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bookcaptivated's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Kidnapping, Sexism, Murder, Blood, and Misogyny
Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Classism, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cursing, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Vomit, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
ellejo3's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Chaperone is essentially a YA version of The Handmaid's Tale. In New America, an Evangelical group known as the Minute Men took over and enforced a strict code of conduct for young girls under the guise of "protecting" them. Beginning at age 12, girls whose families can afford chaperones employ them to supervise their girls, and they're groomed to marry and be submissive wives. While girls are still technically able to get a high school education, it's very much in the "separate but equal" that it's not equal at all.
Stella is the seventeen-year-old daughter of a very powerful man in New America. After her chaperone, Sister Helen dies suddenly and mysteriously, she's assigned a new chaperone - Sister Laura, who opens Stella's eyes to a whole new world. When Stella's dad arranges for Stella to be married to a cop who's at least twice her age, Stella needs to make a choice - stay in New America or run.
The story is much tamer than The Handmaid's Tale, which I enjoyed because I found The Handmaid's Tale too intense. However, in some ways, it's more harrowing because the world in The Chaperone is so much more realistic and immediate. There's no ritualistic rape in this book, thankfully, though there is one scene where a character relays a story about a woman's assault.
While I enjoyed this book, I think it would have been better if it was split into a duology. The plot points felt too rushed, and Stella's realizations and decisions often didn't feel earned. For instance, right from the start, Sister Laura coerces Stella into breaking the rules, making Stella promise not to tell. Had there been more space, it would've made sense for Sister Laura to test Stella in small ways. Similarly, other plot points happened in such rapid succession that there wasn't enough space to explain or fully support them.
There were also aspects of Stella's belief system that didn't make sense in the world she was raised in. For instance, one of her friends is a lesbian. While I'm glad Stella isn't homophobic, New America is a country that's very much homophobic since women only exist to be subservient wives and baby factories. Yet it's never explained why Stella's beliefs go against the system that groomed her. While Stella talks about old TV shows and Sister Helen gave her some banned books, it doesn't fully explain Stella's beliefs. This could've been answered if some of the banned books Sister Helen gave Stella were queer, and Stella made this connection when her friend came out.
I wish there would have been more about Sister Helen giving Stella banned books after it's revealed that Stella's dad murdered Sister Helen. He could've found Stella's secret stash of banned books and claimed he killed Sister Helen because she was "corrupting" Stella. But because the story was so rushed, there wasn't enough space for this.
Speaking of her friends, at times, they felt more like props than characters. I wish we got more about them and their ending. For instance, has either of them ever wanted to leave New America because of their differences?
I also have questions about New America. It's portrayed as a fascist, evangelical-like country, and yet it's made clear that racism isn't an issue that doesn't align with that group of people. Yet, the book doesn't explain why. This is where slowing down the plot to allow for more world-building would've helped.
Here's what I wish would've happened instead if the book was a duology. The first book could've ended with Stella making it across the border to safety. Then, in the second book, Stella could've decided she needed to go back to New America at the end of the first act. Instead, putting it all into one book ended up making everything too rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my thoughts.
Stella is the seventeen-year-old daughter of a very powerful man in New America. After her chaperone, Sister Helen dies suddenly and mysteriously, she's assigned a new chaperone - Sister Laura, who opens Stella's eyes to a whole new world. When Stella's dad arranges for Stella to be married to a cop who's at least twice her age, Stella needs to make a choice - stay in New America or run.
The story is much tamer than The Handmaid's Tale, which I enjoyed because I found The Handmaid's Tale too intense. However, in some ways, it's more harrowing because the world in The Chaperone is so much more realistic and immediate. There's no ritualistic rape in this book, thankfully, though there is one scene where a character relays a story about a woman's assault.
While I enjoyed this book, I think it would have been better if it was split into a duology. The plot points felt too rushed, and Stella's realizations and decisions often didn't feel earned. For instance, right from the start, Sister Laura coerces Stella into breaking the rules, making Stella promise not to tell. Had there been more space, it would've made sense for Sister Laura to test Stella in small ways. Similarly, other plot points happened in such rapid succession that there wasn't enough space to explain or fully support them.
There were also aspects of Stella's belief system that didn't make sense in the world she was raised in. For instance, one of her friends is a lesbian. While I'm glad Stella isn't homophobic, New America is a country that's very much homophobic since women only exist to be subservient wives and baby factories. Yet it's never explained why Stella's beliefs go against the system that groomed her. While Stella talks about old TV shows and Sister Helen gave her some banned books, it doesn't fully explain Stella's beliefs. This could've been answered if some of the banned books Sister Helen gave Stella were queer, and Stella made this connection when her friend came out.
Speaking of her friends, at times, they felt more like props than characters. I wish we got more about them and their ending. For instance, has either of them ever wanted to leave New America because of their differences?
I also have questions about New America. It's portrayed as a fascist, evangelical-like country, and yet it's made clear that racism isn't an issue that doesn't align with that group of people. Yet, the book doesn't explain why. This is where slowing down the plot to allow for more world-building would've helped.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my thoughts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexism, Murder, and Misogyny
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
sydthereader's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
i really loved the premise and pacing, however there are so many inconsistencies in how the characters think and act
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Death, Violence, Sexism, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Police brutality, Pedophilia, and Classism
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