Glory O'Brien's History of the Future

By: A. S. King

Narrated by: Christine Lakin

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

In this masterpiece about freedom, feminism, and destiny, Printz Honor author A.S. King tells the epic story of a girl coping with devastating loss at long last - a girl who has no idea that the future needs her, and that the present needs her even more.

Graduating from high school is a time of limitless possibilities - but not for Glory, who has no plan for what's next. Her mother committed suicide when Glory was only four years old, and she's never stopped wondering if she will eventually go the same way...until a transformative night when she begins to experience an astonishing new power to see a person's infinite past and future. From ancient ancestors to many generations forward, Glory is bombarded with visions - and what she sees ahead of her is terrifying: A tyrannical new leader raises an army. Women's rights disappear. A violent second civil war breaks out. And young girls vanish daily, sold off or interned in camps. Glory makes it her mission to record everything she sees, hoping her notes will somehow make a difference. She may not see a future for herself, but she'll do anything to make sure this one doesn't come to pass.

©2014 A.S. King (P)2014 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A nuanced portrayal... This is a story about healing." ( Publishers Weekly)

"King's trademarks - attuned first-person narrative, convincing dialogue, realistic language, and fitting quirkiness - connect effectively in this disturbing, yet hopeful novel." ( School Library Journal)

"King's writing is tighter, more focused, and better than ever... [An] intense and incredibly fresh plot." (VOYA)

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future

What lovely surprise! Glory O'Brien's History of the Future is a dystopian spec fic with a dose of prophecy. I have no idea where King came up with the idea for acquiring the protagonist's past-future-sight, but I think it was aptly weird (in such a good way!) and original. The protagonist was not the typical, keeping-up-with-the-Kardashians-teen so many try to be, and I found that completely awesome (interestingly, in terms of personality, her best friend, who lives on a commune, is written that way and serves as an excellent foil). I've read a few of the reviews, and I'm not sure exactly why some seem to think that the feminist principles were overt and over-the-top; quite truthfully I found it very organic and due to this, subtle (translation: well done!). I was planning to go off on how unbelievable the future, as seen by Glory, is in the book, then I started thinking about the current slate of US presidential hopefuls and realized that is completely unnecessary for me to do so as if some were to have their way, yeah - it *could* happen. I thought this book was just great and am really glad I read it out.

not your average story

Any additional comments?

Angst, death, parental suicide, aimless late teen, crab lice. A little reminiscent of an older Weetzie Bat, but a little blunter assessment of some hippies; and about profamily prolife, which is to say American Boko Haram. Not really an enjoyable story, ie the kind loved by critics.

so much love for this story

i listened to this while running, it made me cry and think and run faster.

Great Story, Shame About Glory

I never fully warmed to Glory O’Brian. I found her heartless and I don’t give characters with a ‘tragic’ past a pass on being unpleasant, especially when they go out of their way to be so.

Perhaps I came to understand her or at least sympathise a little but I failed to connect with Glory.

As a result the framing story – newly graduated Glory O’Brien facing an uncertain future - failed to grip me.

What did get me hook, line and sinker though was Glory’s own story – "The History of the Future". Apparently stricken with sudden physic abilities Glory begin to document the horrific future she sees for her, her friends and her country.

It is this ‘plot’, unravelled from her snatches of physic vision,that had me fascinated and captivated. This is a unique take on how the United States could crumble – one I haven’t read before in the myriad of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction currently clogging the shelves.

The book raised terrifying and thought provoking ideas that I wanted to immediately discuss with friends and that hands down makes the book worth recommending for me.

As a woman, I enjoyed the feminist themes and ideas but I don’t think you have to be female to enjoy this. The issues raised can be appreciated by anyone who wants something more than a hot guy/hot girl romance from their YA literature.

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future is expertly crafted so I think you'll have a hard time not being drawn if you give it a try!

I couldn't get past drinking the decomposed bat

Would you try another book from A. S. King and/or Christine Lakin?

Maybe, but this one was totally not what I expected.

Have you listened to any of Christine Lakin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

Did Glory O'Brien's History of the Future inspire you to do anything?

Never drink a decomposed bat, really what in the world were these people smoking when they came up with drinking a bat? I couldn't get past that.

Any additional comments?

This book was totally not what I expected and unfortunately not in a positive way.

Glory & her best friend are about to graduate from HS when they get drunk one night and drink a decomposed bat (wth). The effects of drinking the bat are that the girls start seeing people's pasts and futures where apparently there will be another world war, but both girls see different pasts and futures. I'm assuming to remind you of different people have different perspectives. This book is told from a extremely feminist POV.

I felt it went everywhere and nowhere at the same time, never really capturing my attention