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juliette_d_03's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Miscarriage
bobinsbooknook's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
What I think I loved most about this concept is that though a work of dystopian fiction, it felt so real.
The portray of the controversy in women-only biological parentage was really intriguing and made for a great read. The political aspect tied is really nicely and provided the great opportunity for twists and revelations both around the pregnancy and homophobia.
The only reason I couldn’t rate this higher despite my enjoyment is that there were some moments that did feel a bit repetitive in rehashing out the same situation over and over again and do wish the ending was a little more fleshed out.
I do feel the darker incestuous abuse towards Jules’s father didn’t really have enough depth to provoke an emotional response for me and didn’t really add anything to the plot so felt thrown in for just shock value.
I could definitely see this making a really interesting standalone Netflix series and is definitely worth a read.
The portray of the controversy in women-only biological parentage was really intriguing and made for a great read. The political aspect tied is really nicely and provided the great opportunity for twists and revelations both around the pregnancy and homophobia.
The only reason I couldn’t rate this higher despite my enjoyment is that there were some moments that did feel a bit repetitive in rehashing out the same situation over and over again and do wish the ending was a little more fleshed out.
I could definitely see this making a really interesting standalone Netflix series and is definitely worth a read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, and Pregnancy
Minor: Pedophilia, Car accident, and Death of parent
kaylo88's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
After completing the book, I find myself grappling with a whirlwind of emotions. On one hand, I was drawn to the captivating storyline and its thought-provoking premise, particularly the accurate portrayal of right-wing media and the potential societal reactions to the birth of female-only babies in lesbian families. The book also effectively delved into the myriad of emotions that accompany pregnancy and the rollercoaster of experiences, especially relating to the treatment of the "o-o" storyline.
However, there were certain aspects of the story that left me perplexed. For instance, I found myself questioning the lack of vetting procedures for the program's staff and the absence of contractual safeguards to prevent the infiltration of individuals with bigoted views. Furthermore, I was troubled by the apparent exclusion of other segments of society, such as the trans and non-binary communities, which led me to ponder whether there were underlying TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) undertones, although I hope that is not the case.
The overwhelmingly negative portrayal of the "o-o" program left me unsettled, as I struggled to believe that the LGBTQ+ community wouldn't actively challenge this narrative. In reality, I anticipated a more robust response, with counter protests and advocacy for providing lesbian couples with additional choices. Additionally, the portrayal of the main characters, Jules and Rosie, was somewhat disheartening. Jules came across as domineering and irksome, while Rosie's characterisation left me feeling a lack of empathy or curiosity about her. She just seemed weak and dare I say it, boring. Given that the couple served as the focal point of the narrative, I had hoped to genuinely empathise with them; however, I found this to be challenging.
Furthermore, the characters' isolated existence, with minimal friends and support systems beyond a male friend of Rosie's, their parents, and a few of Jules' colleagues, seemed peculiar. I found myself questioning why they lacked a network of queer friends and a support system, especially considering that it would seemingly be a critical criterion for participants in the program. It struck me as implausible that LGBTQ+ couples would lack a circle of queer friends entirely.
My feelings about Jules' manager mirrored my other concerns. While I acknowledge that homophobia is unfortunately prevalent, the manager's reprehensible comments and discriminatory behavior, openly displayed in the workplace, left me bewildered as to why he wasn't promptly removed from his position. It was difficult to understand why there wasn't a more forceful response to his behavior.
Despite these reservations, I felt compelled to see the story through to its conclusion. I was eager to witness the fate of their daughter and whether Jules and Rosie found a sense of contentment. Nonetheless, the swift conclusion to the story felt rushed, particularly after the deliberate pacing throughout the majority of the book.
However, there were certain aspects of the story that left me perplexed. For instance, I found myself questioning the lack of vetting procedures for the program's staff and the absence of contractual safeguards to prevent the infiltration of individuals with bigoted views. Furthermore, I was troubled by the apparent exclusion of other segments of society, such as the trans and non-binary communities, which led me to ponder whether there were underlying TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) undertones, although I hope that is not the case.
The overwhelmingly negative portrayal of the "o-o" program left me unsettled, as I struggled to believe that the LGBTQ+ community wouldn't actively challenge this narrative. In reality, I anticipated a more robust response, with counter protests and advocacy for providing lesbian couples with additional choices. Additionally, the portrayal of the main characters, Jules and Rosie, was somewhat disheartening. Jules came across as domineering and irksome, while Rosie's characterisation left me feeling a lack of empathy or curiosity about her. She just seemed weak and dare I say it, boring. Given that the couple served as the focal point of the narrative, I had hoped to genuinely empathise with them; however, I found this to be challenging.
Furthermore, the characters' isolated existence, with minimal friends and support systems beyond a male friend of Rosie's, their parents, and a few of Jules' colleagues, seemed peculiar. I found myself questioning why they lacked a network of queer friends and a support system, especially considering that it would seemingly be a critical criterion for participants in the program. It struck me as implausible that LGBTQ+ couples would lack a circle of queer friends entirely.
My feelings about Jules' manager mirrored my other concerns. While I acknowledge that homophobia is unfortunately prevalent, the manager's reprehensible comments and discriminatory behavior, openly displayed in the workplace, left me bewildered as to why he wasn't promptly removed from his position. It was difficult to understand why there wasn't a more forceful response to his behavior.
Despite these reservations, I felt compelled to see the story through to its conclusion. I was eager to witness the fate of their daughter and whether Jules and Rosie found a sense of contentment. Nonetheless, the swift conclusion to the story felt rushed, particularly after the deliberate pacing throughout the majority of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
laurenw22's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
nonfictionfeminist's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A thought-provoking novel about what "motherhood" and "family" mean in a world where science can make changes in our most basic structures. Chadwick left me with so much to consider; while the main character is pretty unlikeable and I'm not sure about the main relationship, I don't think a character needs to be likeable for their story to be important. Excellent novel to bring to a book club discussion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Classism
v_nerdbooks's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Homophobia, and Infertility
annabarnardwright's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The concept of this book is really interesting, it’s about the world’s first pregnancy with two biological mothers. It felt very realistic rather than dystopian and I can definitely imagine a real life situation playing out similarly.
The plot is basically just about the media reaction to a two mother baby. Rosie and Jules are hounded by the press after their names are leaked and there’s a hate campaign against them. I found it strange that literally everyone is against them though. It’s believable that the Daily Mail and the far right would react in this way in real life but I know there would be plenty of vocal supporters too.
It’s a slow burner and felt as if I was reading it in real time, nothing particularly exciting happens and there’s a lot of mundane filler - I think it could’ve easily been 100 pages shorter. The plot about Jules’ dad felt a bit random and unexplored and I would’ve liked some more detail about the immediate aftermath of the birth.
Overall this was an interesting read and I enjoyed it.
The plot is basically just about the media reaction to a two mother baby. Rosie and Jules are hounded by the press after their names are leaked and there’s a hate campaign against them. I found it strange that literally everyone is against them though. It’s believable that the Daily Mail and the far right would react in this way in real life but I know there would be plenty of vocal supporters too.
It’s a slow burner and felt as if I was reading it in real time, nothing particularly exciting happens and there’s a lot of mundane filler - I think it could’ve easily been 100 pages shorter. The plot about Jules’ dad felt a bit random and unexplored and I would’ve liked some more detail about the immediate aftermath of the birth.
Overall this was an interesting read and I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent