Book Review: Arc of the Universe

Reviewed by Victoria Lilly

A thought-provoking novel questioning how our world is run, how one individual can change it, and what the future could look like

In the year 2032, Carrie Davenport is drawn out of the ivory tower of her tenured professorship at a North Carolina university into an opportunity of a lifetime: to draft a constitution for a colony on Mars. The life-ambition of a tech billionaire, the project is entering its final stage, the launching of the first one hundred settlers to Mars. 

Carrie, a constitutional lawyer and a queer Black woman, is named the head of the committee in charge of providing the pioneers with a legal framework for the future Martian society.

Although initially enthusiastic about the prospect of putting her life’s work to practical use—and a utopian one, at that—Carrie quickly becomes frustrated. She chafes with the conservative fellow professor of law on the committee, Adam, who prefers a traditionalist approach over Carrie’s progressive and experimental ideas. But an incident of severe police brutality derails Carrie more than a snide white lawyer ever could. She had become a successful constitutional scholar in the hopes of escaping such racist violence, but the event shatters this illusion and makes her question to what extent can one create a just society through the word of law alone.

Arc of the Universe is a bold & intriguing work that dives thoughtfully into numerous issues plaguing contemporary America—and some that have plagued it from the very day of its founding. It raises questions about our imagining of new societies and whether conventional legal frameworks can adequately shield future societies from the problems of the existing ones. 

Carrie also struggles with resolving the knot of her racial belonging, professional identity, and ties and expectations that come with both. It’s the book’s most compelling thread. From the stark realization that no amount of success in her career will insulate her from racially-motivated violence, to her unease at being called out by fellow Black people for “not doing enough,” Carrie’s emotional journey is the strongest, most human aspect of the novel. 

Somewhat less human are those parts of the story which strand into a more essayist, polemical tone. This is, perhaps, inevitable if one is to speak about issues of social justice; a deal of bluntness might be warranted, especially in the climate of today’s politics in the United States. But the polemical sections do stand out as slightly uneven and slow down the pace of the plot. There are different political viewpoints, even among the progressive characters, which drive dynamics of their relationships, and point to different approaches to bettering society that can be taken depending on one’s circumstance.

The plot underpinning this treatise on social justice provides an additional level of enjoyment, beyond the emotional arc of the protagonist. Carrie, a bookish academic teaching constitutional law, is thrust into a world of money, fame, and secrets as she agrees to work on Project Mars. From lavish parties in billionaire villas, to navigating corporate interests, to a sweet little espionage stint, the plot has plenty to offer, even if the pacing does occasionally stumble. Oh, and there is a sweet sapphic love subplot to boot!

Ambitious in scope, deeply personal in execution, Arc of the Universe is sure to leave the reader stirred. Its complex approach to issues of race, class, and sexuality—and the intersection of them all—gives food for thought regardless of one’s particular identity. The answers its characters find by the end of the story aren’t unshakeable. The moral arc of the universe might bend toward justice, but no solution is perfect, and even the most well-intended laws are ultimately embodied and enforced by flawed human beings. But although there might be no perfect solution, that doesn’t mean we should not strive toward it.

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