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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I wouldn't say that everything attempted worked all the time, but what does work is delicious. The writing is bold and creative and I feel like Zumas really goes for it in Red Clocks. I had some issues with structure, and a few style pet peeves, but I deeply enjoyed it; every time I picked it up I couldn't wait to be immersed.
This book was weird, but in a way that’s uncomfortably too familiar. This feels like speculative fiction - there’s a definite Atwood inspiration - with some magical realism, or at least quirky instances for suspended disbelief. I loved it. Once I got into it the story was as enjoyable to read as a book about the just-not-hyperbolic-enough limitations on women’s reproductive rights can be.
This book was weird, but in a way that’s uncomfortably too familiar. This feels like speculative fiction - there’s a definite Atwood inspiration - with some magical realism, or at least quirky instances for suspended disbelief. I loved it. Once I got into it the story was as enjoyable to read as a book about the just-not-hyperbolic-enough limitations on women’s reproductive rights can be.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I felt like this book is trying too hard to be something it isn’t- and shouldn’t be. It’s trying to be literary, and I felt like that took away from the storyline(s).
I struggled a bit with this rating – my feelings fall somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but I rounded up because I ultimately felt that it was an interesting exploration of women’s rights and the impact to life and liberty. Given our current political climate, the various pieces and parts of this novel are particularly scary as they constitute the hopes (and plans) of many conservatives in America. This is a dystopian novel that posits a world where abortion is illegal, in vitro fertilization is banned and a Personhood Amendment grants rights of life, liberty, and property to every embryo. The story is told through the experiences of five women in one community and how these new realities impact them. I found this book to be rather unsettling – I think that was perhaps because of how close to home this book is to what’s happening politically in America but it also came from the fact that this novel focused so much on the small, day to day aspects of the narrative.
Although I’m glad that I read this novel, it was not a perfect book. The writing style never completely connected with me as a reader. It felt choppy and cloudy in some way. It made it more challenging for me to connect with the women in the novel. But, I was able to overlook some of these aspects given that the rest of the novel really did resonate with me. The one thing that made a huge impression on me is the fact that the effect of complacency had on where the story went – it reinforced the need for political commitment by all of us. The cautionary tale in this novel is scary – and it should be. We lose when we ignore the signs … when we assume that certain things won’t ever happen. They can and do happen. We need to keep our eye on these cultural and political issues that can impact all of us so much.
I definitely think this book is worth reading but do know that the language and writing style may not connect with you. It’s something I’ve heard from a number of my bookish friends about this book. However, I do think it’s a good book that will remind you how important it is that we engage politically and not just let things happen.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.
Although I’m glad that I read this novel, it was not a perfect book. The writing style never completely connected with me as a reader. It felt choppy and cloudy in some way. It made it more challenging for me to connect with the women in the novel. But, I was able to overlook some of these aspects given that the rest of the novel really did resonate with me. The one thing that made a huge impression on me is the fact that the effect of complacency had on where the story went – it reinforced the need for political commitment by all of us. The cautionary tale in this novel is scary – and it should be. We lose when we ignore the signs … when we assume that certain things won’t ever happen. They can and do happen. We need to keep our eye on these cultural and political issues that can impact all of us so much.
I definitely think this book is worth reading but do know that the language and writing style may not connect with you. It’s something I’ve heard from a number of my bookish friends about this book. However, I do think it’s a good book that will remind you how important it is that we engage politically and not just let things happen.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.
Amazing book. Dystopian patriarchy set in the present, lyrically written with some very memorable characters. Highly recommended.
Infertility and pregnancy figure prominently in the story and I’m glad I didn’t read it during that time in my life. Maybe don’t read it if you are in a bad place for that.
Infertility and pregnancy figure prominently in the story and I’m glad I didn’t read it during that time in my life. Maybe don’t read it if you are in a bad place for that.
I mean, I loved The Handmaids Tale but this felt like bad fanfiction. Each character had at least two different names which got extremely confusing, and it added nothing to the story. I also really disliked that we focused mostly on the Biographer who is a single woman who wants a baby. I couldn’t help but wonder why she’s wanting to bring a baby into this terrible world. It felt like a weird take and honestly she just came across as annoying. Overall this felt like a book trying to ride the wave of feminist books that came out after the 2016 election, but it doesn’t add anything new to the discussion.
C'est un peu abusé de comparer ce livre à Virginia Woolf et Margaret Atwood. Le résumé m'a vraiment donné envie et j'en attendais beaucoup du coup, mais bof. Ça se lit, tout le coté avortements illégals aux USA reste intéressant, mais sans plus.
emotional
slow-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes