I just recently finished reading Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King. Do you like mysterious, unexplainable phenomenon, science fiction adventures, or heartfelt stories about finding one's own identity? Then this book is for you. Follow Glory and her friend Ellie on their own journeys of self-discoveries and a quest for knowledge that will change their lives forever. One of the things that attracted me to this story is the image of the girl on the front cover. Who is she? What does she see as she peeks at me? As I started reading about this girl, Glory O'Brien, I discovered there is a lot more to her than meets the eye. Who is this daughter of Darla O'Brien, the photographer? Who is this friend of Ellie Heffner, the girl next door? Who is Ellie Heffner, the girl with the hippie parents? Who are these girls who can see the future? These are questions that Glory has to answer for herself in the midst of some unusual circumstances in her life.
One crazy night in the summer, after drinking the dust remains of a dead bat, both Glory and Ellie find they can see everyone’s infinite histories and futures. These “transmissions” show them the details of people's lives in the past, present, and future, which ultimately leads them to discover there will be a Second Civil War in fifty years. Glory realizes the upcoming events are important for future generations to understand about society, and thus begins to write down all the relevant visions she sees in a book titled, Glory O'Brien's History of the Future. However, she does not realize until later that she will also be a key player in the upcoming war, which changes her whole perspective about her identity.
This is the story of a girl who is trying to figure out who she is, why she matters in this world, and what her future will be. Here's how Glory explains her quest for truth in her own life in the novel:
I saw Ellie looking at Dad and I could see she was seeing his infinity and I wondered if she saw any future. I wanted him to have a future. I wanted me to have a future...I wanted to know if my grandsons would be part of the machine. I wanted to know if my granddaughters would be stolen. I wanted to know everything…if there was anything. I was so tired of empty. (p. 155)
This book is written for a mature reader, both because of the narrative style as well as the themes presented.
Overall, I believe you will find this book intriguing and engaging as you travel with Glory to discover the hidden truths behind each scene. To find this book at your local library, please click here.
Happy reading!
Anna Antonik
Anna Antonik is currently a graduate student studying to become a Literacy Specialist at Nazareth College. Fascinated with books from an early age, she has always been the bookworm in her family, and enjoys reading new novels to add to her home library. She has the pleasure of taking a Young Adult literature course this semester, and is excited to share her newest read from class, Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A. S. King.
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