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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
Set in a future not too far off from what we have now, we follow four women and how they are impacted by the Personhood Amendment and its upcoming follow on Every Child Needs Two Law. Leni Zumas gives the reader multiple perspectives of the issue at the same time showing the absurdity of the situation.
A lot of this is a little too topical now... but I still enjoyed the multiple points of view.
Oh boy. I was disappointed. The writing style is not at all easy to get into and even though I sped through the second half of the book my motivation was fueled by the topic, not the story.
The book Ro/Miss/The Biographer is writing about the Arctic explorer seemed wholly erroneous (yes I did notice how her research was rejected because she was a woman) and the ties between the 4 main female character was flimsy at best. I found it wildly irritating that within each character's chapter they'd only be referred to as "the Wife/Daughter/Biographer/Mender" even though they were named their names by other characters in other places........ it was perhaps a dystopian trope that went over my head?
The idea here, the 28th Amendment, the "Personhood Amendment" giving the right to life to a fetus and threatening charges of murder and manslaughter to women and doctors who dare terminate a pregnancy- that idea is horrifying and I was totally on board for a book focusing on such a plot. Though I found the execution here severely lacking, trying to hard to be something more than it is. Sentences were frequently abrupt and repetitive with phrases previously said causing the book to be far too long. I would have loved to see this as a set of 4 short stories so that every detail included would have to be utterly necessary in describing each woman's life/outcome.
The book Ro/Miss/The Biographer is writing about the Arctic explorer seemed wholly erroneous (yes I did notice how her research was rejected because she was a woman) and the ties between the 4 main female character was flimsy at best. I found it wildly irritating that within each character's chapter they'd only be referred to as "the Wife/Daughter/Biographer/Mender" even though they were named their names by other characters in other places........ it was perhaps a dystopian trope that went over my head?
The idea here, the 28th Amendment, the "Personhood Amendment" giving the right to life to a fetus and threatening charges of murder and manslaughter to women and doctors who dare terminate a pregnancy- that idea is horrifying and I was totally on board for a book focusing on such a plot. Though I found the execution here severely lacking, trying to hard to be something more than it is. Sentences were frequently abrupt and repetitive with phrases previously said causing the book to be far too long. I would have loved to see this as a set of 4 short stories so that every detail included would have to be utterly necessary in describing each woman's life/outcome.
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The writing style on this was very different, and it took me 50 or so pages to get into it. But then once I did, I really liked it. I think I found some of the perspectives more annoying than others (I was super annoyed with the Wife, and wanted to protect the Healer at all costs) but I liked the ways they came together, and by the end, I appreciated all the points of view.
‘Red Clocks’ by Leni Zumas was one of my most eagerly anticipated, but sadly most disappointing, books of 2018. As a rule, I love feminist dystopian literature and, based on its synopsis, it really sounded like ‘Red Clocks’ would deliver. This book was meant to ask questions about a woman’s purpose in the context of an America in which abortion and IVF are illegal, and embryos are imbued with human rights. It purported to examine the lives of five women - an impregnated teenage girl, a feminist teacher desperate for a child, a herbalist healer, a frustrated mother and, bizarrely, an underrated polar explorer. ‘Female reproductive rights as power - how interesting!’, I thought. ‘A modern Handmaid’s Tale!’, I thought. ‘And it’s a multi-perspective novel, which I love.’ I thought. Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The characters lacked dimension; the women lacked spark; the novel lacked structure; the writing lacked empathy. I lacked interest.
That said, I fully acknowledge that reading is very subjective and that others have loved this book beyond measure. Some even call it a feminist classic. But I do not.
That said, I fully acknowledge that reading is very subjective and that others have loved this book beyond measure. Some even call it a feminist classic. But I do not.
3.5 stars
The characters were richly drawn and mostly interesting, but their connection to the main setting of the story (abortion is illegal) was intermittent. I think this book has drawn comparisons to Handmaid's Tale, but the narrative and characters in that book were more tightly woven together. The ending bit of hopefulness seemed a little incongruous to such a bleak environment for women's rights.
The characters were richly drawn and mostly interesting, but their connection to the main setting of the story (abortion is illegal) was intermittent. I think this book has drawn comparisons to Handmaid's Tale, but the narrative and characters in that book were more tightly woven together. The ending bit of hopefulness seemed a little incongruous to such a bleak environment for women's rights.
An all too real look at what would happen if abortion was illegal and women lost rights over their bodies. The author follows four different women to show the affect one law could have on women's health services, IFV, adoption, and the impact on relationships between women with children and those without. It leaves you with a new respect for how important choice is.
This book is gloomy AF and written in a very ~artsy~ way, but I enjoyed it. This was a subtle speculation on the world two years after abortion was made illegal in all 50 states. I kind of hated the characters for their lack of action on the issue. Out of the five, Ro was definitely my favorite perspective.
Read my full review here:
http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2017/12/review-red-clocks-by-leni-zumas.html
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I received no additional compensation.
My Review:
Ever since I read The Handmaid's Tale years ago I've been drawn to dystopian feminist novels. The recent political climate and the Hulu series of The Handmaid's Tale has lead to more novels in the genre. When I first saw Red Clocks was releasing I reached out to the publisher to get an advanced reading copy. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed--I was depressed. The storyline wasn't dystopian, it was too realistic. I appreciated the attempt but this was a story of what's already happening.
http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2017/12/review-red-clocks-by-leni-zumas.html
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I received no additional compensation.
My Review:
Ever since I read The Handmaid's Tale years ago I've been drawn to dystopian feminist novels. The recent political climate and the Hulu series of The Handmaid's Tale has lead to more novels in the genre. When I first saw Red Clocks was releasing I reached out to the publisher to get an advanced reading copy. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed--I was depressed. The storyline wasn't dystopian, it was too realistic. I appreciated the attempt but this was a story of what's already happening.