities with enough points of departure that it gives the reader a fresh perspective on all of them.

That this fresh perspective is distinctly feminine, queer, literary, and revolutionary is what makes the book superlative in my eyes. The weaving together of the stories of three women from vastly different places and times is expertly done, and the descriptions of food, sex, and even the clothing choices of various characters are loving, detailed, and lush. Somehow the entire story is wistful, angry, and cozy all at once.

An unhurried book with beautifully lush and descriptive passages. I very much enjoyed this one.

In a world where (essentially) anorexia is a part of the religion, what do those who want to eat do? How does one move in a rigidly stratified society, with extremes of wealth and poverty? The story follows two women on their journeys in life. One born in relative ease who runs from the strict boundaries hemming her in. One born among the poorest who works to claw her way into absolute stability and freedom from worry. Both stories are interwoven with passages from a biography/cookbook.

The political and social messages can be a bit heavy-handed (and they're actually probably quite heavy-handed because I often miss them), but are very relevant to our world today.

Body positive
LGBTQ+ positive
Lots of sex, not the graphic kind
Eat the rich