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A review by leksikality
The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Of the plague-decimates-population-via-infertility genre, this one does a pretty good job. It's no wonder it's won an award, and ought to win more.
The main character isn't necessarily likeable but I like her - and the way her attitudes/behaviour changes as the book progresses feels more natural than a lot of post-apocalyptic narratives.
I have read a lot of post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction from a broad span of time (it's my academic research niche so I'm pretty well exposed to it), this is one of the ones I got excited about reading.
The main character isn't necessarily likeable but I like her - and the way her attitudes/behaviour changes as the book progresses feels more natural than a lot of post-apocalyptic narratives.
I have read a lot of post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction from a broad span of time (it's my academic research niche so I'm pretty well exposed to it), this is one of the ones I got excited about reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Child death, Violence, and Trafficking
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide and Adult/minor relationship