From the Bookshelf of Apocalypse Whenever…

When She Woke

Hillary Jordan

Why we're reading this: When She Woke is, in its simplest terms, a futuristic retelling of The Scarlet Letter. This sophomore nov…more
[close] When She Woke is, in its simplest terms, a futuristic retelling of The Scarlet Letter. This sophomore novel from Mudbound author Hillary Jordan takes Hawthorne's classic several steps further, turning it into a pointed, blunt warning about the consequences of an America run by the church, not the state. Hannah Payne is sentenced to sixteen years of melachroming for aborting her child. Instead of bearing a scarlet "A" like Hester, Hannah's pigment is dyed a stop sign red, leading her to endure an ostracizing societal punishment as well. Jordan seamlessly interweaves the back story of Hannah's relationship with her unborn child's father; their relationship is sudden, passionate and the short interspersed flashbacks enhance the story and Hannah's spontaneous personality. While she stumbles through rebuilding her life, her sudden decisions in moments of trouble are made with confidence and determination. Jordan purposefully makes the story about Hannah's journey by keeping her secondary characters exactly that - secondary. Although they may guide and assist Hannah on her path, the decisions, character-building, and strength all come from within. Hannah is ultimately responsible for her future and she takes full responsibility for her past. While some readers may balk at Jordan's political and religious messages, the story of owning our decisions and actions is the focus of this engaging tale of redemption.

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Mar 30, 2012 Erin rated it liked it

Shelves: post-apocalypse-dystopia

Combine THE SCARLET LETTER with THE HANDMAID'S TALE, throw in a dollop of chick-lit doomed romance and you've got WHEN SHE WOKE. Decent read, but I wanted much more from the subject. However, I came across a lovely passage which serves as a good example of why I became an Episcopalian (which I certainly didn't expect to find in this particular book):

"But how can God exist, in the face of all the cruelty and injustice in the world, is that it?" the priest supplied.

Hannah nodded, and Reverend Eas ...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Alice rated it really liked it

Shelves: scifi-apocalyptic-fantasy, 2014

The Scarlet Letter, only instead of the Puritans it's Evangelicals and instead of an illegitimate child it's an abortion.

This is pro-choice but at times that line does get blurred in a way that is really relevant to people's feelings on abortion today. About 51% of Americans are against abortion, but about 1 in 3 women will have one in their lifetimes...there's clearly a lot of internal conflict going on. This book also has a lot of internal conflict, touching on issues of faith, government, fe ...more

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Sep 27, 2011 🥀 Rose 🥀 rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dystopian-speculative-fiction

When She Woke is a reimagining of The Scarlett Letter using dystopian lit as it's overall premise and inserting todays feel of political and religious battles of trying to legislate morality and if they succeed what the outcome could possibly look like under a Theocracy.

The United States is now ruled under the Trinity Party a religious government. There are no longer prisons which hold those who are criminals. For their crimes they are "melachromed" which means they are injected with a virus whi ...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Kaye rated it really liked it

Shelves: religious_fiction, apocalypse_dystopia, ebooks, read_in_2013

This dystopian look at the future wasn't really new, as it followed a very similar society and premise as Atwood's classic, The Handmaid's Tale. The difference was that elements of The Scarlet Letter were intertwined, in that "wrong-doers" were physically colored in lurid shades of red, yellow, blue, green, and so on to advertise the specific nature of their crime. The end really fizzled out, which was a bummer, because the rest of the book was exceptional. ...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Julie rated it really liked it

Shelves: women, speculative-fiction, literature

The Scarlet Letter meets A Handmaid's Tale - instead of wearing a red letter, it's the future and the government has a virus that mutates her DNA to turn her red. Sounds ridiculous, but Hillary Jordan knows how to write and she makes it work. Not only that, but she manages to explore themes of personal freedom, abortion, sexism, faith, sexual identity and feminism without alienating readers who might not agree with the beliefs of the characters. Really brilliantly done. 4.5 stars. Looking forwar ...more

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