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jnmegan 's review for:
Red Clocks
by Leni Zumas
Red Clocks by Lett Zumas is eerily prescient given the current atmosphere in the United States, but the book manages to be strongly feminist without becoming overly political. Set in a potentially not-too-distant future when the government has passed new laws regulating procreation and adoption, the novel examines the resulting effects on five female characters. Zumas dedicates alternate chapters to each of these women who represent some of the major roles women currently occupy, whether chosen or not. Though the woman have names, they are identified in each chapter heading by their identifying positions- Biographer, Explorer, Mother, Daughter, and Mender. The characters’ overlapping experiences and distinct interior struggles highlight the consequences of tortuous indecision, guilty covetousness, naivete, and rebellion. Although the women are all connected in some way, they remain solitary and somewhat estranged from each other. The male characters are ancillary to the plot, portrayed at best as ineffectual and unnecessary, at worst as abusive perpetrators. A major theme is the need for action and autonomy, overcoming expectations and inertia in order to embrace unknown possibilities. It encourages the idea that chosen paths can be abandoned, and even well-worn identities can adapt to expand or absorb others. Ro, the Biographer, comes to realize: “Her life, like anyone’s, could go a way she never wanted, never planned, and turn out marvelous.” Timely and well-written, Red Clocks provides a fresh perspective on women’s choices, societal- and self-limiting decisions, and escape from constrictive definitions.