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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
"Red Clocks" feels like a normal, everyday kind of world as we know, but it is dystopian in the sense that there is a patriarchal, authoritarian, crushing laws in place. (Sound familiar?) Embryos now have more rights than adult women. If a woman miscarries (no matter how early the pregnancy or if she even knew she was pregnant), she is forced to pay for a formal funeral. Embryos cannot give consent to be moved, so IVF is not an option. Abortion is illegal, so women are forced to seek out dangerous alternatives. It doesn't matter if it was rape or incest - they don't care how it got in there.
I couldn't put this book down - I read it in three days. Zumas wrote the laws of the dystopia from actual suggestions from real conservative lawmakers. When I read the last page and put the book down, I felt like I was on the edge of being in this world. It felt too real. A timely book, indeed.
I couldn't put this book down - I read it in three days. Zumas wrote the laws of the dystopia from actual suggestions from real conservative lawmakers. When I read the last page and put the book down, I felt like I was on the edge of being in this world. It felt too real. A timely book, indeed.
Strange and unexpected
I wasn't sure, at first, if I'd like this. "Not my cuppa," I imagined myself writing. But it grew and grew on me. I got absorbed and interested and couldn't put it down, towards the end. It has an unusual style, but I found I liked the originality of it.
I wasn't sure, at first, if I'd like this. "Not my cuppa," I imagined myself writing. But it grew and grew on me. I got absorbed and interested and couldn't put it down, towards the end. It has an unusual style, but I found I liked the originality of it.
What would it be like to be a woman in a post-reproductive rights America? Leni Zumas explores this question by telling the stories of five seemingly unrelated women, each struggling with her own identity vis-à-vis what it means to be a mother, wife, daughter, sister. Ultimately, this book is about the pursuit of autonomy in a culture that relentlessly attempts to diminish and restrict the lives of women. Evoking the sensibility of Margaret Atwood, Zumas has constructed a searing critique of the patriarchy while at the same time crafting complex and relatable characters and riveting, profoundly woman-centric narratives.
Notes from Feb 2019 re-read:
Reading this now that Kavanaugh is on the Supreme Court is even more chilling. That said, I liked the story less than the first time around. The author seemed to confuse characters' physical description with rampant body-shaming and lookism. And also many of the plot points were contrived and metaphors a little too obvious. I mean, a really long passage on sperm whales?
I still found it worth reading despite those flaws.
Notes from Feb 2019 re-read:
Reading this now that Kavanaugh is on the Supreme Court is even more chilling. That said, I liked the story less than the first time around. The author seemed to confuse characters' physical description with rampant body-shaming and lookism. And also many of the plot points were contrived and metaphors a little too obvious. I mean, a really long passage on sperm whales?
I still found it worth reading despite those flaws.