A review by katiescho741
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas

2.0

I found Red Clocks a bit tricky to rate. On the one hand, I am very strongly pro-choice so this demonstration of a (not 100% fictitious) USA where women's options are so limited is powerful and shocking. On the other hand, I don't think you can read the book without getting involved with the politics of the subject, and sometimes I felt it came off heavy-handed with the subject matter.
I think the best way to express my feelings towards this book is to say that I felt the book was written around the issues, instead of a book being written that involves the issues. The stories almost seemed forced around the abortion debate, rather than having a story that involves the debate.
Don't get me wrong, these issues about women's rights to their bodies are very important, but I felt like this book beat you over the head with the issues, rather than weaving them into an interesting plot.
I thought the complexity of the law was interesting...that not only is abortion completely illegal, but so is IVF, and so is adoption for single parents. So the book covers quite a few issues.
The relationships between the women in the book were the most compelling aspect of the story - how a mother feels about her children, how a single and childless woman feels about her friend with children, how a teenager feels about her unborn baby.
I found The Mender's chapters to be the least interesting, and I found her the least compelling character.