110 pages • 3 hours read
Kim Stanley RobinsonThe Ministry for the Future
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
The Ministry for the Future is a climate fiction novel by Kim Stanley Robinson that begins in 2025 with a deadly heatwave in India, spurring global efforts to combat climate change. Led by Mary Murphy, the Ministry uses legal, economic, and controversial tactics, including a secret "black wing," to reduce carbon emissions. Through activism, bureaucratic work, and changing governance models, humanity slowly makes progress in addressing climate change by the 2040s.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Kim Stanley Robinson's The Ministry for the Future captures both praise and critique. Reviewers commend its imaginative and hopeful vision of addressing climate change, highlighting its detailed scientific grounding and urgency. However, some criticize the dense prose and fragmented narrative. Overall, its ambitious scope and thought-provoking ideas make it a provocative read.
Who Should Read The Ministry for the Future?
A reader who would enjoy The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson is likely passionate about climate science, speculative fiction, and socio-political change. Fans of The Overstory by Richard Powers or New York 2140 by Robinson himself, will appreciate its blend of environmental urgency and narrative innovation.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Climate Change
Natural World: Environment
Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Society: Politics & Government