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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“She couldn’t believe the Personhood Amendment had become real with all these citizens so against it. Which (the disbelief) was stupid. She knew - it was her job as a history of teacher to know - how many horrors are legitimated in public daylight, against the will of most of the people.”
I was reading this when Roe vs. Wade was overturned.
If you like being completely enraged while reading, pick this one up.
I was reading this when Roe vs. Wade was overturned.
If you like being completely enraged while reading, pick this one up.
Here’s the thing about this book...nothing really happens. Nothing is resolved or completed. If you like a story that has a semblance of completeness, then this is NOT the book for you. The author had an agenda - which is perfectly admirable. Most authors write for a reason. However, when you use a fictional novel as a platform for an issue, there needs to be a story. Fiction = story. Period. You can’t sacrifice the story for your platform.
Besides that, it was so choppy that it was painful to read.
Besides that, it was so choppy that it was painful to read.
inspiring
fast-paced
Character 3| Setting 3| Plot 3| Writing 4| Enjoyability 2
Overall Rating: 3
Categorizing this book seems difficult for me because it feels contemporary, but it is dystopian. Like dystopian lite. These events could happen in the book. We've already overturned Roe V Wade. In defense of this book it was written in 2018 and we overturned Roe V wade in 2022. It feels like a long time ago, but it was only two years.
Red Clocks had important things to say, but I had a hard time enjoying it because a lot of the characters were hard to vote for. But that's kind of the point I feel. There are real people who have flaws that would all be affected.
It is very ingenious to name each character by their title, because that is what we do now. The daughter, The biographer, the mender...not by their name(which humanizes them) but by what they do(dehumanizes makes it easier to put distance between them).
This book gets talked like hand maids tale. Listen, this is not as intense. Is it feminist? yes. Is it start with abortion? yes. But there were whole different vibes.
I did enjoy that there were good endings for most of the characters. Even if they didn't all get what they wanted. Some were ambiguous. But I'm glad it wasn't all doom and gloom at the end. I think at the end of the day, if we do what we can and support those who need our help we can make sure these things don't happen.
Overall Rating: 3
Categorizing this book seems difficult for me because it feels contemporary, but it is dystopian. Like dystopian lite. These events could happen in the book. We've already overturned Roe V Wade. In defense of this book it was written in 2018 and we overturned Roe V wade in 2022. It feels like a long time ago, but it was only two years.
Red Clocks had important things to say, but I had a hard time enjoying it because a lot of the characters were hard to vote for. But that's kind of the point I feel. There are real people who have flaws that would all be affected.
It is very ingenious to name each character by their title, because that is what we do now. The daughter, The biographer, the mender...not by their name(which humanizes them) but by what they do(dehumanizes makes it easier to put distance between them).
This book gets talked like hand maids tale. Listen, this is not as intense. Is it feminist? yes. Is it start with abortion? yes. But there were whole different vibes.
I did enjoy that there were good endings for most of the characters. Even if they didn't all get what they wanted. Some were ambiguous. But I'm glad it wasn't all doom and gloom at the end. I think at the end of the day, if we do what we can and support those who need our help we can make sure these things don't happen.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Sometimes it pays off to read a book that challenges you or that isn't necessarily entertaining, but is thought-provoking and interesting. I wouldn't say that I enjoyed reading Red Clocks, but I will say that I'm glad I did. It's an interesting companion to The Power by Naomi Alderman, since both are near-present day dystopias with four characters narrating in alternating chapters and strong feminist themes, and yet they are such completely different reading experiences. The writing itself is more challenging in this one, too. Zumas changes styles more dramatically between characters and each one fits, but some are harder to parse (for this reader, anyway) than others. But again, I'm glad to have worked those muscles in my brain.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I do not like the world Zumas has created at all, because it feels all to real, but I came to care very much about the women who live in that world. Just as I came to really care about them, though, the book was over.