When She Woke in Our Shared Shelf

Dec 03, 2011 Cindy rated it liked it

Well, I certainly liked the book as a whole and I was definitely intrigued by the entire premise of the novel. So much so that I couldn't put it down until I neared the end and found only a lackluster ending. The modern day Scarlet Letter story revolves around a woman who, after an affair with a married reverend and then subsequent abortion, has been declared a murderer and sentenced to fifteen years of sterility and literally being red! In this world, because of economic depression, nuclear war Well, I certainly liked the book as a whole and I was definitely intrigued by the entire premise of the novel. So much so that I couldn't put it down until I neared the end and found only a lackluster ending. The modern day Scarlet Letter story revolves around a woman who, after an affair with a married reverend and then subsequent abortion, has been declared a murderer and sentenced to fifteen years of sterility and literally being red! In this world, because of economic depression, nuclear warfare, disease, sterility, and prison overcrowding, religious zealots have moved to the forefront of the political realm and grabbed the reins. Abortion is no longer acceptable, no exception, and therefore a punishable offense. I found the discussion of abortion, life, the decision making process of women, the internal struggle, "cruel and unusual" punishment, and the hypocrisy inherent in every institution created by man to be delivered in a manner that makes the reader agree, disagree, or think. But the end, which I was excited for, the end that I thought would bring something momentous doesn't. I guess it just gives you life...where there aren't happy endings as you thought but happy nonetheless. The fact that she's sexually confused...I don't know why that was thrown in but maybe as a way to show how her entire consciousness and belief system is under question and changing. The fact that she meets up with this man whom she felt an earth shattering connection with but can no longer be with because people will kill them...feels like yet another cage she's trying to escape. Sometimes, her acts of courage felt like submission or giving in...because sometimes giving in and being safe is the right choice. BUT after all the talk of what a dangerous journey north was...we see a relatively problem free exodus...with a happy ending with friends...no explanation how her friend has survived frag free...just that she has.

I suppose my feelings are mixed about the novel but a mild heart attack, a sexually confused woman, and a seemingly easy journey that takes up only 9% of the novel when the entire novel focuses on just how dangerous it is...well I just feel let down with that ending when the first 3/4 was engaging. ...more

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Jan 29, 2014 Lacey Louwagie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 100-book-challenge-2014, retelling, sciencefiction, apocalyptic-postapocalyptic, dystopia, feminism

When I mentioned that I had begun this book on my Booklikes blog, I compared it to a cross between "The Scarlet Letter" (which it clearly takes as its inspiration) and "The Handmaid's Tale." Those comparisons held as I went deeper into the book as it examines many of the same themes: the shaming and repression of women's sexuality, women's reproductive freedom, and the constraints of fundamentalist religious fervor. Still, the book was not quite as bleak as "The Handmaid's Tale" and was infinite When I mentioned that I had begun this book on my Booklikes blog, I compared it to a cross between "The Scarlet Letter" (which it clearly takes as its inspiration) and "The Handmaid's Tale." Those comparisons held as I went deeper into the book as it examines many of the same themes: the shaming and repression of women's sexuality, women's reproductive freedom, and the constraints of fundamentalist religious fervor. Still, the book was not quite as bleak as "The Handmaid's Tale" and was infinitely more readable than "The Scarlet Letter."

The story actually interested me most in the beginning -- I suppose I was morbidly drawn to the psychological sickness present in a society that literally "colors" its criminals for easy identification and all the stigma that goes with that. The worldbuilding possessed enough diversity and nuance for me to believe in it, and enough remnants of our culture's current preoccupations to feel both "at home" in it and simultaneously discomfited. Although it's clear what side of the issues the author falls on, I thought she did a good job of creating complex, multi-faceted characters all along the religious and political spectrums. Still, it's probably a book that would have angered me when my own views about the pro-life/pro-choice debate were more black and white than they are now.

I listened to most of this book in one day while I completed a big project, so taken as a whole, it struck me how it follows the structure of a feminist fairy tale. It is the story of Hannah's feminist awakening, complete with a roll call of feminist issues -- not just abortion, but lesbianism, rape, abuse, and manipulation (especially religious manipulation.) I felt a little irritated by Hannah's unceasing devotion to her lover, to the point of (view spoiler). I also felt that not every single feminist awakening possible needed to be covered by this one story, which made the story arc feel formulaic rather than organic at times. Still, it was a fairly light read despite some heavy subject matter, which is not an easy balance to achieve. It may not be quite on par with "The Handmaid's Tale" and other achievements of feminist science fiction, but if you threw "The Scarlet Letter" across the room out of sheer frustration and boredom, you might give this a try instead. ...more

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Jul 31, 2016 Leah rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016

I LOVED this book up until the last section. Good ending, but resolution was diluted by cliche plot twists. I could not put it down, otherwise. A very real possibility of the future if Trump is elected!

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Mar 31, 2012 Sirin rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2012

I think the book's setting is very interesting, and a very possible and scary dystopia. I found quite a lot of parallels in terms of the female characters in dystopias with The Hunger Games. I wrote about it on my blog if anyone's interested: http://visionsofarcadia.wordpress.com... ...more

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Feb 10, 2015 Anna rated it liked it

This book was so good, and then it wasn't. One of the most disappointing, eye-rolling ends to a book ever. It was a solid 4 stars until the last 100 pages when the book seemed to upend all of the social criticisms it constructed for most of the novel, while also throwing in some utterly random and cliched spittle of plot line. ...more

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