He, She and It
A 1991 cyberpunk novel by American writer Marge Piercy.
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He, She, and It, published in the United Kingdom as Body of Glass, is a 1991 cyberpunk novel by Marge Piercy. It received the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in 1993. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic America and centers on a romantic relationship between a human woman and a cyborg built to defend her community against corporate attackers. A parallel plot recounts the making of a golem in 17th-century Prague.
Like Piercy’s earlier novel Woman on the Edge of Time (1976), this work explores themes of gender roles, political economy, and environmentalism. By the mid-21st century, Norika—formerly North America—has become a toxic wasteland. The region is controlled by powerful corporations called “multis,” and includes environmental domes, independent “free towns,” and the chaotic “Glop,” where most Norikans live amid violence, pollution, and rule by gangs and warlords.
Background
The story takes place in North America in the year 2059. Economic and political power is held by a few multis—huge multinational enterprises—while most people live in the glop, a polluted, violent megalopolis.
Free towns like Tikva remain autonomous by selling technologies. The protagonist, Shira, returns to Tikva after losing custody of her son and works on socializing Yod, a cyborg created illegally to protect the city. Shira and Yod develop a sexual relationship, and the plot involves custody battles, corporate attacks, and infiltration of the Y-S network.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the author of He, She and It?
He, She and It was written by American novelist Marge Piercy and first came out in 1991. It is classified as a cyberpunk novel.
What is the main plot of He, She and It?
The novel follows a romantic bond between a human woman and a cyborg who was constructed to protect her community from corporate aggressors. The action unfolds in a post-apocalyptic version of America.
What themes does He, She and It explore?
Piercy weaves together questions of gender dynamics, the politics of the economy, and environmental concerns. These same interests also appeared in her earlier novel Woman on the Edge of Time.
More in Romantic science fiction novels
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: He, She and It (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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