Upright Women Wanted

The State rules with an iron fist in this Old West style dystopia. It features horses, cowboys, sheriffs, posses, six shooters and hangings when someone goes against the rules of the State – which believes in only heterosexual relationships and mind control by allowing only Approved Reading Matter.

Esther’s special friend Beatriz runs afoul of this last law and Ester’s sheriff father hangs Beatriz for having unapproved reading material. Ester had previously been frightened by her growing affection for Beatriz.

Now in order to escape her father and the marriage he has arranged for her, Ester flees to join a traveling group of State Authorized librarians who supposedly travel from town to town distributing approved reading from their show more horse drawn wagons.

Ester is a booklover who hopes to find a place with them. What she finds is quite different: a band of women living their forbidden loves freely, secretly distributing unauthorized material and helping fugitives working to further a rebellion. Although Ester had no idea that women could think about- much less live - loving other women and rebelling against the Laws of the State, she aspires to become one of them.

It’s a fun, slightly absurd story (they are heading to Utah where there is freedom and tolerance of the LGBTQ lifestyle). It’s thought-provoking at the same time (are we also embracing a society that devalues diversity?).

I hope there is a sequel. I’d like to find out what happens next. show less

Esther has run away from her small Arizona town after witnessing the hanging of her girlfriend for possession of Unapproved Materials. She wants to join the traveling Librarians, whom she thinks will put her on a more moral path. Surprise! They’re queer too and are secretly distributing supplies to anti-fascist rebels and ferrying fugitives across the southwest. Esther grew up in relative safety, so it will take quite a lot for her to prove her worth and be accepted as a Librarian.

I really loved this one! The worldbuilding is very entertaining - a mix of the future and a classic western, with some people just riding around the desert on horses and wagons, talking about drones. I should have expected that in a Sarah Gailey book about show more fascism all of the rebels would be queer, but it was a delightful surprise. Its only flaw is that it’s too short! I would read a whole series. show less

This has kind of a fun pulp-western feel and I enjoyed it a lot. Near future, dystopian fascist society. Nearly all-female cast of Librarians distributing "approved materials" around the desert southwest, while being subversive and a little Sapphic.

It's also a thin book and feels to me like a prologue to a series, or at least a much longer novel. Hopefully someday the author will come back to this world and flesh it out... (Maybe even cross it with all those hippos I see lurking in other Gailey books.)

Full disclosure: I obtained a copy of this from a TOR freebie giveaway (DRM free!); and like many other times I get free books that I enjoy, this means I owe the author at least a fancy coffee beverage next time they swing through Santa show more Banana. show less

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey is a novella that packs quite a punch. Enhanced by pulp Western language, a desert setting, and a group of strong, sharp tongued women this story about Librarians who travel the west was exciting, interesting and powerful.

In a United States that has evolved into a society that resembles the Old West, we unfortunately soon learn that homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, fascism, war and untruths are the rule of the day. Esther has stole away with a group of Librarians who travel the west bringing people “approved” materials and hope. She is recovering from the trauma of seeing the woman she loved hung for deviance and she is determined to become a Librarian. We soon learn that Librarians are, in show more fact, the heroes of the day and Esther’s story teaches both her and the readers that there is a place for everybody, and heroes come in all shapes and sizes.

Upright Women Wanted was a fun, quick read that was easy to love. How could one not love a story about subversive Librarians fighting injustice and allowing us to explore their politics of otherness. show less

This book was as easy as breathing. This is a "give the people what they want" kinda story. A Western where librarians deliver their books in wagons and wear badges and "just happen" to be all queer women and non-binary folks, and oh yeah, are leading a secret resistance movement? EAT IT UP WITH A SPOON.

Part of the blurb of this book says “The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing.” If that captures your interest, you will not be disappointed. I loved the Western vibe, the characters, and the storytelling. This book was exactly the right length and ended in a way that tied off the story thread but left the door open for more about this world. Interestingly, I felt it had a bit of The Chrysalids in its plot, in the sense that there is an authoritarian state, people feel compelled to suppress something natural about them that is deemed deviant by society, and they are discovering pockets of resistance to help them fight the good fight.

This book was a giveaway from Tor and I probably wouldn't have picked it up if I remembered that Sarah Gailey wrote the Hippo westerns -- which were the most brilliant idea, but I didn't care for the writing.

This little book was a bit of a revelation, though, and I think maybe my issues with her writing are solved by the novella format. I liked the new future/western/dystopian setting. I liked that we never really found out the answers/backstory to a lot of what was happening in the world. I like imagining badass lesbian librarian gunslingers -- who doesn't? And I think this was a good balance of Esther's internal struggles and fast paced adventure. I also really enjoyed Cye, the ornery non-binary mentor.