Do yourself a favor and read “The Free People’s Village”. It’s no secret that I’ve become a big fan of Sim Kern this year, but this is seriously so good. I couldn’t put it down. 

There’s a lot on offer here: historical rewriting, historical references, climate everything, solarpunk, current events, music, romantic pairings, and a beautifully designed and well published book. Hats off of to Levine Querido for the quality of this book. Considering all of the quality issues with a certain blockbuster book rushed to press, I can’t tell you how impressed I am with how well done this is.

One more thing on the design of the book. The dust jacket and cover were done by Ganzeer. The dust jacket is designed to be a protest poster, while the actual cover underneath is designed like an album cover. Yes, both things relate to the story!

The heart of this story is very much the same as Kern’s TikTok. There’s an educational aspect interwoven with resistance and organization, but none of that detracts from the story. 

With a lot of books I read there is usually at least one scene where I’m annoyed or disappointed by a character’s choices. That didn’t happen here. Sure, I don’t like Fish. He’s kind of a douche, but I wouldn’t change him. I think Maddie’s reactions to some things might even mirror my own. But, at the end of the day I don’t feel any of the characters do anything not fitting for them. 

There are some different narratives happening at the same time, but instead of them happening in silos, they weave into each other. It creates a more cohesive overall feel. 

I appreciate how Kern ends the book. I don’t like cliche, packaged in a bow endings. This feels much more realistic. Life continues, characters grow and evolve.