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| Review Summary |
The final book ever written by Robert A. Heinlein isn't really science fiction, not most of it, but that doesn't prevent it from being a fascinating read. It's the autobiographical story of Lazarus Long's Mom, Maureen Johnson. She describes how she grew up in Missouri as a young girl, and what it was like growing up as a sexually promiscuous Howard in the rather victorian early 1900's. Maureen describes in detail how she had sex with a lot of guys, and made an incredible number of babies, but what makes the book really interesting is the window it gives into life in the 1900's. The story also crosses path with Lazarus's time travel back to Maureen's then-present, and how she used the information he gave her to subtly change certain aspects of the future.
During the recitation of this story there's a vague subplot of how Maureen was captured/hijacked/diverted by some unknown assailants, and there's a parallel story that proceeds as she describes her childhood and adulthood back on Earth, but it's mainly the story of her growing up that's the real story. Once Maureen is rescued by the Longs, there's no new group of people for her to have sex with, so they go back in time to rescue and recruit her father, so she can have sex with him too. It seems that Heinlein, in his final book, couldn't think of anything more shocking to end with then having a daughter have sex with her father; but after mutiple books of (somewhat wearying) incest, polygamy, and other group sex activities, it doesn't really come across as anything new. However, the book is well worth reading as historical fiction.
Steve, Resident Scholar
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%
Tone of book
- very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Romance
Yes
Repressive society story
Yes
Repressive because:
- controls your sex
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture
Yes
Culture clash-
- one human from different culture of other humans
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- homemaker
Age:
- long lived adults
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Earth setting:
- 20th century
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a futuristic society
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- none/very little science jargon needed
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
- descript of kissing
- descript of touching personal anatomy
- actual description of sex
How much dialogue?
- mostly dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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