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charliethebooklover's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was really excited for this book, as I always am with a book like this. But it just didn't meet my expectations. Don't get me wrong, the message is lovely, and the struggles are very real and valid. The book was just not as good as I'd hoped. Dystopian are always hit or miss for me, but this book was in the middle. Whenever I thought of this book, I immediately wanted to read something else, and I really hate that, because this book is so raw and real. But the characters only trait was being angry at the patriarchy. And while I agree, I wish I could have seen myself in them other than just the feminist side. But they were just not it. The plot was everywhere, and the world-building was minimal. And it hit a bit too close to home, considering what's going on with abortion laws in America right now. I would recommend you check it out for yourself, and see what you think! Please check the content warnings, as always, and #MyBodyMyChoice
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Abortion, and Cursing
polysemy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Sexism, Pregnancy, Abortion, and Infertility
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Cannibalism
jen_again's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Pregnancy, and Infertility
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Infidelity
caroline_norrish's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Abortion and Animal death
Minor: Domestic abuse
bunnyreads2's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I listened to the audiobook but this version had music with it, which wasn’t bad but I’m not used to it and it felt a bit weird, distracting.
I think I liked the story and characters overall but I struggled to get enthralled by it. Maybe things IRL got too close to this “what if” scenario for me to be like “wow imagine though!!”… I’d put this book in my TBR a few years ago, and it felt weird to get to it now. But still a good work overall.
I think I liked the story and characters overall but I struggled to get enthralled by it. Maybe things IRL got too close to this “what if” scenario for me to be like “wow imagine though!!”… I’d put this book in my TBR a few years ago, and it felt weird to get to it now. But still a good work overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Death, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
npavitt's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
The premise of the book is really interesting and the writing style was interesting. As a woman, nothing the characters were feeling was really surprising but I imagine it would be insightful for a male reader. I feel like a lot more could be done with the ideas of abortion being illegal and IVF banned for single mothers and have left feeling neither here nor there with it. At a time when these issues are so widely discussed and (somehow!) continue to be debated it didn't feel like it gave me a drive to fight which I was expecting to feel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Abortion, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
abisummers's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Addiction
yvejr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
bowlofnicole's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion
wordsofclover's review against another edition
challenging
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In the America of Red Clocks, a human embryo has more rights than that of a woman carrying it. Due to a special amendment in the law, abortion is illegal in every state in America and women who attempt an abortion can be jailed. Those who miscarry can be charged with manslaughter or forced to for the funeral of the fetus, and single women who want to adopt are not allowed due to a 'Every Child Needs Two' rule. Even IVF is out of the question as the embryos did not give consent.
This is a strange book to read because even though everything in it seems so over the top and crazy, we all know too well that the strict abortion laws portrayed in this book are almost identical to those currently in place in Poland, and where up until very recently in my own country of Ireland. The journeys American women in this book go on to Canada - a journey of fear, loneliness and pain - is currently being experience by Polish women travelling to neighbouring countries and all the Irish women who took the flight to England, and bled on the way back.
This is actually a book I put off reading for over two years because when I originally received it, Repeal the 8th hadn't yet passed in Ireland and all the fears and entrapment felt by the women in this book were ones I also felt when I fear what would happen if I ever went through an unwanted pregnancy. However, having read it now and at the right time - now Irish women have the control over their own bodies for the first time in a long, long time - I thoroughly enjoyed this book and not just for the points it made (how women and those in vulnerable position are always the ones that are affected the most by insane abortion rules aka men trying to control women's bodies AND abortion laws don't stop abortions from happening, they just stop safe ones)
I liked entering the world of the various women in this book, and all the different things they were going through and how different they all were. I definitely had favourites and least favourites with Ro (The Biographer) being on top and Susan (The Wife) being on the bottom. I actually would have loved more from Gin's perspective (The Mender) as I feel like she had a lot more to tell and give to the story and her character fell a little bit into the stereotype of the witchy woman. Ro also does deal with the cliche of becoming a slightly manic with despair woman desperate for a baby which I have seen before in books and it never really looks great - however, I liked seeing Ro's journey come full circle and her peace and acceptance in where her life would be going next.
While Mattie (The Daughter) played an important part in being the section of the story dealing with the fear and anxiety over an unwanted pregnancy, and the lengths a person will go through to not be pregnant anymore, there wasn't much else to her story. There were times where I couldn't figure her out as she seemed quite smart but she had also been so dumb when it came to Ephraim.
While Susan was interesting in terms of the woman who seems to have it all (almost) but really she doesn't, her storyline is also been there, done that. I do think it would have been better to have a woman who was on the opposite side of the tracks when it came to the abortion laws as all the women we're following agree in a person's right to choose. It was a bit strange having no-one on the other side other than some of the side characters who all happened to be men (Mattie's dad and Mr Fivver for instance).
I did enjoy this a lot, and it was the kind of book when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it which says a lot!
This is a strange book to read because even though everything in it seems so over the top and crazy, we all know too well that the strict abortion laws portrayed in this book are almost identical to those currently in place in Poland, and where up until very recently in my own country of Ireland. The journeys American women in this book go on to Canada - a journey of fear, loneliness and pain - is currently being experience by Polish women travelling to neighbouring countries and all the Irish women who took the flight to England, and bled on the way back.
This is actually a book I put off reading for over two years because when I originally received it, Repeal the 8th hadn't yet passed in Ireland and all the fears and entrapment felt by the women in this book were ones I also felt when I fear what would happen if I ever went through an unwanted pregnancy. However, having read it now and at the right time - now Irish women have the control over their own bodies for the first time in a long, long time - I thoroughly enjoyed this book and not just for the points it made (how women and those in vulnerable position are always the ones that are affected the most by insane abortion rules aka men trying to control women's bodies AND abortion laws don't stop abortions from happening, they just stop safe ones)
I liked entering the world of the various women in this book, and all the different things they were going through and how different they all were. I definitely had favourites and least favourites with Ro (The Biographer) being on top and Susan (The Wife) being on the bottom. I actually would have loved more from Gin's perspective (The Mender) as I feel like she had a lot more to tell and give to the story and her character fell a little bit into the stereotype of the witchy woman. Ro also does deal with the cliche of becoming a slightly manic with despair woman desperate for a baby which I have seen before in books and it never really looks great - however, I liked seeing Ro's journey come full circle and her peace and acceptance in where her life would be going next.
While Mattie (The Daughter) played an important part in being the section of the story dealing with the fear and anxiety over an unwanted pregnancy, and the lengths a person will go through to not be pregnant anymore, there wasn't much else to her story. There were times where I couldn't figure her out as she seemed quite smart but she had also been so dumb when it came to Ephraim.
While Susan was interesting in terms of the woman who seems to have it all (almost) but really she doesn't, her storyline is also been there, done that. I do think it would have been better to have a woman who was on the opposite side of the tracks when it came to the abortion laws as all the women we're following agree in a person's right to choose. It was a bit strange having no-one on the other side other than some of the side characters who all happened to be men (Mattie's dad and Mr Fivver for instance).
I did enjoy this a lot, and it was the kind of book when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it which says a lot!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion and Infertility