Synopsis
An immortal, doomed to die. A time traveler, desperate to save her.
When Zera travels back in time to 2040, she aims to investigate the geomagnetic storm that scorched the earth. Instead, she finds the beautiful Katherine, who speaks of past storms and asks with her dying breath, “Is this the first time we meet?”
From WWII-era New York to early 2000s New Orleans and everywhere in between, Zera chases both storms and Katherine, thinking her immortality is the key to fixing the future. But as the immortal goes from a reluctant ally with a deadly hunter to a romantic complication, Zera wonders if the past is really set in stone, or if she can still save the world—and Katherine.
Quick Review
A Swift and Sudden Exit is a clever sapphic sci-fi romance—one that leans more into the romance than the science. The story is fun, keeps a great pace, and involves plenty of time travel to keep things fresh.
Full Review
A Swift and Sudden Exit is a story centered on Zera, a time traveler from 2040, and Katherine, a woman who already recognizes Zera the first time they meet. Things escalate quickly. Zera returns to the past to collect data about a storm from the past to fix a problem in the future—all while she tries to figure out who Katherine is, and why she recognized her.
I would not recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for their next great sci-fi obsession, but if you’re looking for a clever sapphic romance novel this will absolutely do the trick. Although she is the time traveler, Zera is really clueless as to how it all works, relying on other people to make sure all the technical stuff goes well. She doesn’t make a lot of effort to understand any of it, either, as her focus is on Katherine.
As for her part in all this, Katherine always happens to be wherever Zera travels, be it New York City in 1944, or New Orleans in 2004. Through their meetings, we see their relationship grow. Author Nico Vincenty doesn’t shy away from showing some of the rougher parts of their budding romance, which are pinned on both personal difficulties and societal ones. Because although Zera is from a time when many barriers have been overcome, Katherine is living through the American gay rights movement.
I highly recommend A Swift and Sudden Exit. This story is just pure fun. The banter, the constantly changing settings, and seeing Zera and Katherine grow together made for a great time.
Also, I listened to this on audio, and Gabby Naylor did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. If you’ve got a long commute or just need something new to listen to, A Swift and Sudden Exit is a great choice.
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