The Future of Another Timeline

Abstract

The novel addresses two distinct timelines. In one of these, readers follow the life of Beth, a teenager living in 1992 who is part of the punk movement. One of her best friends (Lizzy) is being abused by her father, while the other (Heather) is being abused by her boyfriend. One day, Heather accidentally murders her boyfriend, and Beth agrees to help hide the body. They also come to recognise that women need to be protected from these kinds of abuses. The other timeline is set in 2022, and readers come to know the character Tess, a geologist who is part of a team of scholars and activists that are capable of time-traveling: the Daughters of Harriet. By travelling to the past, they intend to edit history in order to create a more equitable future for women and marginalised groups. However, a group entitled Comstockers serve as their enemies. Comprising of reactionary men who wish to reinforce patriarchal norms by changing key historical events, the Comstockers even attempt to assassinate prominent feminist figures throughout History, and want to ensure a future in which women have been genetically engineered to be submissive and obedient. Tess’s story intertwines with Beth’s, as what Tess manages to edit in the past comes to influence Beth’s future, and how oppressive it is to the girl. Eventually, Tess even manages to travel to the nineteenth century and take on Anthony Comstock, whose thoughts inspired the creation of the Comstockers.