The Hummingbird Effect (Kate Mildenhall, Scribner)

Kate Mildenhall’s latest novel, The Hummingbird Effect, follows the struggles of four women in a world completely transformed by time. The book follows four protagonists; in 1933, Peggy adjusts to life in a new town and first love, as the Angliss meat works replace slaughtermen with machinery. In 2020, Hilda struggles with her deteriorating dementia in the Covid lockdown restrictions. In 2031, La attempts to balance her new, suspiciously appealing job with a girlfriend who is ready for a baby, despite La’s own doubts. In 2181, after humanity’s destruction, Maz must protect herself and her sister when their camp discovers something dangerous which has fallen into the wrong hands. Mildenhall weaves commentary on things that matter—feminism, climate change, capitalism—throughout the world of the text. As readers try to understand how the women relate to each other and piece together the timeline from 1933 to 2181, the question of what the hummingbird project is propels the story. Mildenhall’s previous novel, The Mother Fault, similarly explores the impacts of a dystopian future on domesticity. Past readers will enjoy the larger reach Mildenhall executes with four protagonists, while new readers will be grateful for her attention to detail and the creativity in her world building. The Hummingbird Effect will appeal to lovers of sci-fi, slice of life, and a broad adult readership. Combining characters you want to root for and unexpected twists and revelations with an accessible voice, Mildenhall’s latest offering is difficult to put down.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Alexandra Ashburner-Hill is a creative writing major at the University of Melbourne. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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Category: Reviews