The Deplorable Underground, Paula T. Weiss’ second novel in her dystopian series, is a powerful sequel to The Antifan Girlfriend. (WARNING: Spoilers ahead!). Malia and David, the main characters in Antifan, have escaped the Diversity Justice Republic (DJR) to live as free citizens in what remains of the United States. They’ve settled into a life in a suburban neighborhood with their two young children and Malia’s teenaged daughter. On the surface, all seems well, but disruptive and dangerous forces are in motion. DJR officials, humiliated by David and Malia’s defection, are bent on revenge. The story takes us from Malia’s kidnapping to David’s treacherous quest to rescue her. Malia, feeling abandoned, questions whether she might be better off capitulating to the wishes of her captors. David, questioning his wife’s loyalty, ultimately decides that he can’t leave Malia to rot in the repressive DJR hellscape in which dissidents live.
The Antifan Girlfriend illustrates the absurdity and evil of woke ideology pursued to its logical ends. The Deplorable Underground serves as a reminder that when totalitarians rule, there are no limits to their barbarism. There is no room for dissent. Thought crimes are real and social credit scores are paramount. Although The Deplorable Underground is set seventy years in the future, the DJR’s militant adherence to its “diversity” and “justice” dogma will feel familiar to those who are concerned about the ideological rigidity found in certain segments of today’s media, educational systems, politics, and popular culture. Weiss’ novels serve as both entertaining reads and a warning about the future.
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