There are certainly lots of Americans on the Max-Earth side of the portal! And there are obviously 'North Americans', but not in the sense of belonging to the United States.
I appreciated the Adam Smith cameo, and caught the Kim Stanley Robinson reference.
Sally ended up with a good life in the end. I suppose it - narratively - counts more as a small detail than thematic need, but it's a little interesting we never find out anything about Sally's husband. Did she marry one of the few other people drawn through from 1772? Did she marry a Max-Earth native? These are marginally interesting questions, just because of implied sociological questions - marrying someone else from 1772 pairs Sally with another "Fish out of water," where they may both remind each other where they came from and grow together. Marrying a Max-Earth native has its own questions - how much the husband knew of her past, etc, etc.
Of her kids we learn little, other than twins, who have their own children eventually.
Also interesting Sally chose not to go to University under her own children were grown. One would assume in a far future socialist utopia with benevolent AI there would be all manner of support structure to allow Sally to attend University and/or peruse a career, even with young children. Schools and day care, while Sally could attend classes during the same part of the day the twins did. Automated/ordered meals. Support from her husband. Perhaps Sally's choice comes from her own ingrained 18th Century background? "Mother's place is in the home?" Here, one might expect her husband to be one of the other 1772 transplants, since a Max-Earth native would certainly make similar arguments to mine? I am, of course, assuming socialist utopia Max-Earth is one of this Sci-fi futures where racism, sexism, gender bias, et al, have been eliminated. You might not actually have built that universe so "golden."
Anyways, good digression. Was nice to see Sally's fate, and it provided new insight into Justin.
It was a deliberate choice to not get into details with Sally's husband. Partly for expediency - this is already a 3-parter, and this chapter is quite a long one, and I need to get back to the main story! - but also because I think it tells us something about Sally. She loves her family, I'm sure she loves her husband. But the world, and her own life, are the focus. And, let's face it, she's held a candle for Justin since she first saw 'him'. Even after learning the truth about Justin/Just Enough, that feeling never went away.
It's an impossible relationship that is perhaps the most intense and meaningful of her life. It's why the 3-parter ends with a brief POV snippet from Justin/Just Enough, lamenting Sally's passing, rather than with her human family. Can Justin have understood any of that, or cared? No idea. But Sally's existence certainly impacted on Justin, and given the more-or-less infinite nature of the megaships, that influence is not to be underestimated.
Would Just Enough have bothered to rescue the SDC crew by breaking them out of the prison van, if he hadn't established that 70-year connection with Sally?
Oh, I certainly caught the deliberate choice (as stated above, Sally's hubs wasn't important for the narrative themes).
Justin likely would NOT have saved the SDC crew if not for his relationship with Sally. Her life, and the opening of the portals seem to have awakened in Justin something (and I've been standing here too long not finding the perfect work. It's not "curiosity," and not even "concern," but similar) the other AIs don't have regarding humans.
No United States in that timeline, huh? That explains why there aren't any Americans in the stories...
There are certainly lots of Americans on the Max-Earth side of the portal! And there are obviously 'North Americans', but not in the sense of belonging to the United States.
A fascinating detour!
Thanks, Caz!
I appreciated the Adam Smith cameo, and caught the Kim Stanley Robinson reference.
Sally ended up with a good life in the end. I suppose it - narratively - counts more as a small detail than thematic need, but it's a little interesting we never find out anything about Sally's husband. Did she marry one of the few other people drawn through from 1772? Did she marry a Max-Earth native? These are marginally interesting questions, just because of implied sociological questions - marrying someone else from 1772 pairs Sally with another "Fish out of water," where they may both remind each other where they came from and grow together. Marrying a Max-Earth native has its own questions - how much the husband knew of her past, etc, etc.
Of her kids we learn little, other than twins, who have their own children eventually.
Also interesting Sally chose not to go to University under her own children were grown. One would assume in a far future socialist utopia with benevolent AI there would be all manner of support structure to allow Sally to attend University and/or peruse a career, even with young children. Schools and day care, while Sally could attend classes during the same part of the day the twins did. Automated/ordered meals. Support from her husband. Perhaps Sally's choice comes from her own ingrained 18th Century background? "Mother's place is in the home?" Here, one might expect her husband to be one of the other 1772 transplants, since a Max-Earth native would certainly make similar arguments to mine? I am, of course, assuming socialist utopia Max-Earth is one of this Sci-fi futures where racism, sexism, gender bias, et al, have been eliminated. You might not actually have built that universe so "golden."
Anyways, good digression. Was nice to see Sally's fate, and it provided new insight into Justin.
So... Lola next?
It was a deliberate choice to not get into details with Sally's husband. Partly for expediency - this is already a 3-parter, and this chapter is quite a long one, and I need to get back to the main story! - but also because I think it tells us something about Sally. She loves her family, I'm sure she loves her husband. But the world, and her own life, are the focus. And, let's face it, she's held a candle for Justin since she first saw 'him'. Even after learning the truth about Justin/Just Enough, that feeling never went away.
It's an impossible relationship that is perhaps the most intense and meaningful of her life. It's why the 3-parter ends with a brief POV snippet from Justin/Just Enough, lamenting Sally's passing, rather than with her human family. Can Justin have understood any of that, or cared? No idea. But Sally's existence certainly impacted on Justin, and given the more-or-less infinite nature of the megaships, that influence is not to be underestimated.
Would Just Enough have bothered to rescue the SDC crew by breaking them out of the prison van, if he hadn't established that 70-year connection with Sally?
Oh, I certainly caught the deliberate choice (as stated above, Sally's hubs wasn't important for the narrative themes).
Justin likely would NOT have saved the SDC crew if not for his relationship with Sally. Her life, and the opening of the portals seem to have awakened in Justin something (and I've been standing here too long not finding the perfect work. It's not "curiosity," and not even "concern," but similar) the other AIs don't have regarding humans.