Review: The Handmaid's Tale

Purchase The Handmaid's Tale here.

Synopsis:

In the world of the near future, who will control women's bodies?

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are only valued if their ovaries are viable.

Offred can remember the days before, when she lived and made love with her husband Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now....

Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid's Tale is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.

Review:

Another day, another dystopian novel for me to fall in love with.  The Handmaid's Tale, though, is in an entirely different experience than any possible future I have heretofore delved into.  Perhaps it is how immediate the novel is, how swift and plausible the overthrow of the state by the church is.  With the ongoing discussion of the control over women's bodies, The Handmaid's Tale becomes more and more relevant with each passing day.  Margaret Atwood seamlessly blends a horrifying dystopia with a religious critique and a resonating political statement.  If you haven't read Atwood before, now would be the time to start.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: Swans & Klons

Purchase Swans & Klons here.

Synopsis:

What does it take to survive in a world built on lies?

Sixteen-year-old Rubric loves her pampered life in the Academy dormitory. She’s dating Salmon Jo, a brilliant and unpredictable girl. In their all-female world, non-human slaves called Klons do all the work. But when Rubric and Salmon Jo break into the laboratory where human and Klon babies are grown in vats, they uncover a terrifying secret that tears their idyllic world apart.

Their friends won’t believe them, and their teachers won’t help them. The Doctors who rule Society want to silence Rubric and Salmon Jo. The two girls must flee for their lives. As they face the unthinkable, the only thing they have left to believe in is their love for each other.      

Review:

The premise of this novel is incredible. As an English major who takes a lot of classes about gender in literature, a dystopian society comprised entirely of women was too good a storyline to pass up. I was not disappointed. Themes of individuality, humanity, gender, and consent dominate this novel, backed by a unique dystopian storyline. I also love that Swans & Klons includes a sweet romantic storyline that doesn't overpower the story. The love is believable because so many different kinds of love are so integral to the storyline. The idea of the Cretinous Males is fascinating (I was wondering how the novel would explain an all-female society, and they actually did fairly well), and I sincerely hope a sequel is in the works. The ending was a bit rushed for me, but that may just be because I didn't want it to end... All in all, a super fun read.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: Fahrenheit 451

Purchase Fahrenheit 451 here.

Synopsis:

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.
Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television.
When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known. He starts hiding books in his home, and when his pilfering is discovered, the fireman has to run for his life.

Review:

I've been kind of devouring dystopian novels lately (many more reviews to come, so brace yourselves), and I thought it high time to read one of the classics.  I've been told I would enjoy Fahrenheit 451 multiple times, and I've owned a copy for some time now.  The set-up for this book is intriguing, and it's recently become more and more of a cautionary tale as authors battle censorship and book bans for the smallest of reasons.  In addition,  as someone who's often absorbed in Tumblr and has spent the majority of the past 6 or so years immersed in social media, Mildred's character is incredibly relevant.  In addition, this novel had some of the most poetic prose out of any dystopians I've ever read.  To be fair, I did occasionally get lost in it, and I was left hoping for much more at the end of the novel.  And Clarisse!  I was expecting her to be such a big character, and I wanted her to be so badly!  Despite a few misgivings, this is an incredibly important book and I'm glad I included it in my list of dystopian novels to read.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda

Review: I, Robot

Purchase I, Robot here.

Synopsis:

The three laws of Robotics:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
2) A robot must obey orders givein to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.

Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark.

(from the hardcover edition)

Review:

This book manages to set up intriguing stories that stand as brilliant logical puzzles on their own, then seamlessly weaves them together into one overarching tale commenting on technology, culture, and human nature as a whole.  Each story on its own presents a different case that challenges the Three Laws in a unique, innovative way, with unexpected solutions.  Asimov asks readers to reconsider what we consider human nature, as well as to challenge our preconceived notions of robotics.  The stories are interesting and challenging, but their episodic nature makes the book a quick read.  This was my first foray into Asimov's writing style, and I will definitely be coming back for more.

Until next time, happy reading!
-Amanda