High Times in the Low Parliament
{{Short description|2022 fantasy novella by Kelly Robson}}
High Times in the Low Parliament is a 2022 fantasy novella by Kelly Robson, who described it as "a lesbian stoner buddy comedy with fairies — about Brexit".[https://kellyrobson.com/high-times-in-the-low-parliament/ High Times in the Low Parliament], by Kelly Robson, at KellyRobson.com; retrieved February 9, 2025 It was first published by Tordotcom.
Synopsis
In a Europe without men, Lana Baker is a drug-addled scribe from Aldgate who is tricked into working in the Low Parliament—where, unless a years-long deadlock can be resolved, fairies will flood the site and kill everyone.
Reception
High Times in the Low Parliament was a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 2022,[https://nebulas.sfwa.org/nominated-work/high-times-in-the-low-parliament/ High Times in the Low Parliament], at Science Fiction Writers of America; retrieved February 9, 2025 the 2023 Locus Award for Best Novella,[https://locusmag.com/2023/04/2023-locus-awards-top-ten-finalists-2/ 2023 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists], at Locus; published April 28, 2023; retrieved February 9, 2025 and the 2023 Aurora Award for Best Novelette/Novella.[https://reactormag.com/heres-the-2023-aurora-award-ballot/ Here’s the 2023 Aurora Award Ballot!], by Molly Templeton, at Reactor; published May 13, 2023; retrieved February 9, 2025
Writing in Locus, Gary K. Wolfe lauded it as "delightful" and "demented fun and shrewd satire", with a basic premise that is "goofy", and observed that the three-way relationship between Lana, the fairy Bugbite, and the French delegate Eloquentia "plays out in classic screwball romantic comedy form".[https://locusmag.com/2022/08/gary-k-wolfe-reviews-high-times-in-the-low-parliament-by-kelly-robson/ Gary K. Wolfe Reviews High Times in the Low Parliament by Kelly Robson], by Gary K. Wolfe, in Locus; posted online August 6, 2022; retrieved February 9, 2025
Publishers Weekly commended it as "charming" and "easygoing", but felt that "Robson's argument that parliamentary systems, however flawed, are worth preserving" was "undercut" by the fact that Lana fell asleep during an important debate.[https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781250823021 High Times in the Low Parliament], reviewed at Publishers Weekly; published April 21, 2022; retrieved February 9, 2025 The New York Times Book Review called it "gallows humor with a light touch".[https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/20/books/review/new-romance-novels.html A Sweet, Satisfying, Utterly Intoxicating Historical Romance], by Olivia Waite, in The New York Times Book Review; published August 20, 2022; retrieved February 9, 2025
Library Journal, reviewing the audiobook, noted its "frenetic pace in lieu of expansive worldbuilding", stating that it "leaves readers wanting more".[https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/high-times-in-the-low-parliament-2164980 AUDIO: High Times in the Low Parliament], reviewed by Andy Myers; in Library Journal; published December 1, 2022; retrieved February 9, 2025 AudioFile praised it as "utterly fun", with "wonderful worldbuilding", and found Lana "delightfully charming, lazy, and witty".[https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/219933/high-times-in-the-low-parliament-by-kelly-robson-read-by-amy-scanlon/ HIGH TIMES IN THE LOW PARLIAMENT by Kelly Robson | Read by Amy Scanlon], reviewed in September 2022; in AudioFile; retrieved February 9, 2025