Welcome back to Back Shelf Sundays, where I review backlist titles I didn’t read when they were first published. I do this every week to ensure I’m reading more than just newly released and forthcoming titles. There are so many good books already out there!
This week’s book is And What Can We Offer You Tonight by Premee Mohamed, which won the 2021 Nebula Award and the 2022 World Fantasy Award for Best Novella. I have to admit that I’m cheating a tiny bit with this book. Although this is a backlist title, I read this book through an arc of its fantastic upcoming audiobook. And What Can We Offer You Tonight is a story about power and the lack thereof; it’s about humanity and the meaning of true freedom.
Synopsis:
In a far future city, where you can fall to a government cull for a single mistake, And What Can We Offer You Tonight tells the story of Jewel, established courtesan in a luxurious House. Jewel’s world is shaken when her friend is murdered by a client, but somehow comes back to life. To get revenge, they will both have to confront the limits of loyalty, guilt, and justice.
Review:
Because this novella is just 80 pages, to say too much would be giving away the heart of it. And What Can We Offer You Tonight is set in a murky, dystopian future. In many ways, Mohamed’s world is far too similar to the worst of our own. There are class divisions, indentured servitude, and a power echelon of people who control society. This dystopian setting is comfortable for readers of the speculative fiction genre – it isn’t wildly new. However, Mohamed uses characters others might overlook to tell her story.
The story’s protagonist is a courtesan, and all the other characters are also involved in sex work in some way. Mohamed uses these forgotten and overlooked characters to investigate the meaning of humanity, personhood, and freedom. It’s fascinating and something I haven’t seen examined this thoroughly. And What Can We Offer You Tonight is about who we allow to have power, how they keep power, and what happens when someone threatens that power.
Final Thoughts: This novella packs quite a punch in a small package. In only 80 pages and just under three hours on audio, Mohamed tells an incredibly impactful story with a ton of depth. The novella is well-written, and the forthcoming audiobook is incredibly well-narrated; I highly recommend you pick it up.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Thanks to Bespeak Audio Editions for an arc of audiobook for And What Can We Offer You Tonight. All the above thoughts are my own.
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