The Two-Headed Lady at the End of the World – Book Review
Thank you so much to author Mark Miller for providing me with a copy of The Two-Headed Lady at the End of the World: A Romance Hotter Than a Thousand Suns in exchange for this honest review.
The love for 80s nostalgia and aesthetic seems to always be in demand. This science fiction drama bounces between the 80s and through the early 00s so it has no shortage of throwbacks. However, while most of the media in the 80s resurgence leans toward an aggressively neon pop culture dump, The Two-Headed Lady at the End of the World is more vapor wave.
It’s far more subtle and uses the decade as a setting not because it’s cool but because it’s necessary to the plot. The author needed a time in which technology was advanced enough to build the foundation for a supercomputer but far back enough that there was still a lingering Cold War threat. It makes sense to land in the 80s. There are still culture references but many are more obscure than Madonna. Max Headroom anybody? I’m obsessed.
There are several narratives throughout the novel with the title referring to the prominent Amanda and Miranda. They are conjoined twins but they weren’t born that way. In their teens they were at the center of a small nuclear accident that fused them together permanently. They have very different personalities which makes for some interesting conflicts between them.
Being well known as a medical anomaly and possible sign of the impending apocalypse was no guarantee to get asked to the homecoming dance.
Mark Miller – The Two-Headed Lady at the End of the World
Honestly, the idea of sharing genitals with someone far more sexually inclined makes me feel very uncomfortable but this would be a reality for two people in this bodily situation.
In addition to the Two-Headed Lady we have a bad boy turned military star, and aging high school jock, a sentient computer, and two men assigned to a bunker that was long ago forgotten about. They all have their own stories and romances, yes, even the computer.
Each character has a fully realized voice and personality and the author seamlessly weaves the stories together as they conjoin into an epic conclusion. The unexpected and unconventional happily ever after ending solidifies how The Two-Headed Lady at the End of the World stands out from the crowd.
It’s part human drama, part satire, and delightfully feminist. Seriously, we have a male author who writes not one, but two, amazing female protagonists with varied personalities who don’t fall into tropes of any kind. They demonstrate that there is no cookie cutter “strong woman.” Sexual freedom belongs to the desires of the individual, having a career doesn’t mean being cold, and two heads are better than one.
Women can work together toward a common goal whether that’s defeating the bad guys or learning to operate a body when you only control one side of the arms and legs.
Author Miller not only writes great female characters but diverse males as well. The jock can have insecurities, the military bros can sacrifice it all for love, and an AI can become an incel with an unrequited love. It’s a seriously impressive character driven story.
I strongly recommend The Two-Headed Lady at the End of the World. It’s unexpected, unique, and wholly entertaining.
5/5 heads 👩🏻👩🏻👩🏻👩🏻👩🏻
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