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A review by stacy_wilson
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan
5.0
What a brilliant novel! While When She Woke is, on the surface, a retelling of The Scarlet Letter, it’s also a thought-provoking tale of self-discovery, both poignant and pertinent.
While Hester Prynne was branded with a scarlet A for having a baby as a result of adultery, Hannah Payne’s entire body is ‘melachromed’ red for having an abortion, which is considered murder under the Sanctity of Life laws. Hannah then begins a journey starting with the criminal justice system, where criminals are chromed different colors according to the severity of their crimes and released into society to avoid the cost of housing them in prison. Her dignity, privacy, and security are all assaulted in various ways. She is betrayed and befriended. She reexamines all of her relationships (with her family, her lover, her god, and herself) from the new perspective of the person she has been changed into.
Hillary Jordan writes with a very smooth style; easy to take in, but not overly simplistic. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gripping fiction with a bit of a challenge inside.
While Hester Prynne was branded with a scarlet A for having a baby as a result of adultery, Hannah Payne’s entire body is ‘melachromed’ red for having an abortion, which is considered murder under the Sanctity of Life laws. Hannah then begins a journey starting with the criminal justice system, where criminals are chromed different colors according to the severity of their crimes and released into society to avoid the cost of housing them in prison. Her dignity, privacy, and security are all assaulted in various ways. She is betrayed and befriended. She reexamines all of her relationships (with her family, her lover, her god, and herself) from the new perspective of the person she has been changed into.
Hillary Jordan writes with a very smooth style; easy to take in, but not overly simplistic. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gripping fiction with a bit of a challenge inside.