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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
'Red Clocks' is easily one of the best realistic fiction novels I've read in a long time. This is a powerful critique of reproductive health laws in America and a portrait of women's resistance.
"What is a woman for?" ⏰
"What is a woman for?" ⏰
I. Loved. This. Book.
Yes, there is a lot of animal harm, and that's a shame. But. None of it is deliberate (i.e. wanton abuse), if that makes a difference. Except for the passages from the Biographer's book about her subject's people's traditional pilot whale hunting in the 19th century, which are as humanely killed as possible but still just a fucking mess. The rest is part of nature: the mysterious beaching of whales, a wild rabbit killed by a wild predator. All part of the life and death and blood that is the heart of this story of childbirth and abortion, this story that is, at its heart, like all hearts, filled with blood.
I loved all of the characters. Even the ones I didn't think I would love. At least I loved all of the women. I ached for all of them and their wants and dreams. I wanted for them what I want for all real women, which is that those who want babies get babies and those who don't want babies are allowed to not have them. I wanted to root for the perfect matchup of unwanted pregnancy and thwarted desire for motherhood, but I could not hope for a desperately frightened fifteen year old to be made to stay pregnant and endure childbirth with all of the social stigma, psychological trauma, physical pain, and risk of death that would entail. Who, I wonder, who has ever been a fifteen year old girl, would wish for that?
The synopsis tells us this is the story of five women, and many of the reviews repeated that statement without question of elucidation. Yet the synopsis itself lists only four, and the chapters are each from the POV of one of these four: The Biographer, The Mender, The Daughter, and The Wife. The fifth is never clearly identified in the text. I wondered the whole time I was reading if it started as a typo, five instead of four, perpetuated by reviewers who weren't paying attention?* Given the number of DNFs in GR's top reviews, a lack of attention seemed entirely plausible.
I pondered this the whole time I was reading, even taking time out from the increasingly engrossing story to double check the table of contents and scan reviews for more clues. Eventually (this sounds like a long process but I stayed up late with my Kindle app and read it in a day) I decided the fifth woman was The Biographer's subject. There is a great deal of her in the book, excerpts from her diary and dreams in The Biographer's head. She fills so much of the story with her life and death and tales of blood. Yet it's not her. I was wrong. While I was writing this review and listing all the candidates in hopes of starting a conversation, I suddenly realized who she is. I won't spoil it, though, or even give a hint. Every reader deserves the chance to unlock the secrets for themselves.
*It honestly put me in mind of how the first person to publicly review my first novel stated it was set in a dystopian future when it was literally the opposite of both those things. Yet 90% of future reviewers copied that phrasing word for word rather than paying attention to the dates, cultural references, and actual point of the story.
Yes, there is a lot of animal harm, and that's a shame. But. None of it is deliberate (i.e. wanton abuse), if that makes a difference. Except for the passages from the Biographer's book about her subject's people's traditional pilot whale hunting in the 19th century, which are as humanely killed as possible but still just a fucking mess. The rest is part of nature: the mysterious beaching of whales, a wild rabbit killed by a wild predator. All part of the life and death and blood that is the heart of this story of childbirth and abortion, this story that is, at its heart, like all hearts, filled with blood.
I loved all of the characters. Even the ones I didn't think I would love. At least I loved all of the women. I ached for all of them and their wants and dreams. I wanted for them what I want for all real women, which is that those who want babies get babies and those who don't want babies are allowed to not have them. I wanted to root for the perfect matchup of unwanted pregnancy and thwarted desire for motherhood, but I could not hope for a desperately frightened fifteen year old to be made to stay pregnant and endure childbirth with all of the social stigma, psychological trauma, physical pain, and risk of death that would entail. Who, I wonder, who has ever been a fifteen year old girl, would wish for that?
The synopsis tells us this is the story of five women, and many of the reviews repeated that statement without question of elucidation. Yet the synopsis itself lists only four, and the chapters are each from the POV of one of these four: The Biographer, The Mender, The Daughter, and The Wife. The fifth is never clearly identified in the text. I wondered the whole time I was reading if it started as a typo, five instead of four, perpetuated by reviewers who weren't paying attention?* Given the number of DNFs in GR's top reviews, a lack of attention seemed entirely plausible.
I pondered this the whole time I was reading, even taking time out from the increasingly engrossing story to double check the table of contents and scan reviews for more clues. Eventually (this sounds like a long process but I stayed up late with my Kindle app and read it in a day) I decided the fifth woman was The Biographer's subject. There is a great deal of her in the book, excerpts from her diary and dreams in The Biographer's head. She fills so much of the story with her life and death and tales of blood. Yet it's not her. I was wrong. While I was writing this review and listing all the candidates in hopes of starting a conversation, I suddenly realized who she is. I won't spoil it, though, or even give a hint. Every reader deserves the chance to unlock the secrets for themselves.
*It honestly put me in mind of how the first person to publicly review my first novel stated it was set in a dystopian future when it was literally the opposite of both those things. Yet 90% of future reviewers copied that phrasing word for word rather than paying attention to the dates, cultural references, and actual point of the story.
High 4 1/2. The detached writing style was very effective for The Wife and The Daughter, less effective for The Mender and The Biographer. All those characters had names so I didn’t love the gimmick with the titles but it didn’t especially bother me. I found the premise interesting and believable except for the part about Canada going out of their way to enforce a stupid American law. I really didn’t buy that, and since she was going for realistic dystopian I feel like she should have given more explanation for that part. Like some leverage the US used to make that happen. But overall I was totally engrossed in this story and I especially loved Susan’s chapters. Ro was a frustrating character, but it was an interesting flip on the “pro-lifer until your teenage daughter (or mistress) gets knocked up,” trope. Here instead it was, “I’m adamantly pro choice except I really want a baby and here’s a pregnant teenager so let’s see if I can make this work for me.” I don’t know if it rang true but it was an intriguing idea. Anyway I had some quibbles but I loved it. A+++ for the cover.
3.5. A different style of novel which took a while for me to get into, but once the characters were developed it was hard to put down.
Quick read on a very heavy topic. Also, the fact that this is billed as dystopian is nearly laughable in today’s world.
This was for sure and interesting read and I am glad I read it. It really did not seem so much like a dystopia. Rather, I felt like it was giving light to the trials and tribulations of womens' daily lives- which quite often revolve around our ability and desire (or lack thereof) to procreate. Not a life changing read for me but vital to recognize the voices of the women, who's lives seem mundane from the outside.
"She wants more than one thing... She wants to stretch her mind wider than 'to have one.' Wider than 'not to have one.' To quit shrinking life to a checked box, a calendar square... To be okay with not knowing... To see what is. And to see what is possible. "
"She wants more than one thing... She wants to stretch her mind wider than 'to have one.' Wider than 'not to have one.' To quit shrinking life to a checked box, a calendar square... To be okay with not knowing... To see what is. And to see what is possible. "
“what joy to walk naked after a shower and hear your labia clap. to rise from the toilet and hear your labia clap”
i rest my case
i rest my case
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
At first I didn't love it, kind of a slow build. But the end was a great look at the choices we make in an imperfect world.