Mat Johnson

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss. Content warning for the death of a parent.)

--- 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 where necessary --

When we first meet Devin, he's about to fall into his newly deceased mother's grave - right on top of her, in fact. To say that he's a sad sack doesn't quite do it justice: he'll be the first to tell you that he's a college dropout with an ex-wife, a semi-estranged adult daughter, and a mounting pile of debt - but no marketable skills. He's spent the past decade or two caring for his aging mother Irene and, now that's she gone, he's left without purpose or direction. Just the house that his late mom purchased in 1970, which he's now in danger of losing thanks to a reverse mortgage. It's no wonder that Devin would rather bury himself in the past.

That's just what he's doing when Devin discovers his superpower: heavy doses of nostalgia allow him to revisit certain moment in the past. Once he discovers the "backflash" community, Devin enlists fellow time traveler Marcos to be his guide into the past. His goal? Find out the identity of his absent bio dad, so that he can sue the guy for back child support.

BACKFLASH is a really interesting idea with a lot to love. At 45 years young (lol), Devin's just a year younger than me (maybe not even? I think we were both born in 1978.), and we share so many cultural touchstones (fruit barrels! I'd forgotten about those). The concept of time-traveling-but-not-really is a fun one, and the mystery of Devin's father is engaging (especially with the introduction of the mob element).

Devin is eminently relatable, but also frustrating AF. As much as it hurts to admit, I see myself in him. I haven't lost a parent (yet), but after my husband died unexpectedly I dealt (am still dealing with) many of the same issues as Devin, including un-/under-employment, a lack of confidence in one's ability to adult, a feeling of aimlessness, and general malaise. And it's tempting to look outside yourself for somewhere to place the blame - and responsibility. So I get why Devin decided to hunt down his dad - not for connection, but money - but that didn't make it any less painful to watch. You kind of just want to shake the guy and tell him to grow up already.

Of course, Devin has a cheat code none of us mere mortals ever will: the ability to backflash. Before long, he'll be able to buy back his mother's home, along with every house on the whole damn block. Since it never quite feels like Devin earned it (he does express a desire to be there for his daughter Lark, but the story ends before we can witness his follow through), this makes for a rather unsatisfying deus ex machina.

That said, BACKFLASH is still well worth the read. It's a novel idea with lots of oblations for the GenX crowd.… (more)

In the film business, Mat Johnson’s Invisible Things would be called a story with a “high concept.” The first expedition to Jupiter discovers a city on Europa protected by a force field. The city, called New Roanoke, is inhabited by the victims of alien abduction and their descendants. They worship their unseen alien abductors and have developed strong cultural taboos around them. When a rescue ship finally arrives, it finds that not all of the original crew want to go home and that even the word home is taboo in New Roanoke. New Roanoke is not Tralfamadore, but Invisible Things is a satire that owes a lot to the satire of Kurt Vonnegut, Samuel Delany, and Philip K. Dick. Societies on Europa and Earth are deeply divided and exhibit a pathological unwillingness to face facts. Sound familiar? Johnson writes well and creates characters who think about the world and their place in it.… (more)