withlivjones's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This is a story with a very interesting concept - overpopulation means that there are such incentives against having children that it is a privilege that only the most rich and famous can afford. I loved the worldbuilding aspect of the story, where the futuristic inventions such as headpieces that are meant to make life easier are actually thinly veiled surveillance techniques, and I thought that the framing of pregnancy as a negative health condition or a side effect of removing one’s birth control was especially ingenious as a demonstration of successful propaganda. However, I think I would have enjoyed the story a bit more if I related to the main characters’ desire to have children, as I felt that a lot of the pathos was lost on me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
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