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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
4.5 stars. Timeless the way that “The Handmaid’s Tale” is classic and timeless. Made even more transcendent because the characters’ names were not often used. Zumas was a master at piecing details together over the length of the book which led to many “aha!” moments. A book that stayed with me as I read it/that I thought about often as I went about my days. Relevant social commentary/cautionary tale. Set in my home state, and a local author! Loved it.
This was a good one! From the POV of five women, all connected in some way, most navigating a thankfully fictitious (at least for now) US with new and harsh laws limiting adoption and banning abortion, others battling the inherent restrictions of being female in a patriarchal society. Some readers have drawn parallels between Red Clocks and The Handmaid's Tale, but Ms. Zumas has a strong voice and this novel is in no way derivative. It was excellent. I love the way the author uses language. I loved the multiple narrators and the way she fit their stories together. Recommended.
In the vein of The Handmaid's Tale, this book postulates a future where a conservative movement has outlawed abortion, single parent adoptions, and in vitro fertilization, anything that tries to circumvent "God's will" towards birth and parenthood. We follow four women all circling around this issue, trying to make their way in a society where they are slowly but surely being repressed back into being nothing more than their reproductive organs.
Even with the quietly horrible (yet entirely possible) future portrayed, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the craft of it, so sparse yet precise in its language, every sentence was evocative and determined. It wasn't the easiest read but I still devoured it in one loooooong insomniac night.
I read somewhere the the author only used legislation that has actually been proposed by elected officials, though thankfully it's all been denied. So far. One character in the book muses about how she was so wrapped up in her issues that she didn't pay too much attention, because who would ever think that these would be approved, and then she blinked and her rights were gone. A good thing to remember in the current climate where we're poised on a razor's edge. Evolve, or regress? A couple more elected officials confusing their personal religion with politics and we'll be right there.
Even with the quietly horrible (yet entirely possible) future portrayed, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the craft of it, so sparse yet precise in its language, every sentence was evocative and determined. It wasn't the easiest read but I still devoured it in one loooooong insomniac night.
I read somewhere the the author only used legislation that has actually been proposed by elected officials, though thankfully it's all been denied. So far. One character in the book muses about how she was so wrapped up in her issues that she didn't pay too much attention, because who would ever think that these would be approved, and then she blinked and her rights were gone. A good thing to remember in the current climate where we're poised on a razor's edge. Evolve, or regress? A couple more elected officials confusing their personal religion with politics and we'll be right there.
Found this book fantastic. The interwoven stories, perspectives, of five women who, by not being wholly honest with one another, end up craving what the other women have. The question of is wanting a child/family/_____ a biological desire or a societal one?
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
dark
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 / 5
At times I struggled with the writing and some of the phrase used, I didn’t really understand what was being said (especially by Susan’s husband with his French and the Mender) so I glossed over some areas of the book. This book was also a very quick read for me, with some pages having just a short paragraph. The plot really moved along even though I felt like a lot was happening. The narratives were never referred to by their names at the start of their sections, which I didn’t really understand as the rest of the characters used their names. I think it was supposed to show the women in their occupation or relation to the people around them rather than as their own person? The Mender, the Daughter, the Biographer, not sure I got that part of the story.
The ideas in this book are scary but also not that far fetched based on the current political world and if nothing else this book really makes the reader think. The Biographer often spoke about how quickly the changed happened, how she sat back instead of joining the fit because she thought “this will never actually happen”. I really loved that point of the story, how each person is responsible to set up and not let someone else deal with it. While this book did seem to wrap up well for some reason the ending just left me feeling a little unsatisfied.
At times I struggled with the writing and some of the phrase used, I didn’t really understand what was being said (especially by Susan’s husband with his French and the Mender) so I glossed over some areas of the book. This book was also a very quick read for me, with some pages having just a short paragraph. The plot really moved along even though I felt like a lot was happening. The narratives were never referred to by their names at the start of their sections, which I didn’t really understand as the rest of the characters used their names. I think it was supposed to show the women in their occupation or relation to the people around them rather than as their own person? The Mender, the Daughter, the Biographer, not sure I got that part of the story.
The ideas in this book are scary but also not that far fetched based on the current political world and if nothing else this book really makes the reader think. The Biographer often spoke about how quickly the changed happened, how she sat back instead of joining the fit because she thought “this will never actually happen”. I really loved that point of the story, how each person is responsible to set up and not let someone else deal with it. While this book did seem to wrap up well for some reason the ending just left me feeling a little unsatisfied.
Super angry about this book!! The author seems insistent that mothers are wasting their potential, infertile women are selfish, baby-hungry monsters, and that women really can't be friends because they're always jealous of and competing with one another. I don't even understand why this was written in a world where abortion and IVF are illegal because it really didn't have anything intelligent to say about it. Not only is it REALLY EASY to research infertility and PCOS and all that instead of just making stuff up and getting it totally wrong, it's EASIER than making stuff up!! JUST VERY ANGRY RIGHT NOW. SUPER FRUSTRATED.
2.5
I really wanted to like this book. There was very little payoff for the plot. I wanted better for the women of this book than they were given on the end.
I really wanted to like this book. There was very little payoff for the plot. I wanted better for the women of this book than they were given on the end.
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
Distopian US without access to abortion care, invetro fertilization, and only couple (cis hetero for the most part, never specified?) can adopt. Haunting and lonely. All of the characters felt like an island.
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:
Yes