Hannah Payne is a chrome; chroming is the punishment for all sorts of crimes in Hannah's world. A method has been devised to color the skin of those who have been found guilty of crimes ranging from theft to murder, with different colors assigned to each transgression
Hannah's crime is abortion, considered murder in this dystopian world, and to make matters worse, Hannah will reveal neither the father of the child nor the doctor who performed the abortion. Hannah is chromed red and, because of her refusal to reveal the father and the doctor, given a longer sentence. When released back into the world, Hannah (as are all other chromes) is a pariah, easily recognized and vulnerable.
Connections to the Scarlet Letter? Definitely, down to the initials of the protagonist and of the fundamentalist minister who fathered child.
The premise is fascinating, and the novel has its high points. Ultimately, however, the novel does not live up to its promise, and the conclusion feels unnatural and incomplete.
I would still recommend the novel because it offers some interesting concepts and raises some questions. It isn't as if I didn't enjoy it, because I did, but I feel as if the most interesting portions didn't receive enough time and attention.
I have to agree with Kailana, there are some things that didn't work for me, but still...a worthwhile read.
Other Reviews/ opinions: Bookfoolery and Babble, Kailana
Fiction. Dystopian/Speculative Fiction. 2011. 352 pages.
I think the whole idea of dying the skin is unique. And rather creepy. This book has certainly gotten a lot of splash lately. Look forward to seeing what my reaction will be.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound like a book that will make you think, even if it wasn't fantastic.
ReplyDeleteKay - It is an interesting concept and very creepy! Eager to see what you think about this one.
ReplyDeleteAnna - Yes, it does make you think! Of course, I like The Scarlet Letter connection--updated!
Oh, my, Jenclair! Now I'm dying to read this one. Do you have the book or galley? Want to trade for something? Thanks for commenting on my last book...such a creepy and fun read.
ReplyDeleteDeborah/TheBookishDame
That is quite a concept, dyeing the skin! Actually, i think it would be a great idea for the more heinous crimes like rape and homicide, don't you? Uh oh, maybe I'd better go chill out...
ReplyDeleteInteresting - this is the second review by someone I trust to say similar things. I think I'm going to put this one on the maybe someday list.
ReplyDeleteI checked this out on Amazon Vine but decided against picking it. Dystopian never really works for me
ReplyDeleteDeborah - I'd be happy to trade! Send your address, and I'll get When She Woke in the mail to you!
ReplyDeleteAnne - And the process is reversible, so when the sentence has been served, the skin can be returned to normal. It would certainly be a dreadful punishment.
SuziQ - Well, the book's concept is so good, I do wish it had lived up to it!
bookmagic - I'm a fan of dystopian, but admit that it is sometimes hard to pull off.
I know. It wasn't perfect, but I am still so happy that I read it and look forward to reading more from the author. :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I think I'm in the same camp as SuziQ. I'll wait a bit and see if I'm more compelled to give it a try later on. It's an interesting concept, and I like dystopian novels, so it may wind up a winner for me. For some reason, it sounds a bit like a Margaret Atwood book. I know it's been compared to The Scarlet Letter, but I wonder if it's also similar to The Handmaid's Tale.
ReplyDeleteKailana - Same here. It wasn't perfect, but still intriguing.
ReplyDeleteLes - I've seen it compared to The Handmaid's Tale, too, but I haven't (ashamed to admit this) read THT. Should make an effort to do so!
I'm definitely in agreement with both you and Kailana. When She Woke wasn't a perfect read, but it was still definitely worth the time. I may have to seek out Mudbound, now. I've been putting it off because it sounds all too Southern for me, but I did like Hilary Jordan's writing.
ReplyDeleteNancy - I've always loved Southern writers like Welty, Flannery O'Connor, Tennessee Williams, and Walker Percy, but I'm pretty leery of more recent "Southern" novels. I'm not at all sure about whether I'll try Mudbound.
ReplyDeleteAn arc of this mysteriously showed up in my mailbox a few weeks ago. It looks good, but now maybe I won't rush to read it.
ReplyDeleteStefanie - It is such an interesting concept, I wanted to be delighted. In many ways, it seemed to skim the surface, as if unsure whether to concentrate on being an analogue or on the futuristic aspects. The two aspects seem skewed in different directions instead of blending comfortably.
ReplyDelete