The Future

When Martha Einkorn fled her father’s isolated compound in Oregon, she never expected to find herself working for a powerful social media mogul hell-bent on controlling everything. Now, she’s surrounded by mega-rich companies designing private weather, predictive analytics, and covert weaponry, while spouting technological prophecy. Martha may have left the cult, but if the apocalyptic warnings in her father’s fox and rabbit sermon—once a parable to her—are starting to come true, how much future is actually left?

Across the world, in a mall in Singapore, Lai Zhen, an internet-famous survivalist, flees from an assassin. She’s cornered, desperate and—worst of all—might die without ever knowing what's going on. Suddenly, a remarkable piece of software appears on her phone telling her exactly how to escape. Who made it? What is it really for? And if those behind it can save her from danger, what do they want from her, and what else do they know about the future?

Martha and Zhen’s worlds are about to collide. An explosive chain of events is set in motion. While a few billionaires assured of their own safety lead the world to destruction, Martha’s relentless drive and Zhen’s insatiable curiosity could lead to something beautiful or the cataclysmic end of civilization.

By turns thrilling, hilarious, tender, and always piercingly brilliant, The Future unfolds at a breakneck speed, highlighting how power corrupts the few who have it and what it means to stand up to them. The future is coming. The Future is here.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Simon & Schuster.

Book club questions for The Future by Naomi Alderman

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

In The Future, the heads of tech companies are portrayed as having an overwhelming influence on the world. How does this reflect current real-world concerns about the power of tech companies? Do you think this portrayal is exaggerated, or is it a plausible future scenario?

Martha and Zhen come from very different backgrounds and find themselves in the middle of a world-changing conspiracy. How do their personal histories and motivations shape their actions throughout the story? What do they represent in the broader narrative?

The book explores the idea of predictive analytics and artificial intelligence—how do you think these technologies might impact society if they were only in the hands of a few powerful individuals or corporations?

The novel raises questions about the ethics of technological advancements and their potential for both good and harm. What are some ethical dilemmas faced by the characters in the story, and how do they grapple with them?

The book suggests that power can corrupt those who possess it. Discuss how the billionaire characters in the story wield their influence and how it changes them.

Which aspects of the book did you find most thrilling or thought-provoking?

The characters in the story are confronted with the possibility of a cataclysmic end of civilization. What do you think the book is trying to convey about the fragility of our modern society and the potential threats it faces?

Throughout the novel, technology plays a central role in both the problems and potential solutions. How does the author balance the portrayal of technology as a source of danger and a source of hope? What do you think is the book’s overall message about the role of technology in our lives? Do you agree with this message?

The Future touches on themes of resistance and standing up to the few in power. What strategies do Martha and Zhen employ to challenge the status quo, and how do they inspire others to join their cause?

The novel’s title, “The Future,” suggests a sense of inevitability and anticipation. What do you think the author is trying to convey about the future and our role in shaping it? How does the book leave you thinking about the future of technology and society?

The Future Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the The Future discussion questions

“Alderman has crafted characters readers will want to follow wherever they go—even to the end of the world. A smart, engrossing fable about digital technology and human community.” —Kirkus Starred Review

“The endless intrigue and surprising twists keep the pages turning.” —Publishers Weekly

“Playful, incisive, horribly relevant and surprisingly hopeful, The Future is a thrill ride that’s also a powerful manifesto hurtling towards a world where everything might turn out to be okay. A little Atwood, a little Gibson, all Alderman, it’s brilliant and I loved it.” —Lauren Beukes, New York Times bestselling author of The Shining Girls and Bridge

“It is the genius of Naomi Alderman to embed a smart and thought-provoking meditation inside a page-turner of a book. This is one wild (and thoughtful) ride. Many things to think! Many things to feel!” —Karen Joy Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

“How can a novel of big ideas be such compulsively readable entertainment? A nail-biting love story and a witty page-turner about the pros and cons of human civilization, The Future is a wow.”—Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Learned by Heart and Room