This book takes place in an alternate timeline wherein the past twenty years have been dedicated to the War on Climate Change rather than the War on Terror. Carbon emissions have remained steady since 2010, but there are few other positive changes compared to our world.

Kern's world is so fully realized that the challenges the characters face are more than realistic. There is hope and many good lessons within the book, but a lot is challenging too. This was a heavy read.

The main character is a white cis woman who begins the story as an optimistic liberal. She is radicalized by her communist and anarchist friends, but remains slightly apart from the others. It's clear she is meant to be the POV character for the reader to hear about leftist ideas and learn from the other minority characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

2.5/5
Thank you, NetGalley for the arc. I liked it at some point, but I think it wasn’t for me.
Okay, let's give more details. At first I just couldn't into the story, and then, I struggled so much to get through the book. And it's sad because the summary screamed that this book would probably be perfect for me. But no. It is not a bad book. I enjoyed it at some points. But I almost DNFed it. I have to admit, I went through it, because I had a free month on Scribd, and found the audiobook. Without it? I would have dnfed the book.
One of the biggest flaws, for me, is the main character. She was soooo insufferable. Like sometimes I just wondered if she was a teenager or a real adult. And guess what? She's an adult. She gave me Athena from "Yellow Face" vibes, but even worse because the book was not funny. Okay, she has good character development, but it takes so long. She's always whining. Yes, militantism is harsh, and activism is tough, especially when you have bad mental health. But in one paragraph she was like "Omg we're gonna change the world" and then, two paragraphs later "Noooo I'm such a bad person. And I can't do it, but I'm gonna justify myself to everyone around me". Justify yourself to yourself. Especially when you put everyone else in danger. At least if you are scared, be scared by yourself.
The side character? They are the main reason I pushed through the whole story. Also, the fact that I needed to read it to post my review here...
So yes, I really love Sim's tiktoks and how they talk about social issues, but I don't think their books are for me. But I'm sure they have their audience.

This book made me extremely uncomfortable.
Did I see pieces of myself in Maddie?
Unfortunately, yes.
Did I know what was going on the whole time or understand why everything was happening?
Nope.
Did that seem to matter?
Also no.

The book takes place in an alternate dystopian past that has bit of our past and could also be our future if we aren't more present. That shit scared the hell outta me.
I felt nervous, swoony, angry, empowered, confused, wistful, sad, fearful and ashamed while reading this.
Full emotional onslaught and I am not mad about it!
This was my first book by Sim Kern and the only thing I wish for, was that I had picked it up sooner.
I cannot wait to dive into more of Kern's writing!
Much love to NetGalley & Levine Querido for my DRC.

4.5

The Free People’s Village takes some time to get into but once I did I found I could not put it down. Set in an alternate Houston where Al Gore won the 2000 presidential election, Kern explores a reality where the US experiences a War on Climate Change rather than a War on Terror to similarly disastrous effect.

I found the plot engaging and this to be a great thematic exploration on what resistance and ally ship means in practice. I did find several of the characters to be a little two-dimensional. They felt more like vehicles for themes rather than actual humans, though that could have been what Kern was aiming for because Maddie felt very much like the epitome of white liberal.

Despite the few complaints, I did find this to be a really interesting read and would be interested in reading more from Sim Kern. I’ll also likely be buying a copy for my shelves because the production value that Levine Querido puts into their books is unbelievable.

Picture it. 2020. Al Gore won the 2004 presidential election and without the war on terror, there was a war on climate change. Green infrastructure projects have transformed U.S. cities into lush paradises (for the wealthy, white neighborhoods, at least), and the Bureau of Carbon Regulation levies carbon taxes on every financial transaction.

Maddie Ryan spends her days as an English teacher and her nights as the rhythm guitarist of Bunny Bloodlust and the girlfriend of a bandmate. Mostly Bunny Bloodlust is made up of queer, punk musicians warehouse-turned-venue called “The Lab” in Houston’s Eighth Ward on Maddie’s boyfriend’s dime. He’s a spoiled, rich white dude, but it’s better than being married to her religious, fundamentalist ex-husband. Maddie joins “Save the Eighth,” when she finds out that the lab sill soon be sacrificed for an electromagnetic hyperway out to the wealthy, white suburbs. She begins to learn about the harm she’s already done to the neighborhood with the band’s crashpad, learns more about the black and brown appressed people in this neighborhood where she only hangs out. Eventually, The Lab becomes “The Free People’s Village,” the protest holdout of the highway, Through the protests, the fight, and the love, Maddie learns more about the people and how to be a better member of her community and her world.

I really enjoyed this book. BUT keep in mind, though I am queer, I am also a white lady who, like Maddy, wants to know better, do better, and be an effective helper without speaking FOR others, but providing a platform for them to speak for themselves, so from my POV, I saw some of myself in Maddy. She’s our outsider introduction into this world, and that can be a tricky character to write. I thought Kern did a great job, but please seek out other opinions (black, brown, and queer). I tore through this book, and I, too, will be seeking out other perspectives of this one.

The Free People’s Village, by Sim Kern, is fun, sad, and uncomfortable in equal measure. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, and at times it comes off as preachy, but I could not pry my eyes away from it.

Al Gore has won the 2000 election and declared war on Climate Change. Initiatives introduced include several carbon credits schemes, and funding for green infrastructure to solidify the Democratic Party’s hold on the federal government for decades, ushering in a bright green future for a select group of people. When Maddie Ryan, an English teacher, learns that her queer punk band’s beloved home, The Lab, is set to be demolished to make way for a new hyperlane, she decides to get involved. So she joins “Save The Eighth,” and learns that the hyperlane threatens to destroy more than just her favorite hangout spot. Saving the Eighth becomes more work than she could have imagined as she has to reconcile her own history with that of the black neighborhood she works and plays in, but does not live in. And before she knows it, a revolution is underway as she becomes intimately entangled in the lives of people she barely knows.

The Free People’s Village is a hard book to pin down. It is very clear that the book is sending a message to its readers, wrapped in a very clear narrative. Every single moment in the book feels like it could be a lesson in how to relate to other people, whether it’s on a personal or political level. Maddie is put in many situations where she has to struggle with people making her feel uncomfortable based on her conventional white-girl upbringing. She has to learn how to navigate conversations where she doesn’t have the experience or the knowledge to know what is right. She is surrounded by people who have various levels of education and insight, along with vastly different life experiences. While it feels contrived, Kern sells it through Maddie’s vulnerability and the sheer charisma and equal vulnerability of the people she engages with.

There are a lot of moving parts in the Save the Eighth movement, operated by people with different ideals and long-term goals. The vast array of groups varying in size and leadership tactics assault Maddie and her ability to understand what is right and wrong. Kern spends a lot of time trying to emulate the confusion of being a part of a larger whole when various parties don’t agree. It’s a confusing sloppy mess filled with moments of inspiration and singular drive, spaced out by repetitive tasks, education, discipline, and argumentation. Kern, through Maddie, puts the reader in the position of having to navigate the kaleidoscopic array of interests while knowing that the main goal—Save the Eighth—is right and good. Kern also places Maddie in the background. She’s not a leader; she can’t be. She doesn’t have the experience, the know-how, or the ground connections. And through her, the reader can see the various ways movements can and need to be supported by other means.

One of the things I grapple with when it comes to characterization is how willing I am to accept narrative roles when they are so clear. The Free People’s Village is filled with so many vibrant characters who are there to serve a purpose. They highlight fears, anxieties, as well as triumphs of individuality. Had Kern made the characterization more one note, I think it would have felt more like a morality play. Instead, they feature characters who are filled with contradictions, allowing them to act like human beings who find themselves in a situation they did not choose. Some rise to the occasion, others love the antics, and some are better suited to running logistics and supporting the frontlines. Kern shows a wonderful array of people devoted to a movement that ebbs and flows with passion and interest.

Is this a book that I would recommend to anyone? Absolutely not. But if you are interested in climate, gentrification, anti-capitalism, intersectionality within movements, and similarly related topics, The Free People’s Village is for you. It’s an earnest portrayal of getting swept up in something when you don’t feel like it’s quite your fight. Kern provides authors and books within the story for further education, while trying to find ways those books can relate to a normal person. Plus it’s just refreshing to see a climate politics book that is skeptical about what could have been had we handed the tools over to capital, and then flesh out how it would have affected the everyday landscape of our lives. The Free People’s Village filled a gap in my reading that only makes me want to double down on finding more stories like it. Skeptical and realistic while placing its heart firmly on its cover.

Rating: The Free People’s Village – Don’t just recycle that pamphlet, spread it around.
–Alex

An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

I want to implant this book into everyone brain as a preloaded file. Sim does such an excellent job of setting up a supposed utopia only to reveal *gasp* that there is no magic alternate timeline where all the problems we have faced/are facing magically disappear. Capitalism would still be Commander in Chief, Black and Brown bodies would still bear the brunt of blame, and until folks come together in community, we are doomed to the same cycles.

The characters are complex, you love them and hate them in the same paragraph. Maddy especially has moments where she was just SOCLOSE to connecting the dots on various topics and you want to her to get there and finally Get It. but then she gets wrapped up in her own self perception and gets in her own way. Relatable, much?

Enjoy the crap out of this read, friends.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I do think there are important messages the author is trying to get across, but I don’t think the execution was very good.

The characters felt flat and two-dimensional. Any of the emotions that the characters were said to be experiencing didn’t feel real. There was something missing to make me truly empathise with them and their emotional displays. I feel like there was so much potential for some of the characters that just wasn’t reached, which is a shame.

Maddie was also quite annoying at times as the focus was on her feelings and thoughts about what was going on throughout the whole book. She was being educated, which is good with the help of her friends though she could’ve chosen to do some of her own research beforehand to not seem as selfish as the original motivation for taking part in Save the Eighth was just trying to keep the Lab and band together. But there should’ve been more focus on the people they were fighting for and how they felt, not just focusing on Maddie’s spirals. There was some real potential there that was unfortunately missed.

I do think the book was well written though. Just was a lot that didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sim Kern and Levine Querido for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

Al Gore has won the election everyone and we are in a dystopian future! What a concept. I really enjoyed this one. I have an interest in politics overall and so these concepts were one I was truly able to engage with.

- THE FREE PEOPLE'S VILLAGE is unlike any book I've ever read before. I never thought a book about the internal struggles of a group of activists would rivet me, but I absolutely could not put this down.
- This book is entirely from the POV of Maddie, a young white woman joining a Black-led movement to preserve a Black neighborhood. She doesn't always handle new information and situations perfectly (or even well), and she eventually has to reckon with her place in the movement and take accountability for actions she does or does not take. I think Kern struck the right balance here - Maddie is not a white savior, but she is given space to catch up on the history and politics she does not know (and even then, she is reprimanded for never bothering to learn these things!)
- Looking at this book from a wider perspective, I appreciated how Kern took the fork in the road that we often romanticize - Gore winning the 2000 election - and showed how even if there was massive movement on the climate, our society would still find a way to use those changes to enrich white people and push out poor and BIPOC people. Honestly, this book is one to give to white liberals who you wish would consider leftist ideas.

This book gripped me throughout it. It’s a very hopeful story for revolution that I didn’t know I needed. The characters feel so dimensional and real it stirred me in a way I was not expecting. There is great commentary on what it means to be a white activist that maybe didn’t get into activism for the sake of it and more for personal reasons. I wanted so much for these characters and want to keep reading their lives.

As per usual when I really, really love something I feel entirely inadequate to review it. I received an ARC of this book, I finished reading well ahead of publication date and yet here we are 3 days post publication date and I still haven't been able to string a coherent sentence that might entice someone to read this book together.
I adored this book, I loved the characters and how real they came across as. It was uncomfortable to read at time but in a way that felt important and like it was opening ground for conversations that need to happen. It's complex, nuanced, and raw. It made me cry a couple of times but it also invited me to look in the mirror.
If you've ever had your heart broken by a social movement you need to read this book, it's both healing and bracing.
I think this book comes at a time where we really need that type of fiction immensely, something that isn't about a hero, that isn't about someone who saves the day and makes it all better but about how revolution and societal change doesn't happen overnight and that sometimes (most of the time actually) it's about doing what you can when the opportunity arises and slowly building towards these opportunities. Also it's an excellent reminder for white people (such as myself) that being cringe and getting called out on it isn't the worst thing and that we can still do some good and grow which is often too easy to forget.
And because I always like to see it: points for casual/comfortable use of neopronouns.

I knew I chose a great ARC to request!

I was originally drawn to the book as I follow @sim_bookstagrams_badly on here and I loved the premise. The book follows a teacher named Maddie Ryan, who, through her punk band, joins a rebellion against the government when her Eighth Ward community is about to be sacrificed for construction of a new highway. In her ecofascist world, she questions what she will do in her pursuit of justice and of what she loves.

I’ve never read anything close to climate fiction before but I think I’m hooked now. The story has, at its core, a beautifully queer love story, and surrounding it are the microcosms of the pursuit of justice and ecological utopia under capitalism. The setting is complex but not too overwhelming, and the story plants the seeds of rebellion in the reader’s heart.

I dare say that in current times, we need stories like this, and I can’t wait to see what Kern does next!

The Free People’s Village is available wherever books are sold!

This is a near-future science fiction novel, but not our near future -- it's a world where Al Gore won, and where societies are attempting to halt global warming. It's a realistic look at the problems such attempts might face, and it has diverse, interesting characters. Especially for people who like "cozy" science fiction or utopian works, this is worth reading.

This is easily the best book I've read in 2023, and possibly the best book I've read in several years. I accidentally stayed up until about 1:30 AM to finish this book, and was so emotionally devastated I ended up staying up an hour after that to process before I could go to bed. My husband and daughter might not have appreciated it, but I was just so glad I got to read this book. The language is sharp and precise, the characters clear and colorful, and the trajectory of the story is absolutely devastating in the best possible way. I hope to read more from Sim Kern in the future; this was just the queer, anarchist speculative fiction we need right now.

Thank you to Levine Querido and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for a review.

The Free People's Village by Sim Kern is a timely alternate history novel that dives deep into one of the most pressing issues of our time. Their reimagining of a world where Al Gore won the 2000 election and declared a "War on Climate Change" instead of the "War on Terror" is a brilliant backdrop for exploring the them of climate change. One of the standout aspects of this book is the vast diversity of its characters. Kern brings to life a range of individuals, each with their own perspectives and struggles, which adds boundless depth and authenticity to the narrative.

The book's portrayal of violence and oppression against Black, brown and Indigenous communities is starkly realistic and profoundly impactful. Kern doesn't shy away from addressing the systemic issues that continue to plague these communities, and the raw and unflinching depiction of their experiences is absolutely heart-wrenching. Moreover, Kern's exploration of American politics and class structures is incisive. Through the lens of this alternate reality, readers are confronted with the harsh realities of our own society, prompting critical reflection on the choices we make and the consequences they have.

Sim Kern delivers a compelling story that tackles essential topics with unapologetic honesty. It's a novel that doesn't just entertain but also serves as a mirror to our world, urging readers to confront the challenges we face in addressing climate change, social justice, and political inequality. Their storytelling has become some of the most powerful that I've read this year, making The Free People's Village a must-read for anyone seeking a thought-provoking exploration of these pressing issues in a gripping alternate history context.

This book was a fast, fun read. Really "out there" but fascinating to see how the author invented a world rooted in what we know but also so different! I knew this book was set in an alternate reality from the beginning but it really hit me when the references to the tragedies of 9/11 were confirmed as having been pre-empted. Wow! If you are a fan of speculative fiction, I hope you'll enjoy this one.

The Free People’s Village by Sim Kern felt like a beautiful love letter to protest and activism. This book was a call to action. Big change takes time. Protest helps plant the seeds of change. One seed won’t change the world but as more seeds are planted, more change is possible. Radical ideas and thoughts must have space to grow. This book emphasizes the impact of community and using your privilege to help people who have less.

It was interesting to read from the perspective of Maddie. Maddie is an often naive white woman, on a journey of self discovery in a world where she doesn’t quite know her place. While sometimes hard to watch Maddie stumble and make mistakes, it was highly relatable. Maddie is certainly not perfect. I liked that she was given space to be imperfect and to take accountability and try again. We get to examine white guilt and shame through Maddie and it made me evaluate my own thought processes when it comes to being an ally.

Sim also did a beautiful job building the world and characters. I felt like I was at the Lab with Maddie, Red, Gestas, Angel, Fish, Shayna and the whole community. There’s definitely aspects of found family as these people who have sometimes been ostracized or misunderstood find each other through the hardships of this world.

The Free People’s Village features many profound conversations on religion, race, capitalism, climate change, police brutality, etc. These conversations were always engaging and while I have read a few of the non-fiction books mentioned, I felt like I came away with more knowledge and the desire to pick up the books I haven’t read. I highly recommend picking this one up!

I'm very sorry to say that I simply didn't enjoying reading The Free People's Village. The premise really drew me to this book, and I usually find myself loving 'What If?' books where a small historical change balloons into a radically different world. That being said, I just didn't feel engaged in the story or characters at all. To try and be a little more specific, my main gripe was with a lack of character development, which left each character feeling flat and unimaginative for me. It must be said that the traits surrounding gender were explored very well, but I can't help but feel that this was done to the detriment of every other aspect of character development, which left them feeling quite two-dimensional. I'm really happy to see other reviewers connected with this book much better than I did - it seems this one was just not for me. Regardless, I am very grateful to the publisher for sending me a reading copy.