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lindseyharvey's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Maddening that what was written as a dystopian novel in 2018, only 5 years ago, is so much more a reality today. The writing was a bit disjointed and I wouldâve liked a more cohesive narrative but the characters felt real. Very raw. The author does not shy away from the reality of sex and relationships and womanhood and pregnancy and femininity
brooke_review's review against another edition
4.0
In Leni Zumasâs Red Clocks, womenâs reproductive health in a near future America looks much different than it does today. In-vitro fertilization is now banned, abortion is illegal, and once the âEvery Child Needs Twoâ law goes into effect, only married couples will be able to adopt children.
Navigating these muddy, murky waters are four women, each facing a problem of her own. Thereâs âThe Biographer,â who in her 40s wants more than anything to have a child. A teacher, sheâs been writing the biography of Eivor, a female polar explorer, in between appointments at her doctorâs office where she is attempting to become pregnant through artificial insemination. âThe Wifeâ finds herself in a crumbling marriage with two young kids in tow, a shell of the person she once was. On the brink of a nervous breakdown, she often considers tumbling her car over the edge of the cliff side near her home, bringing an end to the madness. âThe Daughterâ is in a sexual relationship with a boy who is really not all that into her apart from her body. When she becomes pregnant and decides she doesnât want to keep the baby, she faces the toughest decision of her life. Is she willing to risk everything and face jail time to illegally terminate her pregnancy? Lastly, there is âThe Mender.â Known as the âwitch,â she mixes up potions and poultices to heal the ailments of the local women who seek her care. Whether or not some of these potions are used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the question a jury faces when the Mender is put on trial for medical malpractice and conspiracy to commit murder.
Red Clocks has been touted as a modern day Handmaidâs Tale, a precarious cautionary tale about a future where women no longer have say or choice when it comes to their own bodies. Red Clocks reads like a contemporary piece of literary fiction. The writing is detailed and lyrical, and focuses largely on the lives of the women as opposed to whatâs going on in the outside world. Where it differs from novels such as The Handmaidâs Tale is that Red Clocks is lacking in shock value. The women of this world have become pretty complacent, considering that they no longer have reproductive rights. It seems that women have just accepted that this is the way the world is, and are taking this fight lying down. Therefore, the characters really donât take risks, and they lack some of the oomph you would expect to see from American women left without choice. In all, Red Clocks is a beautiful, effortless read which provokes thoughts and questions, but doesnât provide many answers. Readers who enjoy character development and interconnected stories will find Red Clocks to be enjoyable, but should not enter into the novel expecting there to be much world-building.
Red Clocks is available at our Thibodaux Branch, and can always be requested to a branch near you! Happy Reading!
NOVELIST APPEALS
GENRE: Adult Books for Young Adults; Literary Fiction; Dystopian Fiction; Multiple Perspectives
TONE: Atmospheric; Thought-Provoking; Darkly Humorous
STORYLINE: Character-Driven; Intricately-Plotted
WRITING STYLE: Compelling; Lyrical; Richly-Detailed
CHARACTER: Complex
Navigating these muddy, murky waters are four women, each facing a problem of her own. Thereâs âThe Biographer,â who in her 40s wants more than anything to have a child. A teacher, sheâs been writing the biography of Eivor, a female polar explorer, in between appointments at her doctorâs office where she is attempting to become pregnant through artificial insemination. âThe Wifeâ finds herself in a crumbling marriage with two young kids in tow, a shell of the person she once was. On the brink of a nervous breakdown, she often considers tumbling her car over the edge of the cliff side near her home, bringing an end to the madness. âThe Daughterâ is in a sexual relationship with a boy who is really not all that into her apart from her body. When she becomes pregnant and decides she doesnât want to keep the baby, she faces the toughest decision of her life. Is she willing to risk everything and face jail time to illegally terminate her pregnancy? Lastly, there is âThe Mender.â Known as the âwitch,â she mixes up potions and poultices to heal the ailments of the local women who seek her care. Whether or not some of these potions are used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the question a jury faces when the Mender is put on trial for medical malpractice and conspiracy to commit murder.
Red Clocks has been touted as a modern day Handmaidâs Tale, a precarious cautionary tale about a future where women no longer have say or choice when it comes to their own bodies. Red Clocks reads like a contemporary piece of literary fiction. The writing is detailed and lyrical, and focuses largely on the lives of the women as opposed to whatâs going on in the outside world. Where it differs from novels such as The Handmaidâs Tale is that Red Clocks is lacking in shock value. The women of this world have become pretty complacent, considering that they no longer have reproductive rights. It seems that women have just accepted that this is the way the world is, and are taking this fight lying down. Therefore, the characters really donât take risks, and they lack some of the oomph you would expect to see from American women left without choice. In all, Red Clocks is a beautiful, effortless read which provokes thoughts and questions, but doesnât provide many answers. Readers who enjoy character development and interconnected stories will find Red Clocks to be enjoyable, but should not enter into the novel expecting there to be much world-building.
Red Clocks is available at our Thibodaux Branch, and can always be requested to a branch near you! Happy Reading!
NOVELIST APPEALS
GENRE: Adult Books for Young Adults; Literary Fiction; Dystopian Fiction; Multiple Perspectives
TONE: Atmospheric; Thought-Provoking; Darkly Humorous
STORYLINE: Character-Driven; Intricately-Plotted
WRITING STYLE: Compelling; Lyrical; Richly-Detailed
CHARACTER: Complex
michellekmartin's review against another edition
4.0
I finished Red Clocks and this book sucked me in over 36 hours! It presented so many questions about what it means to be a woman. The five main characters struggle with questions of what they want and who they are as women against the backdrop of a society where abortion and IVF are now illegal and only couples can adopt children. The part I found most intriguing about this book was the idea of how hard it can be to reconcile your relationship to others (a wife, a daughter, a mother, a sister), and the expectations these relationships can put on you, with your own sense of self identity and desire. And among all that there are some really lovely scenic descriptions of the Oregon coast.
shelf_reflect10n's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lio_clementine's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
crypuppy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mdodds11's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. I thought it would be better... maybe I'm missing something.
notesonbookmarks's review against another edition
3.0
I definitely enjoyed this one, but think I wild have enjoyed it more if the format wasn't so disjointed. it takes a while to figure out the characters and how they relate to one another. it also is a bit weird/ embarrassing to walk around reading a book that intentionally looks line a giant vagina on the cover. so, just FYI: kindle or audio may be a better option for this one! those items aside, this is a thought-provoking dystopian (but feels SO close to the current debates about abortion and women's rights) novel that will leave you pondering it and its implications well past the final page.
emmaledbetter's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0