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Ava
For fans of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale comes Ava, a provocative blend of speculative fiction and social commentary that takes readers on a gripping, thought-provoking journey into the fight for women’s autonomy in a politically charged Southern landscape.
What if the only way to reclaim reproductive freedom was to rewrite the very nature of birth itself?
Ten years after Roe v. Wade is overturned, twenty-two-year-old biologist Larkin finds herself unexpectedly pregnant in a country where choice is no longer an option. Initially uncertain, she embraces motherhood—until a devastating diagnosis changes everything. Trapped by Tennessee’s strict abortion laws, she is forced to carry her baby to term, only to endure the heartbreak of losing her hours after birth.
Years later, Larkin joins a radical scientific movement that could change a groundbreaking technology that replaces gestation with incubation, allowing women true control over their reproduction. When she uses it to bring her second daughter, Ava, into the world, she believes she has finally reclaimed her autonomy. But as Ava grows and begins to question the very choice that created her, Larkin is challenged in ways she never imagined.
Ava is a powerful, emotionally charged exploration of motherhood, bodily autonomy, and the far-reaching consequences of restrictive legislation. In a future shaped by loss and innovation, mother and daughter must confront the ultimate what does it truly mean to have a choice?
What if the only way to reclaim reproductive freedom was to rewrite the very nature of birth itself?
Ten years after Roe v. Wade is overturned, twenty-two-year-old biologist Larkin finds herself unexpectedly pregnant in a country where choice is no longer an option. Initially uncertain, she embraces motherhood—until a devastating diagnosis changes everything. Trapped by Tennessee’s strict abortion laws, she is forced to carry her baby to term, only to endure the heartbreak of losing her hours after birth.
Years later, Larkin joins a radical scientific movement that could change a groundbreaking technology that replaces gestation with incubation, allowing women true control over their reproduction. When she uses it to bring her second daughter, Ava, into the world, she believes she has finally reclaimed her autonomy. But as Ava grows and begins to question the very choice that created her, Larkin is challenged in ways she never imagined.
Ava is a powerful, emotionally charged exploration of motherhood, bodily autonomy, and the far-reaching consequences of restrictive legislation. In a future shaped by loss and innovation, mother and daughter must confront the ultimate what does it truly mean to have a choice?
238 pages, Paperback
Published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I'm rethinking my DNF rule. And ARCs. And my own literacy.
The book's message is important. Autonomy. Reproductive rights. Ethics. The whole dystopia we're speedrunning toward like it's an Olympic sport. It all matters. I'm on board.
But the execution feels like we're being punished. Like the author looked me in the eye and said, "You did this. This is all your fault."
I completely agree with the message. And anyone picking up this book will also agree that policing women's reproductive rights is a shitty thing to do. So, who is this for?? Who is being convinced??
This book crawls. Every sentence is a lecture.
And the dialogue… oh shit, the dialogue.
The characters talk like they're keynote speakers at some scientific conference. Barely anyone uses contractions. They speak like they’re drafting legally binding documents at gunpoint.
These scientists over-explain everything to each other. "I am doing this because blah blah... This happens because yada yada..." I know it's for the reader’s benefit, but it's just SO slow. And unnatural. I can't read another 8 page conversation about supernumerary nipples. I just can't!
Just say yes! Like when someone asks how you are, and even though your world is falling apart you just say “fine, you?” But no. Then:
Insensitive to what? To whom? A sandwich?
Then there’s Larkin meeting Susan, her brand new boss, who in the middle of showing her to her desk 3 minutes after starting, casually recounts every miscarriage she’s ever had. Well, not casually, because no one speaks casually, but you get my point. Coffee first? Small talk first? Ma’am, can she SIT DOWN FIRST???
These are absolutely important discussions we need to have. They shouldn't be taboo. But it's like no one involved has ever interacted with real humans.
And the intense oversharing never stops.
It unlocked war flashbacks to that one time I started a job and the man giving me the tour gave me a vivid recount of his diverticulitis, UNPROMPTED. Dude. I don't even know where the break room is yet. Why do I know this about your colon.
One thing that broke my brain is the book screaming “policing women’s bodies is bad” while also casually going, “let’s force girls to undergo massive, life-altering bodily changes without their consent.”
For a book that will not shut up about the importance of choice, it’s doing a truly spectacular job of ignoring it when it’s inconvenient.
And the writing itself is somehow both aggressively formal and weirdly juvenile. A lot of she did this, she said that, she thought this, she went there.
And then there's the formatting.
A disaster.
Sentences collapsing into gibberish, letters replaced with symbols, lines like:
"!e stranger yeled to her as the ra, but the surround chaos mu$ed their voice."
I didn't sign up to decode ancient runes.
Idk if Dillon's experimenting with chaos theory or if this is a production error or my copy got corrupted, but I just can't.
The subject matter is really important. Dillon imagines a near-future America in a way that's a bit too plausible, but everything else (the pacing, stiff dialogue, over-explaining, weird character interactions, formatting) made it impossible for me to fully engage.
I wish I were an egg so someone could throw me at the author.
ARC received from She Writes Press. What did I ever do to you? 😭😭😭
The book's message is important. Autonomy. Reproductive rights. Ethics. The whole dystopia we're speedrunning toward like it's an Olympic sport. It all matters. I'm on board.
But the execution feels like we're being punished. Like the author looked me in the eye and said, "You did this. This is all your fault."
I completely agree with the message. And anyone picking up this book will also agree that policing women's reproductive rights is a shitty thing to do. So, who is this for?? Who is being convinced??
This book crawls. Every sentence is a lecture.
And the dialogue… oh shit, the dialogue.
The characters talk like they're keynote speakers at some scientific conference. Barely anyone uses contractions. They speak like they’re drafting legally binding documents at gunpoint.
These scientists over-explain everything to each other. "I am doing this because blah blah... This happens because yada yada..." I know it's for the reader’s benefit, but it's just SO slow. And unnatural. I can't read another 8 page conversation about supernumerary nipples. I just can't!
“Have a good lunch?”
“No. I wasn’t really hungry.”
Just say yes! Like when someone asks how you are, and even though your world is falling apart you just say “fine, you?” But no. Then:
“Oh, I am so sorry. I was being insensitive!”
Insensitive to what? To whom? A sandwich?
Then there’s Larkin meeting Susan, her brand new boss, who in the middle of showing her to her desk 3 minutes after starting, casually recounts every miscarriage she’s ever had. Well, not casually, because no one speaks casually, but you get my point. Coffee first? Small talk first? Ma’am, can she SIT DOWN FIRST???
These are absolutely important discussions we need to have. They shouldn't be taboo. But it's like no one involved has ever interacted with real humans.
And the intense oversharing never stops.
It unlocked war flashbacks to that one time I started a job and the man giving me the tour gave me a vivid recount of his diverticulitis, UNPROMPTED. Dude. I don't even know where the break room is yet. Why do I know this about your colon.
One thing that broke my brain is the book screaming “policing women’s bodies is bad” while also casually going, “let’s force girls to undergo massive, life-altering bodily changes without their consent.”
For a book that will not shut up about the importance of choice, it’s doing a truly spectacular job of ignoring it when it’s inconvenient.
And the writing itself is somehow both aggressively formal and weirdly juvenile. A lot of she did this, she said that, she thought this, she went there.
And then there's the formatting.
A disaster.
Sentences collapsing into gibberish, letters replaced with symbols, lines like:
"!e stranger yeled to her as the ra, but the surround chaos mu$ed their voice."
I didn't sign up to decode ancient runes.
Idk if Dillon's experimenting with chaos theory or if this is a production error or my copy got corrupted, but I just can't.
The subject matter is really important. Dillon imagines a near-future America in a way that's a bit too plausible, but everything else (the pacing, stiff dialogue, over-explaining, weird character interactions, formatting) made it impossible for me to fully engage.
I wish I were an egg so someone could throw me at the author.
ARC received from She Writes Press. What did I ever do to you? 😭😭😭
April 21, 2026
4⭐️
Ava follows a couple in our near future named Larkin and Spencer as they meet in college, and then eventually marry. Larkin is a scientist and Spencer a mathematician, both nerdy in their own delightful way, When Larkin unexpectedly learns she's pregnant, she decideds to keep the baby. However, on their first visit to her gynecologist they learn that their baby has not formed a brain due to a genetic disease. However, because of Tennessee's strict laws on abortion and abortion care, Larkin learns that she cannot get a medical abortion and will be forced to carry her baby to term. What ensuses is a psychologically, mentally horrifying ordeal for Larkin. The reader is taken through her pregnancy, the birth and the subsequent death and burial of their daughter. Meanwhile, the story shifts to Larkin's mentor, Dr. Davis, who is working on creating a different way for women to give birth. Dr. Davis, who's own mother pershished right after giving birth to him because medical personnel did not care to listen to a Black woman, has devoted his life's work to finding a way to help women. He has devised a method of using avian DNA by extracting it and inserting it into a woman to help women lay eggs, instead of normal gestation which obviously completely changes a woman's body. Because it's been more than a decade of healing and thinking about it, Larkin and then her husband Spencer agree to be Dr. Davis's first human test subjects. The result is their daugther Ava. Ava doesn't know she is different from other girls her age. It isn't until she reaches puberty that Dr. Davis, Larkin and Spencer must tell her the truth.
My thoughts:
I really found this book thought-provoking. This feels not only imminent but exactly how these not so distant future women will have to deal with their rights being stripped away. While there is a lot of characterization, sometimes the characters lacked some depth. It felt like the story had to quickly go on, so we didn't get enough inside thoughts or feelings from Dr. Davis or Larkin. I think the most impactful part of the book was having to sit with Larkin as she went through pregnancy knowing her daughter wasn't going to survive. As someone who has been pregnant and gave birth, I found her story harrowing, even more so knowning that this is already a reality women are facing, especially here in Tennessee. I was glad to see that Dillon set her story here in my home state because we, in the South, are facing far worse circumstances (and even worse if you are a woman of color) than other states who have protected abortion. I see the taking away of contraception as being the next step for those in the far right, and we can only hope that a Dr. Davis comes around with a science that gives women back their choice.
Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy for review. All opinions are my own.
Ava follows a couple in our near future named Larkin and Spencer as they meet in college, and then eventually marry. Larkin is a scientist and Spencer a mathematician, both nerdy in their own delightful way, When Larkin unexpectedly learns she's pregnant, she decideds to keep the baby. However, on their first visit to her gynecologist they learn that their baby has not formed a brain due to a genetic disease. However, because of Tennessee's strict laws on abortion and abortion care, Larkin learns that she cannot get a medical abortion and will be forced to carry her baby to term. What ensuses is a psychologically, mentally horrifying ordeal for Larkin. The reader is taken through her pregnancy, the birth and the subsequent death and burial of their daughter. Meanwhile, the story shifts to Larkin's mentor, Dr. Davis, who is working on creating a different way for women to give birth. Dr. Davis, who's own mother pershished right after giving birth to him because medical personnel did not care to listen to a Black woman, has devoted his life's work to finding a way to help women. He has devised a method of using avian DNA by extracting it and inserting it into a woman to help women lay eggs, instead of normal gestation which obviously completely changes a woman's body. Because it's been more than a decade of healing and thinking about it, Larkin and then her husband Spencer agree to be Dr. Davis's first human test subjects. The result is their daugther Ava. Ava doesn't know she is different from other girls her age. It isn't until she reaches puberty that Dr. Davis, Larkin and Spencer must tell her the truth.
My thoughts:
I really found this book thought-provoking. This feels not only imminent but exactly how these not so distant future women will have to deal with their rights being stripped away. While there is a lot of characterization, sometimes the characters lacked some depth. It felt like the story had to quickly go on, so we didn't get enough inside thoughts or feelings from Dr. Davis or Larkin. I think the most impactful part of the book was having to sit with Larkin as she went through pregnancy knowing her daughter wasn't going to survive. As someone who has been pregnant and gave birth, I found her story harrowing, even more so knowning that this is already a reality women are facing, especially here in Tennessee. I was glad to see that Dillon set her story here in my home state because we, in the South, are facing far worse circumstances (and even worse if you are a woman of color) than other states who have protected abortion. I see the taking away of contraception as being the next step for those in the far right, and we can only hope that a Dr. Davis comes around with a science that gives women back their choice.
Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy for review. All opinions are my own.
January 11, 2026
Thought provoking and an out of the box way of looking at reproduction!
April 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
This was less dystopian than I thought it would be! It was actually quite hopeful, in a way. The topic is obviously very important, and I appreciate the research the author obviously put into the scientific aspect of this, as well as the discussions of agency and having choices made for you both in the story of Larkin and, later, Ava, and the parallels of what they have to endure being "for the greater good". I definitely think that there is a lot of ethical concerns surrounding the topics of the novel, and I appreciate that the author showed both the bad guys AND the good guys as ignoring someone's right to choose. While everything is wonderful at the end, and the entire family came around and is happy (which, in my opinion, could have involved a lot more grappling with the ethics of it all), the complicated nature of the experiments, people's motivations for them and what it means for the "results" of the experiments was taken up, which I think was really important in a book surrounding such a sensitive and difficult topic.
One thing that almost made me DNF this was that the first two parts were, in my opinion, not written as well as the third part. It didn't feel like a story, and rather like the author was just telling the reader things, but I really didn't feel attached to any characters and it felt pretty flat. However, the third part was very interesting, so this still gets a 4 star rating (though rounded up from 3.5).
This was less dystopian than I thought it would be! It was actually quite hopeful, in a way. The topic is obviously very important, and I appreciate the research the author obviously put into the scientific aspect of this, as well as the discussions of agency and having choices made for you both in the story of Larkin and, later, Ava, and the parallels of what they have to endure being "for the greater good". I definitely think that there is a lot of ethical concerns surrounding the topics of the novel, and I appreciate that the author showed both the bad guys AND the good guys as ignoring someone's right to choose. While everything is wonderful at the end, and the entire family came around and is happy (which, in my opinion, could have involved a lot more grappling with the ethics of it all), the complicated nature of the experiments, people's motivations for them and what it means for the "results" of the experiments was taken up, which I think was really important in a book surrounding such a sensitive and difficult topic.
One thing that almost made me DNF this was that the first two parts were, in my opinion, not written as well as the third part. It didn't feel like a story, and rather like the author was just telling the reader things, but I really didn't feel attached to any characters and it felt pretty flat. However, the third part was very interesting, so this still gets a 4 star rating (though rounded up from 3.5).
March 7, 2026
I receive this book as an ARC and I really enjoyed it! I appreciated the attention to scientific details when explaining how things worked and the emphasis on the political aspects and the importance of fighting for woman’s rights. I also enjoyed the relationships between the characters and how things tied together throughout the book and at the end.
My only minor criticisms are there were parts that felt a little cheesy or a little rushed, but for the point of the story the timing made sense, just liked it so much I would have loved even more. I also had formatting issues with my arc kindle version but those seem to have been resolved in another preview version I’ve looked at.
Overall it was an easy and entertaining book that I had a fun time with! :)
My only minor criticisms are there were parts that felt a little cheesy or a little rushed, but for the point of the story the timing made sense, just liked it so much I would have loved even more. I also had formatting issues with my arc kindle version but those seem to have been resolved in another preview version I’ve looked at.
Overall it was an easy and entertaining book that I had a fun time with! :)
March 5, 2026
Ava is an emotionally charged exploration of motherhood. Set in the near future after Roe vs Wade is overturned, it explores a reality where medically necessary abortions are impossible. Author Victoria Dillon paints an emotionally powerful narrative, with a main character whos emotional resillience make her magnetic.
Ava is a highly human tale. It's not just about bringing a fetus to term in a world post- Roe v Wade. It's an exploration of pregnancy, motherhood, and the flurry of emotions, both good and bad, that come with that. And Dillon's writing makes it impossible not to sympathize with Larkin on some level, making it the standout feature of the novel in my opinion.
Ava is a highly human tale. It's not just about bringing a fetus to term in a world post- Roe v Wade. It's an exploration of pregnancy, motherhood, and the flurry of emotions, both good and bad, that come with that. And Dillon's writing makes it impossible not to sympathize with Larkin on some level, making it the standout feature of the novel in my opinion.
February 7, 2026
4.5 stars. This book was incredible. I am so glad I got to read this. The cover is perfect. Just, wow.
I want to write a more eloquent review but I have no words. I need to process this one. I’m worried about the future in America but thankful for those like the author for books like this.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.
I want to write a more eloquent review but I have no words. I need to process this one. I’m worried about the future in America but thankful for those like the author for books like this.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 29, 2026
I received a free ARC of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Ava was at times, both beautiful and horrifying. It's a story of what could happen when women's rights and bodily autonomy are taken away. It's about scientists that try to solve one problem and make a change that has repercussions for future generations. It's about hope for a better way forward.
Ava was at times, both beautiful and horrifying. It's a story of what could happen when women's rights and bodily autonomy are taken away. It's about scientists that try to solve one problem and make a change that has repercussions for future generations. It's about hope for a better way forward.
March 27, 2026
This book had a really interesting premise. After Roe v. Wade is overturned, more and more reproductive rights begin to be taken away. It raises compelling questions: Is there another way to have a baby? How far would you go to change history and help future generations? Although it’s a short book that spans many years, it doesn’t feel rushed and despite the serious subject matter, it never feels overly heavy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Note: This review is much more spoilery than my typical review, so please read with caution. Thank you!
A poignant speculative novel that dives deep into women's reproductive rights and the state of contraceptive care in America today.
Larkin finds herself pregnant and abandoned by the government ten years after Roe v. Wade is overturned. Initially, she embraces motherhood with everything she has until she is informed that her child will not survive outside the womb. Devastated and unable to do anything about it, Larkin carries the child to term with all the mental anguish that comes with it. Years later, her boss, Dr. James Davis comes to her with an exciting proposition that will allow gestation to be replaced with incubation. Larkin then figureheads a radical movement that will allow women to take back their reproductive rights and give them the power to once again choose what to do with their bodies.
Just... Wow. It shocked me how much I needed a book like this. This book is certainly going to be a controversial one when the public gets its hands on it, but sometimes that's what the world needs. The fight for women's reproductive rights concerning contraception, abortion, and choosing what is best for their situation has been ramping up as of late, as is the fight for youth getting the healthcare they deserve without adult approval. Therefore, this is such an important book for the situations we are facing today.
This book is so important that it's truly going to be a challenge for me to describe it right. Before I dive into my deep analysis, I just want to say that this book can be extremely triggering to many readers. Pregnancy, losing a child, and having one's ability to choose taken away are all such hard things to cope with, so make sure to treat yourself with care first and foremost. This book is also extremely political and at times divisive, so make sure to take care of yourself. Also, it is going to be hard to discuss this plot without giving away some of it, because it is truly a rollercoaster.
I think the best way to start talking about this one is to start exploring it in segments. Part I of the book shows Larkin and Spencer's early lives as they go to school, get married, and get pregnant. Larkin is a scientist, which is something that is explored in great detail in this segment. I found it absolutely fascinating to learn more about how life develops and the similarities between different species embryos.
The latter section of Part I ends up being quite tragic and one of the hardest things I have ever read. Larkin and Spencer learn that their baby is incompatible to live longer than a few minutes after birth, but they exist in a futuristic America in which getting an abortion is illegal. It was so difficult to read about how much stress and torment this unfortunate situation added to Larkin and Spencer's lives. I was sobbing my eyes out pretty much the entire way through, and I grieve for those that are forced into situations such as this. Seriously, anyone who believes that abortions are evil should be forced to read the beginning of this book and see if they aren't crushed by it.
Part II focuses on the subject matter that the prologue and the cover promise. One of the main characters, Dr. James Davis, also has a bit of a traumatic past involving his mother, her reproductive health care, and medical negligence on her doctor's part. This inspired him to try to create a safer, less fatal way for humans to give birth. As the cover alludes to, he takes the laying eggs approach. I fear there are many reasons that this form of repopulating the human species is seriously unlikely, but the science behind it is absolutely fascinating and would certainly change our world at large.
Part III showcases young Ava coming to age and being the first human to ever produce an egg successfully. Seeing her grapple with her biological differences was an interesting study in human nature. The points brought up about her parents choosing this lifestyle for her against her will was also a great conversation starter about how much agency parents should have over their children's medical decisions. The ending of this book was so sweet my heart could barely handle it.
Hopefully I didn't just spoil the entire book, but man, it's difficult to talk about anything meaningful without giving some things away. There are so many things I could discuss about this one, but I'll try to reign it in a bit.
One thing that I absolutely ate up was the discussion that it presents about a parent's decision to do or not do certain things regarding their kid's medical history. There is a section in this book that talks about a fifteen- to sixteen-year-old girl wanting to go on birth control and get the HPV vaccine behind her parent's backs. She wanted to practice safer sex and get a vaccine that could potentially prevent her from getting a dangerous cancer in her future. She successfully acquired birth control before a law passes that prohibits youths under eighteen from seeing a doctor without a parent or guardian present but didn't receive the HPV vaccine in time. Her parents feared the vaccine would cause infertility, but in reality, it just opened her up for much scarier risks in the future.
The overall fight for reproductive rights in general was another obvious highlight of this novel. Many topics surrounding pregnancy, sex, and conceiving children are things that freak me out, though I recognize the gift these things are. Therefore, books such as this tend to freak me out, but I also love being more educated on these subjects; more knowledge gives me more power to make practical decisions.
It scares me that the government in America has been fighting so hard to make abortions illegal, because every person's circumstances are different and women deserve to be able to make such important decisions about their bodies. In Larkin's case, she had to carry a child to full-term even though it had an incurable developmental problem that meant the baby wouldn't survive in the outside world. So much turmoil is put on these women already, it is only fair that we let them put their baby to rest as soon as possible in the peacefulest way we can. Also, the financial burdens it puts on people can also be crushing, especially given the fact that they don't have a baby to bring home with them afterwards.
The sci-fi nature of this one hits really close to home but feels seriously impossible at the same time. People laying eggs and having to wear protective sunglasses to avoid ovulation seems really out there, but the government crackdown feels all too real. The fact that all forms of contraception are eventually banned before this book concludes is terrifying. Those against this ban would have to sneak in contraband condoms and birth control pills from Mexico like they were drugs, which is a terrifying thought. These things make everyday life simpler and better; I fear the main thing that banning contraception would really lead to is more illegal and unsafe abortions happening on the streets or in secret clinics.
The church's influence on contraception and sex practices is another thing I always find interesting to study. Many religions beg their followers to save their purity and not lie with anyone unless you are married. I feel this is a dying value in this day and age, but I found it an interesting thing to investigate. In this book, many people started restraining from sex again after contraceptive methods were made illegal. I think it's an interesting thought experiment to see how this would affect humanity's values as a whole.
In schools, it is still scarily common that the only form of sex ed that exists is a member of a church group or a singular nurse coming in and saying, "The only way to be truly safe is to abstain from having sexual intercourse in any form." Newsflash, this helps literally nobody. I thought it was really funny how Larkin used her knowledge of biology to make the people that came in and taught sex ed at her school to look extremely stupid. Seriously, public education needs more than teaching abstinence, because they're not stopping teens from having sex in any way, shape, or form. Also, people who flaunt their beliefs over others are just so uncool anyway. Larkin had this one roommate who literally did not understand how children are created due to programs such as these, so I also appreciate how the author backed her work up later in the story.
I fear I've already bared my soul too much and probably expressed one too many controversial opinion for my own good. I sort of felt like I was back in College Government debating my stance on critical issues in America. *awkward laughter* Anyway, just know that this book touches on so many important topics and hits you right in the feels as it does so. This is a book I'm sure I'll revisit again, as I'm certain it will read differently as more time passes and politics shift.
Overall, "Ava" was such a powerful novel. I wasn't expecting for this one to put me in a death grip and not let me go, but it certainly did. I sobbed, I laughed, my stomach turned with unease as I read about the horrors that the government was putting Larkin and her family through. This is such a great speculative novel that deep dives into reproductive care, medical negligence, contraception, parental agency, scientific discoveries, and so much more. I was absolutely touched and hope that this book finds all the right people. I hope Dillon keeps writing, because this book really packed a punch!
A poignant speculative novel that dives deep into women's reproductive rights and the state of contraceptive care in America today.
Larkin finds herself pregnant and abandoned by the government ten years after Roe v. Wade is overturned. Initially, she embraces motherhood with everything she has until she is informed that her child will not survive outside the womb. Devastated and unable to do anything about it, Larkin carries the child to term with all the mental anguish that comes with it. Years later, her boss, Dr. James Davis comes to her with an exciting proposition that will allow gestation to be replaced with incubation. Larkin then figureheads a radical movement that will allow women to take back their reproductive rights and give them the power to once again choose what to do with their bodies.
Just... Wow. It shocked me how much I needed a book like this. This book is certainly going to be a controversial one when the public gets its hands on it, but sometimes that's what the world needs. The fight for women's reproductive rights concerning contraception, abortion, and choosing what is best for their situation has been ramping up as of late, as is the fight for youth getting the healthcare they deserve without adult approval. Therefore, this is such an important book for the situations we are facing today.
This book is so important that it's truly going to be a challenge for me to describe it right. Before I dive into my deep analysis, I just want to say that this book can be extremely triggering to many readers. Pregnancy, losing a child, and having one's ability to choose taken away are all such hard things to cope with, so make sure to treat yourself with care first and foremost. This book is also extremely political and at times divisive, so make sure to take care of yourself. Also, it is going to be hard to discuss this plot without giving away some of it, because it is truly a rollercoaster.
I think the best way to start talking about this one is to start exploring it in segments. Part I of the book shows Larkin and Spencer's early lives as they go to school, get married, and get pregnant. Larkin is a scientist, which is something that is explored in great detail in this segment. I found it absolutely fascinating to learn more about how life develops and the similarities between different species embryos.
The latter section of Part I ends up being quite tragic and one of the hardest things I have ever read. Larkin and Spencer learn that their baby is incompatible to live longer than a few minutes after birth, but they exist in a futuristic America in which getting an abortion is illegal. It was so difficult to read about how much stress and torment this unfortunate situation added to Larkin and Spencer's lives. I was sobbing my eyes out pretty much the entire way through, and I grieve for those that are forced into situations such as this. Seriously, anyone who believes that abortions are evil should be forced to read the beginning of this book and see if they aren't crushed by it.
Part II focuses on the subject matter that the prologue and the cover promise. One of the main characters, Dr. James Davis, also has a bit of a traumatic past involving his mother, her reproductive health care, and medical negligence on her doctor's part. This inspired him to try to create a safer, less fatal way for humans to give birth. As the cover alludes to, he takes the laying eggs approach. I fear there are many reasons that this form of repopulating the human species is seriously unlikely, but the science behind it is absolutely fascinating and would certainly change our world at large.
Part III showcases young Ava coming to age and being the first human to ever produce an egg successfully. Seeing her grapple with her biological differences was an interesting study in human nature. The points brought up about her parents choosing this lifestyle for her against her will was also a great conversation starter about how much agency parents should have over their children's medical decisions. The ending of this book was so sweet my heart could barely handle it.
Hopefully I didn't just spoil the entire book, but man, it's difficult to talk about anything meaningful without giving some things away. There are so many things I could discuss about this one, but I'll try to reign it in a bit.
One thing that I absolutely ate up was the discussion that it presents about a parent's decision to do or not do certain things regarding their kid's medical history. There is a section in this book that talks about a fifteen- to sixteen-year-old girl wanting to go on birth control and get the HPV vaccine behind her parent's backs. She wanted to practice safer sex and get a vaccine that could potentially prevent her from getting a dangerous cancer in her future. She successfully acquired birth control before a law passes that prohibits youths under eighteen from seeing a doctor without a parent or guardian present but didn't receive the HPV vaccine in time. Her parents feared the vaccine would cause infertility, but in reality, it just opened her up for much scarier risks in the future.
The overall fight for reproductive rights in general was another obvious highlight of this novel. Many topics surrounding pregnancy, sex, and conceiving children are things that freak me out, though I recognize the gift these things are. Therefore, books such as this tend to freak me out, but I also love being more educated on these subjects; more knowledge gives me more power to make practical decisions.
It scares me that the government in America has been fighting so hard to make abortions illegal, because every person's circumstances are different and women deserve to be able to make such important decisions about their bodies. In Larkin's case, she had to carry a child to full-term even though it had an incurable developmental problem that meant the baby wouldn't survive in the outside world. So much turmoil is put on these women already, it is only fair that we let them put their baby to rest as soon as possible in the peacefulest way we can. Also, the financial burdens it puts on people can also be crushing, especially given the fact that they don't have a baby to bring home with them afterwards.
The sci-fi nature of this one hits really close to home but feels seriously impossible at the same time. People laying eggs and having to wear protective sunglasses to avoid ovulation seems really out there, but the government crackdown feels all too real. The fact that all forms of contraception are eventually banned before this book concludes is terrifying. Those against this ban would have to sneak in contraband condoms and birth control pills from Mexico like they were drugs, which is a terrifying thought. These things make everyday life simpler and better; I fear the main thing that banning contraception would really lead to is more illegal and unsafe abortions happening on the streets or in secret clinics.
The church's influence on contraception and sex practices is another thing I always find interesting to study. Many religions beg their followers to save their purity and not lie with anyone unless you are married. I feel this is a dying value in this day and age, but I found it an interesting thing to investigate. In this book, many people started restraining from sex again after contraceptive methods were made illegal. I think it's an interesting thought experiment to see how this would affect humanity's values as a whole.
In schools, it is still scarily common that the only form of sex ed that exists is a member of a church group or a singular nurse coming in and saying, "The only way to be truly safe is to abstain from having sexual intercourse in any form." Newsflash, this helps literally nobody. I thought it was really funny how Larkin used her knowledge of biology to make the people that came in and taught sex ed at her school to look extremely stupid. Seriously, public education needs more than teaching abstinence, because they're not stopping teens from having sex in any way, shape, or form. Also, people who flaunt their beliefs over others are just so uncool anyway. Larkin had this one roommate who literally did not understand how children are created due to programs such as these, so I also appreciate how the author backed her work up later in the story.
I fear I've already bared my soul too much and probably expressed one too many controversial opinion for my own good. I sort of felt like I was back in College Government debating my stance on critical issues in America. *awkward laughter* Anyway, just know that this book touches on so many important topics and hits you right in the feels as it does so. This is a book I'm sure I'll revisit again, as I'm certain it will read differently as more time passes and politics shift.
Overall, "Ava" was such a powerful novel. I wasn't expecting for this one to put me in a death grip and not let me go, but it certainly did. I sobbed, I laughed, my stomach turned with unease as I read about the horrors that the government was putting Larkin and her family through. This is such a great speculative novel that deep dives into reproductive care, medical negligence, contraception, parental agency, scientific discoveries, and so much more. I was absolutely touched and hope that this book finds all the right people. I hope Dillon keeps writing, because this book really packed a punch!
March 27, 2026
Interesting - hope the world doesn’t come to this! Well written although a bit technical at times - some aspects would be hard to read if you are not in science or medicine.
March 27, 2026
I appreciate the opportunity to read this ahead of time, and enjoyed this quite a bit. The first half was quite slow, though I appreciate the storyline buildup and the characters themselves. There was a lot of of scientific dialogue and explanations, which may not be for everyone, and I understand the reason for including it. I wish this story had more dialogue and insights of the characters themselves regarding women’s reproductive rights, as this is such a hot topic and probably will be for years to come.
Thank you to She Writes Press for the advanced copy of this book. My thoughts are left voluntarily and all opinions are of my own.
Thank you to She Writes Press for the advanced copy of this book. My thoughts are left voluntarily and all opinions are of my own.
March 8, 2026
Ava presents a bold premise: rewrite birth itself to restore autonomy after Roe v. Wade is overturned.
**Premise**
Set in a politically altered near-future America where reproductive rights have been stripped away, Ava follows Larkin, a young biologist whose life is reshaped by a devastating pregnancy in a state with strict abortion laws after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Years later, she joins a radical scientific movement that replaces gestation with incubation technology, believing she has finally reclaimed control over her body and her future. But as her daughter Ava grows up and begins questioning the choice that brought her into existence, mother and daughter must confront what autonomy truly means.
**What This Book Does Well**
The premise is undeniably compelling. The speculative technology at the heart of the story is internally consistent and plausibly constructed within the novel's framework. Even when the science felt technically dense, it enhanced the stakes and gave the world conceptual weight.
There are moments of real emotional force - particularly the aftermath of Larkin's pregnancy. Those scenes are gut-wrenching and difficult to read in the way that meaningful fiction sometimes is. Readers sensitive to reproductive trauma should approach with care, but the emotional gravity of those sections is undeniable.
The novel is also unapologetically political and it is clearly written from a place of conviction.
**Where It Fell Short For Me**
The craft execution - particularly dialogue and character depth was a real struggle for me. The dialogue consistently felt unnatural and overly declarative. Conversations often read as vehicles for advancing the political argument rather than organic exchanges between fully formed individuals. Even moments that could have been messy or emotionally complicated in very human ways were resolved through singular simpl.e conversations. That lack of messiness undercut what could have been rich interpersonal tension.
The story spans over fifty years, yet the only meaningful societal evolution we witness revolves around reproductive policy. Other aspects of the world feel static. As a result, the speculative setting never fully materializes beyond the central issue, which makes the futuristic elements feel narrower than the premise suggests.
Additionally, brief instances of head-hopping disrupted immersion. While not overly confusing, they felt unnecessary and pulled focus away from what could have been developed more organically within the primary point of view.
**Craft and Writing Quality**
On a sentence level, the prose is clear and readable. However, the structural choices (pacing in the first half, dialogue construction, and occasional POV shifts) create distance.
Thematically, the novel raises powerful questions around reproductive rights in the United States after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but the exploration often feels asserted rather than dramatized. Instead of fully inhabiting the emotional contradictions inherent in autonomy, motherhood, and scientific intervention, the narrative seemed to prioritize its message over narrative complexity.
Ironically, even as someone who agrees with the underlying political messaging of the story, I felt very aware that I was being told what to think rather than invited to wrestle with any ambiguity or simply be so engrossed in the story that I don't feel like I'm being lectured.
**Final Thoughts & Opinions**
I really wanted to like this book more than I ultimately did. I think it does raise some very important questions about the future of reproductive rights in the United States, but the strong concepts need equally strong character work to fully land. For me, the persistent dialogue issues and limited world expansion kept the story from reaching the potential I had hoped for. I was left wishing the narrative trusted its characters - and readers - enough to let the emotional complexity breathe.
My thanks to Netgalley, She Writes Press, and Victoria Dillon for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
**Scoring Breakdown**
Personal Enjoyment: 1.5/5
Overall Execution: 2/5
Craft & Writing Quality: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 4/5
**Premise**
Set in a politically altered near-future America where reproductive rights have been stripped away, Ava follows Larkin, a young biologist whose life is reshaped by a devastating pregnancy in a state with strict abortion laws after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Years later, she joins a radical scientific movement that replaces gestation with incubation technology, believing she has finally reclaimed control over her body and her future. But as her daughter Ava grows up and begins questioning the choice that brought her into existence, mother and daughter must confront what autonomy truly means.
**What This Book Does Well**
The premise is undeniably compelling. The speculative technology at the heart of the story is internally consistent and plausibly constructed within the novel's framework. Even when the science felt technically dense, it enhanced the stakes and gave the world conceptual weight.
There are moments of real emotional force - particularly the aftermath of Larkin's pregnancy. Those scenes are gut-wrenching and difficult to read in the way that meaningful fiction sometimes is. Readers sensitive to reproductive trauma should approach with care, but the emotional gravity of those sections is undeniable.
The novel is also unapologetically political and it is clearly written from a place of conviction.
**Where It Fell Short For Me**
The craft execution - particularly dialogue and character depth was a real struggle for me. The dialogue consistently felt unnatural and overly declarative. Conversations often read as vehicles for advancing the political argument rather than organic exchanges between fully formed individuals. Even moments that could have been messy or emotionally complicated in very human ways were resolved through singular simpl.e conversations. That lack of messiness undercut what could have been rich interpersonal tension.
The story spans over fifty years, yet the only meaningful societal evolution we witness revolves around reproductive policy. Other aspects of the world feel static. As a result, the speculative setting never fully materializes beyond the central issue, which makes the futuristic elements feel narrower than the premise suggests.
Additionally, brief instances of head-hopping disrupted immersion. While not overly confusing, they felt unnecessary and pulled focus away from what could have been developed more organically within the primary point of view.
**Craft and Writing Quality**
On a sentence level, the prose is clear and readable. However, the structural choices (pacing in the first half, dialogue construction, and occasional POV shifts) create distance.
Thematically, the novel raises powerful questions around reproductive rights in the United States after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but the exploration often feels asserted rather than dramatized. Instead of fully inhabiting the emotional contradictions inherent in autonomy, motherhood, and scientific intervention, the narrative seemed to prioritize its message over narrative complexity.
Ironically, even as someone who agrees with the underlying political messaging of the story, I felt very aware that I was being told what to think rather than invited to wrestle with any ambiguity or simply be so engrossed in the story that I don't feel like I'm being lectured.
**Final Thoughts & Opinions**
I really wanted to like this book more than I ultimately did. I think it does raise some very important questions about the future of reproductive rights in the United States, but the strong concepts need equally strong character work to fully land. For me, the persistent dialogue issues and limited world expansion kept the story from reaching the potential I had hoped for. I was left wishing the narrative trusted its characters - and readers - enough to let the emotional complexity breathe.
My thanks to Netgalley, She Writes Press, and Victoria Dillon for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
**Scoring Breakdown**
Personal Enjoyment: 1.5/5
Overall Execution: 2/5
Craft & Writing Quality: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 4/5
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ava presents a bold premise: rewrite birth itself to restore autonomy after Roe v. Wade is overturned.
What This Book Does Well
The premise is undeniably compelling. The speculative technology at the heart of the story is internally consistent and plausibly constructed within the novel's framework. Even when the science felt technically dense, it enhanced the stakes and gave the world conceptual weight.
There are moments of real emotional force - particularly the aftermath of Larkin's pregnancy. Those scenes are gut-wrenching and difficult to read in the way that meaningful fiction sometimes is. Readers sensative to reproductive trauma should approach with care, but the emotional gravity of those sections is undeniable.
The novel is also unapologetically political and it is clearly written from a place of conviction.
Where It Fell Short For Me
The craft execution - particularly dialogue and character depth- was a real struggle for me. The dialogue consistently felt unnatural and overly declarative. Conversations often read as vehicles for advancing the political argument rather than organic exchanges between fully formed individuals. Even moments that could have been messy or emotionally complicated in very human ways were resolved through singular, simple conversations. That lack of messiness undercut what could have been rich interpersonal tension.
The story spans over fifty years, yet the only meaningful societal evolution we witness revolves around reproductive policy. Other aspects of the world feel static. As a result, the speculative setting never fully materializes beyond the central issue, which makes the futuristic elements feel narrower than the premise suggests.
Additionally, brief instances of head-hopping disrupted immersion. While not overly confusing, they felt unnecessary and pulled focus away from what could have been developed more organically within the primary point of view.
Craft and Writing Quality
On a sentence level, the prose is clear and readable. However, the structural choices (pacing in the first half, dialogue construction, and occasional POV shifts) create distance.
Thematically, the novel raises powerful questions around reproductive rights in the United States after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but the exploration often feels asserted rather than dramatized. Instead of fully inhabiting the emotional contradictions inherent in autonomy, motherhood, and scientific intervention, the narrative seemed to prioritize its message over narrative complexity.
Ironically, even as someone who agrees with the underlying political messaging of the story, I felt very aware that I was being told what to think rather than invited to wrestle with any ambiguity or simply be so engrossed in the story that I don't feel like I'm being lectured.
Final Thoughts & Opinions
I really wanted to like this book more than I ultimately did. I think it does raise some very important questions about the future of reproductive rights in the United States, but the strong concepts need equally strong character work to fully land. For me, the persistent dialogue issues and limited world expansion kept the story from reaching the potential I had hoped for. I was left wishing the narrative trusted its characters - and readers - enough to let the emotional complexity breathe.
My thanks to Netgalley, She Writes Press, and Victoria Dillon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Scoring Breakdown
Personal Enjoyment: 1.5/5
Overall Execution: 2/5
Craft & Writing Quality: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 4/5
What This Book Does Well
The premise is undeniably compelling. The speculative technology at the heart of the story is internally consistent and plausibly constructed within the novel's framework. Even when the science felt technically dense, it enhanced the stakes and gave the world conceptual weight.
There are moments of real emotional force - particularly the aftermath of Larkin's pregnancy. Those scenes are gut-wrenching and difficult to read in the way that meaningful fiction sometimes is. Readers sensative to reproductive trauma should approach with care, but the emotional gravity of those sections is undeniable.
The novel is also unapologetically political and it is clearly written from a place of conviction.
Where It Fell Short For Me
The craft execution - particularly dialogue and character depth- was a real struggle for me. The dialogue consistently felt unnatural and overly declarative. Conversations often read as vehicles for advancing the political argument rather than organic exchanges between fully formed individuals. Even moments that could have been messy or emotionally complicated in very human ways were resolved through singular, simple conversations. That lack of messiness undercut what could have been rich interpersonal tension.
The story spans over fifty years, yet the only meaningful societal evolution we witness revolves around reproductive policy. Other aspects of the world feel static. As a result, the speculative setting never fully materializes beyond the central issue, which makes the futuristic elements feel narrower than the premise suggests.
Additionally, brief instances of head-hopping disrupted immersion. While not overly confusing, they felt unnecessary and pulled focus away from what could have been developed more organically within the primary point of view.
Craft and Writing Quality
On a sentence level, the prose is clear and readable. However, the structural choices (pacing in the first half, dialogue construction, and occasional POV shifts) create distance.
Thematically, the novel raises powerful questions around reproductive rights in the United States after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but the exploration often feels asserted rather than dramatized. Instead of fully inhabiting the emotional contradictions inherent in autonomy, motherhood, and scientific intervention, the narrative seemed to prioritize its message over narrative complexity.
Ironically, even as someone who agrees with the underlying political messaging of the story, I felt very aware that I was being told what to think rather than invited to wrestle with any ambiguity or simply be so engrossed in the story that I don't feel like I'm being lectured.
Final Thoughts & Opinions
I really wanted to like this book more than I ultimately did. I think it does raise some very important questions about the future of reproductive rights in the United States, but the strong concepts need equally strong character work to fully land. For me, the persistent dialogue issues and limited world expansion kept the story from reaching the potential I had hoped for. I was left wishing the narrative trusted its characters - and readers - enough to let the emotional complexity breathe.
My thanks to Netgalley, She Writes Press, and Victoria Dillon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Scoring Breakdown
Personal Enjoyment: 1.5/5
Overall Execution: 2/5
Craft & Writing Quality: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Plot: 4/5
April 30, 2026
Reproductive rights are frequently a source of controversy.
In ‘Ava’, Victoria Dillon imagines a world in which, post Roe vs Wade, and in an increasingly authoritarian America, women’s ability to make choices about their own bodies are restricted to the point where one scientist decides the only way to freedom is to change the very nature of birth itself…
-- What’s it about? --
After Larkin suffers a devastating pregnancy, forced to carry to term a baby who will inevitably die hours or days after the birth, she is offered the opportunity to be part of a complete re-writing of biology: replacing gestation with incubation.
Years later her resulting child, astonished by the decision made on her behalf, will challenge Larkin’s beliefs. What does bodily autonomy really mean?
-- What’s it like? --
The science behind ‘Ava’ is interesting but it's embedded in a narrative that feels too didactic. 223 pages aim to encompass a great deal - twenty plus years of Larkin’s life and many political changes, plus the entire span of James Davis Junior's life - and this is achieved by ensuring every interaction in the novel is short and to-the-point, selected to illustrate the potentially negative outcomes of the political decisions. Larkin's best friend, Aubrey, exists only insofar as she illustrates Dillon's concerns; ditto Spencer's Republican boss. Frequently, Dillon opts to assert rather than show.
In fact, all of the characters visibly exist to serve the overarching theme of the novel: reproductive rights are good; any restriction of these rights is bad; anyone who agrees with the political direction of travel just hasn't thought it through (Spencer's parents perform a remarkable U-turn in the last chapter of the story, because, of course, their beliefs were founded on nothing more solid than prejudice and herd mentality).
In this story, no 'traditional' pregnancy is simple, no ‘traditional’ birth is straightforward and, in this increasingly dictatorial world, Larkin's decision makes sense - though it was Ava's objections that I found most interesting. Life is not this simple and it would have been interesting to wrestle more with the complexities inherent in all the issues raised. In particular, the fact that the entire issue is the removal of women's choice, but the solution in this story involves removing from birth the choice to have a 'traditional' biology and experience of pregnancy, birth and lactation.
-- Final thoughts --
This was a genuinely interesting read and I am aware that the elements which frustrated me may be exactly those which please other readers: the focus on the narrative messaging means there is no extraneous information, action or dialogue, and the simplistic moral sentiments expressed present a clear - albeit thoroughly one sided! - argument.
Ava is the most interesting character and the third section of the novel engages more with real world consequences of Larkin's choice, though still in a very surface manner. I would have liked richer world building, more complex conversations and characterisations, and a more subtle message but ultimately this is a novel whose narration is as urgent as its message: look at where American reproductive rights are heading; what can and what should be done?
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In ‘Ava’, Victoria Dillon imagines a world in which, post Roe vs Wade, and in an increasingly authoritarian America, women’s ability to make choices about their own bodies are restricted to the point where one scientist decides the only way to freedom is to change the very nature of birth itself…
-- What’s it about? --
After Larkin suffers a devastating pregnancy, forced to carry to term a baby who will inevitably die hours or days after the birth, she is offered the opportunity to be part of a complete re-writing of biology: replacing gestation with incubation.
Years later her resulting child, astonished by the decision made on her behalf, will challenge Larkin’s beliefs. What does bodily autonomy really mean?
-- What’s it like? --
The science behind ‘Ava’ is interesting but it's embedded in a narrative that feels too didactic. 223 pages aim to encompass a great deal - twenty plus years of Larkin’s life and many political changes, plus the entire span of James Davis Junior's life - and this is achieved by ensuring every interaction in the novel is short and to-the-point, selected to illustrate the potentially negative outcomes of the political decisions. Larkin's best friend, Aubrey, exists only insofar as she illustrates Dillon's concerns; ditto Spencer's Republican boss. Frequently, Dillon opts to assert rather than show.
In fact, all of the characters visibly exist to serve the overarching theme of the novel: reproductive rights are good; any restriction of these rights is bad; anyone who agrees with the political direction of travel just hasn't thought it through (Spencer's parents perform a remarkable U-turn in the last chapter of the story, because, of course, their beliefs were founded on nothing more solid than prejudice and herd mentality).
In this story, no 'traditional' pregnancy is simple, no ‘traditional’ birth is straightforward and, in this increasingly dictatorial world, Larkin's decision makes sense - though it was Ava's objections that I found most interesting. Life is not this simple and it would have been interesting to wrestle more with the complexities inherent in all the issues raised. In particular, the fact that the entire issue is the removal of women's choice, but the solution in this story involves removing from birth the choice to have a 'traditional' biology and experience of pregnancy, birth and lactation.
-- Final thoughts --
This was a genuinely interesting read and I am aware that the elements which frustrated me may be exactly those which please other readers: the focus on the narrative messaging means there is no extraneous information, action or dialogue, and the simplistic moral sentiments expressed present a clear - albeit thoroughly one sided! - argument.
Ava is the most interesting character and the third section of the novel engages more with real world consequences of Larkin's choice, though still in a very surface manner. I would have liked richer world building, more complex conversations and characterisations, and a more subtle message but ultimately this is a novel whose narration is as urgent as its message: look at where American reproductive rights are heading; what can and what should be done?
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2026
Positioned as being for fans of The Handmaid's Tale (they're alike only in that they address reproductive freedom), Ava tells the story of an America so messed up by "loving Christians" that scientists decide women should just lay eggs instead. As an English teacher who actively teaches dystopian literature--and increasingly has students saying things to the effect of "oh, you mean what's happening right now?"--I was excited to read it! While it ultimately wasn't for me, it's definitely for someone, and I was intrigued enough to stick with it to the end. It was a quick, easy-reading and timely book that I think poses some interesting questions.
The first half(ish) of the novel was an interesting overview of a USA that felt real not because of its detail, but because of how horrifyingly belivable and progressive the changes to reproductive freedoms were in light of the last decade or so. I was intrigued to see how far the country would fall before the egg of it all. Although my medical background is limited to prolific rewatches of Grey's Anatomy, the medical details felt like they were written by someone who knew what they were talking about, and the science end of things didn't feel implausible (I haven't taken a science course in almost two decades).
The back end of the novel is where I had issue--both with the ethics of (which isn't questioned more than with a scene and a couple offhanded lines) and as the issues with the style of the novel became more pronounced. Dillon seems to have considered a great deal about what's happening in the US right now and how women could take back reproducive freedom, but there is little nuance in how this is explored--a lot of telling rather than showing, and too much preaching for my tastes (if you're picking up this book, you probably agree that restrictions on reproductive freedom are bad and don't need this to be spelled out so explicitly in the text). This comes at the expense of character-building; I genuinely didn't care if any of them lived, died, or hatched from eggs.
(Actually, I did momentarily care about Ava, the teenager who had to , but that was more because of genuine horror than actual character development)
Ultimately, Ava was an interesting thought experiement, but felt like the message took priority over the storytelling. To be brutally honest,
The first half(ish) of the novel was an interesting overview of a USA that felt real not because of its detail, but because of how horrifyingly belivable and progressive the changes to reproductive freedoms were in light of the last decade or so. I was intrigued to see how far the country would fall before the egg of it all. Although my medical background is limited to prolific rewatches of Grey's Anatomy, the medical details felt like they were written by someone who knew what they were talking about, and the science end of things didn't feel implausible (I haven't taken a science course in almost two decades).
The back end of the novel is where I had issue--both with the ethics of (which isn't questioned more than with a scene and a couple offhanded lines) and as the issues with the style of the novel became more pronounced. Dillon seems to have considered a great deal about what's happening in the US right now and how women could take back reproducive freedom, but there is little nuance in how this is explored--a lot of telling rather than showing, and too much preaching for my tastes (if you're picking up this book, you probably agree that restrictions on reproductive freedom are bad and don't need this to be spelled out so explicitly in the text). This comes at the expense of character-building; I genuinely didn't care if any of them lived, died, or hatched from eggs.
(Actually, I did momentarily care about Ava, the teenager who had to , but that was more because of genuine horror than actual character development)
Ultimately, Ava was an interesting thought experiement, but felt like the message took priority over the storytelling. To be brutally honest,
March 8, 2026
Is absolute control over your body worth the loss of the traditional reproductive experience everyone has known since the beginning of time? For Larkin, the answer is a desperate “yes” because the alternative for her was a total loss of agency under the Tennessee law. But as the story continues, the message becomes more complex. In the novel Ava, by Victoria Dillon, it is suggested that while obtaining control through technology solves one problem, it introduces another. Ava must find a way to make peace with being a “scientific breakthrough” rather than a traditional birth.
Ava is a work of speculative fiction, set in a future where reproductive freedom has been legally restricted, and choice is no longer an option. It explores themes that challenge traditional, religious, and political paradigms, specifically regarding motherhood, bodily autonomy, women’s reproductive rights, medical racism, and the morals and ethics of using technology to replace traditional gestation with incubation.
This book was a tough read for me. I know a lot of people believe life’s too short to finish a book you don’t like – but that’s not me. I like to finish the book, even if I’m not totally in love with it. But this book…I almost did not finish. This truly was a first for me. Especially the first half of the book, which focused on Larkin’s first pregnancy experience; it felt like a nightmare. Throughout the book, it seemed like every character who found themselves pregnant faced a terrible complication that threatened their life or the baby’s. Sometimes they would survive it, or it would lead to either a miscarriage, the mother’s, or in the baby’s death. It almost felt like too much time was spent trying to convince readers why Larkin’s choice was necessary. I wish that more time were spent on character development and the characters' relationships.
What I did like about the book was how the author weaved several real-world legislative and medical realities into the story. This helped create realism in her speculative narrative. Even though the image of women laying eggs sounds so ridiculous and unnatural, I have to admit, it does have pretty awesome benefits. Just remember, always keep an extra pair of sunglasses on you or prepare to face the eggsequences! ;)
This book may not have been my cup of tea, but I still found the concept interesting and thought-provoking. If you enjoy reading books on speculative fiction on topics like women’s autonomy and reproductive care in a dystopian, restrictive society, this is for you! I hope this book finds the audience Dillon was looking for.
Thank you, Victoria Dillon, She Writes Press, for providing this eArc for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Ava is a work of speculative fiction, set in a future where reproductive freedom has been legally restricted, and choice is no longer an option. It explores themes that challenge traditional, religious, and political paradigms, specifically regarding motherhood, bodily autonomy, women’s reproductive rights, medical racism, and the morals and ethics of using technology to replace traditional gestation with incubation.
This book was a tough read for me. I know a lot of people believe life’s too short to finish a book you don’t like – but that’s not me. I like to finish the book, even if I’m not totally in love with it. But this book…I almost did not finish. This truly was a first for me. Especially the first half of the book, which focused on Larkin’s first pregnancy experience; it felt like a nightmare. Throughout the book, it seemed like every character who found themselves pregnant faced a terrible complication that threatened their life or the baby’s. Sometimes they would survive it, or it would lead to either a miscarriage, the mother’s, or in the baby’s death. It almost felt like too much time was spent trying to convince readers why Larkin’s choice was necessary. I wish that more time were spent on character development and the characters' relationships.
What I did like about the book was how the author weaved several real-world legislative and medical realities into the story. This helped create realism in her speculative narrative. Even though the image of women laying eggs sounds so ridiculous and unnatural, I have to admit, it does have pretty awesome benefits. Just remember, always keep an extra pair of sunglasses on you or prepare to face the eggsequences! ;)
This book may not have been my cup of tea, but I still found the concept interesting and thought-provoking. If you enjoy reading books on speculative fiction on topics like women’s autonomy and reproductive care in a dystopian, restrictive society, this is for you! I hope this book finds the audience Dillon was looking for.
Thank you, Victoria Dillon, She Writes Press, for providing this eArc for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 12, 2026
Full review at: https://readingourshelves.wordpress.c...
This novel is a fast read, just a little over 200 pages, but it covers a lot of ground… from the 1980s to the 2050s or so. Obviously, as some of these years have not happened yet, this falls partially in the realm of sci-fi or speculative fiction. The premise does get a little more sci-fi as it goes, but it begins as a social commentary on things that are already happening now.
Our main character is Larkin. We meet her in college, around now-ish, but also learn a little about her teen years. She gets a job as a research assistant to a doctor who is studying how bird beaks develop, and how this development is similar and different from human development. His research aims to look at preventing issues with this development, like cleft palates.
Larkin is also a newlywed when she takes on this job, and she quickly becomes pregnant. Her fetus is not viable, but as abortion has been banned in her state, she has to carry it to term anyway. This is what I refer to as the “social commentary” portion of the book, but it is nearly half of the book itself. The delivery is pretty gut-wrenching.
Then we jump back in time, to a different family in the same state. We learn that maternal death rates are higher for African Americans than for white Americans. In this particular family, the doctors think the mom’s problem is postpartum anxiety – but she ends up dying of an undiagnosed blood clot. How does this tie into Larkin’s story? The son left growing up without a mom grows up to become the doctor Larkin works for.
So now we jump to ten years after Larkin’s delivery. She still works for the same research lab, and we learn that the doctor is working after hours on something else entirely… can he create a way for humans to lay eggs instead of carrying their babies inside their bodies for nine months? Here is our science fiction portion.
Larkin volunteers to be his first test case. She would carry a genetically modified baby the regular way, but the baby would, in theory, be able to create eggs that nourish a baby outside of her body. This is all done under the cloak of secrecy, because none of it has been vetted by any regulatory agencies.
Then we have a few more small hops into the life of this child, Ava. We learn that the experiment seems to have worked. She hits puberty and doesn’t have normal periods. She eventually learns of what her parents did, and is very angry that they made this choice for her without her consent. And, when she’s fully grown, she decides to have a baby, the only way her body can.
If you’re interested in speculative fiction, or women’s rights, this story is for you.
This novel is a fast read, just a little over 200 pages, but it covers a lot of ground… from the 1980s to the 2050s or so. Obviously, as some of these years have not happened yet, this falls partially in the realm of sci-fi or speculative fiction. The premise does get a little more sci-fi as it goes, but it begins as a social commentary on things that are already happening now.
Our main character is Larkin. We meet her in college, around now-ish, but also learn a little about her teen years. She gets a job as a research assistant to a doctor who is studying how bird beaks develop, and how this development is similar and different from human development. His research aims to look at preventing issues with this development, like cleft palates.
Larkin is also a newlywed when she takes on this job, and she quickly becomes pregnant. Her fetus is not viable, but as abortion has been banned in her state, she has to carry it to term anyway. This is what I refer to as the “social commentary” portion of the book, but it is nearly half of the book itself. The delivery is pretty gut-wrenching.
Then we jump back in time, to a different family in the same state. We learn that maternal death rates are higher for African Americans than for white Americans. In this particular family, the doctors think the mom’s problem is postpartum anxiety – but she ends up dying of an undiagnosed blood clot. How does this tie into Larkin’s story? The son left growing up without a mom grows up to become the doctor Larkin works for.
So now we jump to ten years after Larkin’s delivery. She still works for the same research lab, and we learn that the doctor is working after hours on something else entirely… can he create a way for humans to lay eggs instead of carrying their babies inside their bodies for nine months? Here is our science fiction portion.
Larkin volunteers to be his first test case. She would carry a genetically modified baby the regular way, but the baby would, in theory, be able to create eggs that nourish a baby outside of her body. This is all done under the cloak of secrecy, because none of it has been vetted by any regulatory agencies.
Then we have a few more small hops into the life of this child, Ava. We learn that the experiment seems to have worked. She hits puberty and doesn’t have normal periods. She eventually learns of what her parents did, and is very angry that they made this choice for her without her consent. And, when she’s fully grown, she decides to have a baby, the only way her body can.
If you’re interested in speculative fiction, or women’s rights, this story is for you.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
As a person who grew up in an era of unprecedented medical advances, I have long been troubled by Capital-M Medicine’s tendency to proclaim “we can DO this!” without adding the codicil “…but should we?”
Victoria Dillon’s near-future speculative novel, Ava, drops us square in the middle of this conundrum, at the dawn of an era where the boogeyman of test-tube babies seems as quaint as the distrust of the horseless carriage. What Dillon’s barrier-breaking scientist gives the world is a complete renovation in human reproduction, developed through human genome editing that leapfrogs a billion years of evolution and takes off in entirely new direction.
It’s all driven, as so many medical advances are, by good intentions. In a world where women’s freedom of reproductive choice has been arbitrarily removed by the state, one researcher with a pregnancy-related family tragedy strives to save mothers and babies by returning family-planning choices to the family. His solution is radical, to say the least. How it plays out through two generations forms the heart of this deceptively simple tale.
Dillon is an adequate wordsmith, though she relies perhaps over-heavily on soap-opera-ish coincidences in the lives of the players, which drive them individually into making the decisions that shape not only their own lives but, literally, the future of the species. Her hypothesis is built within the established framework of science fiction, by presenting that which is true and extending it just beyond the horizon of probability.
It’s an interesting idea, but there is a shadow across the work that the author touches upon but never really comes to grips with. Her characters have a few pages of shock and horror and anger, and then quickly decide everything is going to be just peachy. But it isn’t. Because this emancipating process involves human genome editing, it must be performed, in vivo or in vitro, on a woman’s eggs prior to conception. And since it alters the genetic makeup of the offspring, the change will be passed down to all subsequent generations. The egg donor, as a consenting adult, makes the decision, but the ultimate impact is not on her. Morally, is there a difference between a legislator controlling a woman’s reproductive rights, and a woman choosing to create offspring who will be considered freaks and monsters for generations to come?
This is a thought-provoking and ultimately disturbing little novel that wants to tackle our post-Dodd world of diminished bodily autonomy, but instead proposes an alternative with profoundly unsettling possibilities. And that, my friends, is the reason you ought to read it.
Victoria Dillon’s near-future speculative novel, Ava, drops us square in the middle of this conundrum, at the dawn of an era where the boogeyman of test-tube babies seems as quaint as the distrust of the horseless carriage. What Dillon’s barrier-breaking scientist gives the world is a complete renovation in human reproduction, developed through human genome editing that leapfrogs a billion years of evolution and takes off in entirely new direction.
It’s all driven, as so many medical advances are, by good intentions. In a world where women’s freedom of reproductive choice has been arbitrarily removed by the state, one researcher with a pregnancy-related family tragedy strives to save mothers and babies by returning family-planning choices to the family. His solution is radical, to say the least. How it plays out through two generations forms the heart of this deceptively simple tale.
Dillon is an adequate wordsmith, though she relies perhaps over-heavily on soap-opera-ish coincidences in the lives of the players, which drive them individually into making the decisions that shape not only their own lives but, literally, the future of the species. Her hypothesis is built within the established framework of science fiction, by presenting that which is true and extending it just beyond the horizon of probability.
It’s an interesting idea, but there is a shadow across the work that the author touches upon but never really comes to grips with. Her characters have a few pages of shock and horror and anger, and then quickly decide everything is going to be just peachy. But it isn’t. Because this emancipating process involves human genome editing, it must be performed, in vivo or in vitro, on a woman’s eggs prior to conception. And since it alters the genetic makeup of the offspring, the change will be passed down to all subsequent generations. The egg donor, as a consenting adult, makes the decision, but the ultimate impact is not on her. Morally, is there a difference between a legislator controlling a woman’s reproductive rights, and a woman choosing to create offspring who will be considered freaks and monsters for generations to come?
This is a thought-provoking and ultimately disturbing little novel that wants to tackle our post-Dodd world of diminished bodily autonomy, but instead proposes an alternative with profoundly unsettling possibilities. And that, my friends, is the reason you ought to read it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a powerful science fiction novel, served by hard science and made possible by backwards politics.
We are truly living through uncertain times, horrifying times even.
Reproductive rights are attacked. In many US states, abortion is now banned. Contraception is next. Women are dying because they cannot get the care they need - obstetricians have their hands tied, they are waiting for lawyers to validate that the woman is close enough to dying to justify an abortion.
And for all those who think that the solution, if an abortion is needed to save your own life, is to travel to another state... In those cases, you simply can't. A pregnant woman going through sepsis cannot board a plane to get care elsewhere, she simply dies.
In Ava, a team of scientists decides to work around the lack of reproductive rights. They find a way for women to lay eggs instead, which means no more uterus, no more pregnancy complications, and no more abortions. Of course, right wing groups find the idea horrifying and like proper pro life people, they send death threats to everyone involved in this project.
This book felt very scary at times, and I really wondered how the author would find a way for all this to end well. I truly connected with the characters and also liked the science part - well documented without becoming so complicated that you would have to be a biologist to enjoy the novel. Some parts felt a little bit rushed, but I forgive the author because the rest was so good.
Ava would be a great choice for teenagers. Many topics are explored here, from the ethics of biohacking (is it ever defendable to alter the genome of anyone before they can consent) to reproductive rights. Victoria Dillon also raises other hot topics such as surrogacy, sex education, and the racial bias in obstetrics. It would be a mistake to only make women (and girls) read the novel. Reproductive rights are important for everyone, especially when they are under attack.
Thank you NetGalley, She Writes Press and Victoria Dillon for providing me with this book. I truly enjoyed it, especially since those topics are dear to me (I unfortunately have an incompetent cervix and it is the first time I see my condition represented in fiction). 5 well-deserved stars, and thank you for trusting me with an prepublication copy.
We are truly living through uncertain times, horrifying times even.
Reproductive rights are attacked. In many US states, abortion is now banned. Contraception is next. Women are dying because they cannot get the care they need - obstetricians have their hands tied, they are waiting for lawyers to validate that the woman is close enough to dying to justify an abortion.
And for all those who think that the solution, if an abortion is needed to save your own life, is to travel to another state... In those cases, you simply can't. A pregnant woman going through sepsis cannot board a plane to get care elsewhere, she simply dies.
In Ava, a team of scientists decides to work around the lack of reproductive rights. They find a way for women to lay eggs instead, which means no more uterus, no more pregnancy complications, and no more abortions. Of course, right wing groups find the idea horrifying and like proper pro life people, they send death threats to everyone involved in this project.
This book felt very scary at times, and I really wondered how the author would find a way for all this to end well. I truly connected with the characters and also liked the science part - well documented without becoming so complicated that you would have to be a biologist to enjoy the novel. Some parts felt a little bit rushed, but I forgive the author because the rest was so good.
Ava would be a great choice for teenagers. Many topics are explored here, from the ethics of biohacking (is it ever defendable to alter the genome of anyone before they can consent) to reproductive rights. Victoria Dillon also raises other hot topics such as surrogacy, sex education, and the racial bias in obstetrics. It would be a mistake to only make women (and girls) read the novel. Reproductive rights are important for everyone, especially when they are under attack.
Thank you NetGalley, She Writes Press and Victoria Dillon for providing me with this book. I truly enjoyed it, especially since those topics are dear to me (I unfortunately have an incompetent cervix and it is the first time I see my condition represented in fiction). 5 well-deserved stars, and thank you for trusting me with an prepublication copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ava: A Novel by Victoria Dillon explores a fascinating idea: changing the very nature of human reproduction and birth through gene splicing. The science behind that science fiction seems plausible, with lots of medical details for people who may be interested in them. The dialogue is realistic, the prose is accessible and engaging, and the quality is high with no errors found. Some of the scenes are touching, some are humorous, and several are are gut-wrenching. Although the plot is rather predictable, there’s a lot to like about this short novel.
However, I rated this novel as I did because I think there’s a couple of HUGE problems with the story. The first two-thirds of the book isn’t science fiction, but rather tells the story of a young couple in Tennessee in the near future who deal with a heartbreaking pregnancy and childbirth. In this future, abortion and even birth control are banned by most states, and eventually nationwide. In this part of the book, the author advocates for reproductive freedom for women. That isn’t the problem; science fiction stories often take a particular POV on social issues. The problem, in my opinion, is that in the rest of the story, Dillion throws this important idea of freedom of choice completely out the window, as girls are forced to undergo a radical change to their physiology without their knowledge or consent. What’s more, science and medical ethics are tossed out the same window. There’s very little mention or discussion about either of these issues; it’s more like, “Oh, yeah, what we’re doing here is unethical, maybe even illegal. Okee doke.” I think more consideration for these very important concerns was warranted in a book that emphasizes freedom of choice as much as it does.
NOTE: I think the book's content is suitable for Young Adult (12-18) readers and up, but be aware there are a few expletives. I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review.
However, I rated this novel as I did because I think there’s a couple of HUGE problems with the story. The first two-thirds of the book isn’t science fiction, but rather tells the story of a young couple in Tennessee in the near future who deal with a heartbreaking pregnancy and childbirth. In this future, abortion and even birth control are banned by most states, and eventually nationwide. In this part of the book, the author advocates for reproductive freedom for women. That isn’t the problem; science fiction stories often take a particular POV on social issues. The problem, in my opinion, is that in the rest of the story, Dillion throws this important idea of freedom of choice completely out the window, as girls are forced to undergo a radical change to their physiology without their knowledge or consent. What’s more, science and medical ethics are tossed out the same window. There’s very little mention or discussion about either of these issues; it’s more like, “Oh, yeah, what we’re doing here is unethical, maybe even illegal. Okee doke.” I think more consideration for these very important concerns was warranted in a book that emphasizes freedom of choice as much as it does.
NOTE: I think the book's content is suitable for Young Adult (12-18) readers and up, but be aware there are a few expletives. I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Publishers Weekly
Speculative, disturbing, fiction, political and disparate; these are the words that come to mind after reading AVA, by Victoria Dillon.
It’s been three weeks since I finished reading this book. At first I was too frustrated to write a review and then I tried to forget about it - successfully so. Fortunately, my backup review system worked and here we are with far clearer thinking and less emoting about this important topic.
Reproductive rights and freedom for women is supposed to be the primary theme of AVA. IMO, it gets lost in too much scientific minutiae for 2/3 of the story and political preaching for the remainder.
Larkin finds a position working for a doctor who is singularly focused on changing how women give birth: incubation over gestation. Her personal options are nonexistent due to a devastating medical crisis. The near future country is largely conservative, post Roe v. Wade with abortion being all but vanished as an option. Women are seeking alternate solutions. Most readers will glaze over with the amount of scientific information. It’s repeated ad nauseam.
After years of research work with the doctor, Larkin has the opportunity to become the first human test subject resulting in the birth of her daughter, Ava. For all intents and purposes, Ava looks like every other new baby girl. Mom and dad are thrilled and all is well until she reaches puberty.
The post puberty part of the story combines science and politics. For me, the means didn’t support the end. Originally, the goal was to ensure reproductive rights and freedom for women. What was actually achieved was removing choice by physically altering anatomy without consent.
AVA will be a very personal and evoking read for many, if not all who read it. There are no attacks on either liberal or conservative views. It should be a conversation starter, if nothing else.
Why two stars? Two reasons: no loyalty to the premise and promoting problem solving of critical, life changing issues in a vacuum. There’s entirely too much of that happening now while we have no real recourse📚
I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone
Read & Reviewed from an eARC from Publisher’s Weekly with thanks to the publisher and author
It’s been three weeks since I finished reading this book. At first I was too frustrated to write a review and then I tried to forget about it - successfully so. Fortunately, my backup review system worked and here we are with far clearer thinking and less emoting about this important topic.
Reproductive rights and freedom for women is supposed to be the primary theme of AVA. IMO, it gets lost in too much scientific minutiae for 2/3 of the story and political preaching for the remainder.
Larkin finds a position working for a doctor who is singularly focused on changing how women give birth: incubation over gestation. Her personal options are nonexistent due to a devastating medical crisis. The near future country is largely conservative, post Roe v. Wade with abortion being all but vanished as an option. Women are seeking alternate solutions. Most readers will glaze over with the amount of scientific information. It’s repeated ad nauseam.
After years of research work with the doctor, Larkin has the opportunity to become the first human test subject resulting in the birth of her daughter, Ava. For all intents and purposes, Ava looks like every other new baby girl. Mom and dad are thrilled and all is well until she reaches puberty.
The post puberty part of the story combines science and politics. For me, the means didn’t support the end. Originally, the goal was to ensure reproductive rights and freedom for women. What was actually achieved was removing choice by physically altering anatomy without consent.
AVA will be a very personal and evoking read for many, if not all who read it. There are no attacks on either liberal or conservative views. It should be a conversation starter, if nothing else.
Why two stars? Two reasons: no loyalty to the premise and promoting problem solving of critical, life changing issues in a vacuum. There’s entirely too much of that happening now while we have no real recourse📚
I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone
Read & Reviewed from an eARC from Publisher’s Weekly with thanks to the publisher and author
Review of advance copy
I was thoroughly impressed with this book. The story envisions a possible world with women's choices becoming obsolete, and how science could help provide an alternative. Larkin becomes unexpectedly pregnant after getting married. Initially, she and her husband are elated with the news. But when they find out the baby has a condition in which the brain will not develop and will die shortly after birth, the couple is devastated. Unable to get an abortion, Larkin becomes increasingly aware of the rights that are slowly being taken away from women. When her boss, Dr. Davis, shows her his research on creating a way for humans to reproduce by incubation, Larkin dives in to help out, even volunteering as a test subject in order to have a baby without the concerns of the same devastating diagnosis her first child had. What follows is the birth - or hatching - of Ava. Growing up, Ava has to learn about herself differently than other kids, and even questions why her mother went to such extremes to have her.
What's scary about the premise of this book is that some of the problems are actively occurring in America. Women being denied abortion even for ectopic pregnancies, and even dying as a result of their rights being taken away. The novel takes this a step further, imagining where birth control becomes illegal, and pregnancy tests are monitored and reported. Despite genuinely scaring me, I very much liked reading this. It was well-written, and you can tell that the author did her research when it comes to the scientific side of things. My only disappointment is that the ending felt rushed. Most of the novel is about Larkin, despite being named after her daughter. We barely get to know Ava, and despite her valid concerns about the way she was born, it feels like she moved on too quickly, especially for a teenager. I would still recommend giving this book a chance!
What's scary about the premise of this book is that some of the problems are actively occurring in America. Women being denied abortion even for ectopic pregnancies, and even dying as a result of their rights being taken away. The novel takes this a step further, imagining where birth control becomes illegal, and pregnancy tests are monitored and reported. Despite genuinely scaring me, I very much liked reading this. It was well-written, and you can tell that the author did her research when it comes to the scientific side of things. My only disappointment is that the ending felt rushed. Most of the novel is about Larkin, despite being named after her daughter. We barely get to know Ava, and despite her valid concerns about the way she was born, it feels like she moved on too quickly, especially for a teenager. I would still recommend giving this book a chance!
April 16, 2026
Ava by Victoria Dillon is a sharp, emotionally charged work of speculative fiction that blends dystopian realism with bioethical science fiction to examine bodily autonomy, motherhood, and the consequences of state controlled reproduction.
Set in a near future Southern United States shaped by restrictive reproductive law, the novel follows Larkin, a biologist whose personal grief becomes inseparable from political reality. Dillon uses Larkin’s trajectory to explore how individual autonomy is eroded not only through legislation but through the accumulation of personal trauma within systems of control.
The introduction of a radical reproductive technology marks a thematic pivot, shifting the narrative from loss and constraint toward scientific intervention and moral ambiguity. Rather than presenting technology as salvation, the novel complicates it, framing innovation as something that can both liberate and unsettle the human experience of motherhood.
The relationship between Larkin and her daughter Ava forms the emotional core of the story. As Ava matures and begins questioning the circumstances of her existence, the novel deepens into a generational examination of choice, identity, and inherited consequence. Dillon effectively uses this dynamic to challenge simplistic notions of freedom and control.
Stylistically, the book aligns with speculative literary fiction that prioritizes ethical tension and emotional realism over traditional dystopian action. Its strength lies in its willingness to sit inside discomfort, asking difficult questions without offering easy resolution.
Ava stands out as a thoughtful and provocative addition to contemporary feminist speculative fiction, particularly for readers drawn to morally complex narratives about reproduction, science, and state power.
Set in a near future Southern United States shaped by restrictive reproductive law, the novel follows Larkin, a biologist whose personal grief becomes inseparable from political reality. Dillon uses Larkin’s trajectory to explore how individual autonomy is eroded not only through legislation but through the accumulation of personal trauma within systems of control.
The introduction of a radical reproductive technology marks a thematic pivot, shifting the narrative from loss and constraint toward scientific intervention and moral ambiguity. Rather than presenting technology as salvation, the novel complicates it, framing innovation as something that can both liberate and unsettle the human experience of motherhood.
The relationship between Larkin and her daughter Ava forms the emotional core of the story. As Ava matures and begins questioning the circumstances of her existence, the novel deepens into a generational examination of choice, identity, and inherited consequence. Dillon effectively uses this dynamic to challenge simplistic notions of freedom and control.
Stylistically, the book aligns with speculative literary fiction that prioritizes ethical tension and emotional realism over traditional dystopian action. Its strength lies in its willingness to sit inside discomfort, asking difficult questions without offering easy resolution.
Ava stands out as a thoughtful and provocative addition to contemporary feminist speculative fiction, particularly for readers drawn to morally complex narratives about reproduction, science, and state power.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.75 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
I picked this up because the central topic is one I’m genuinely interested in, and it is very clear the author cares deeply about the subject. The premise itself is interesting, and I especially liked the speculative and sci fi elements that start to come into play later in the book.
That said, it did not fully land for me. While the story itself was fine, the writing made it hard for me to emotionally connect with the characters or feel fully invested. I found myself most engaged during the final third, when the speculative elements really took center stage. I kept thinking that if the book had started closer to that point or leaned more into that aspect, it might have worked better for me overall.
The book spends a lot of time focusing on social and political issues. While I personally align with the viewpoints being expressed, the messaging felt very upfront and at times overshadowed the story itself. For me, it made the book feel more message driven than narrative driven, which made it harder to stay engaged for much of the read.
I think this book will really work for readers who are specifically looking for fiction that centers these themes. While it was not a favorite for me, I can appreciate what the author was trying to do and the conversations the book is aiming to spark.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
I picked this up because the central topic is one I’m genuinely interested in, and it is very clear the author cares deeply about the subject. The premise itself is interesting, and I especially liked the speculative and sci fi elements that start to come into play later in the book.
That said, it did not fully land for me. While the story itself was fine, the writing made it hard for me to emotionally connect with the characters or feel fully invested. I found myself most engaged during the final third, when the speculative elements really took center stage. I kept thinking that if the book had started closer to that point or leaned more into that aspect, it might have worked better for me overall.
The book spends a lot of time focusing on social and political issues. While I personally align with the viewpoints being expressed, the messaging felt very upfront and at times overshadowed the story itself. For me, it made the book feel more message driven than narrative driven, which made it harder to stay engaged for much of the read.
I think this book will really work for readers who are specifically looking for fiction that centers these themes. While it was not a favorite for me, I can appreciate what the author was trying to do and the conversations the book is aiming to spark.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I gave this 5 stars because everyone needs to read this book. It was entertaining, educational and made me cry more than once. Maybe 4.5 stars as I would have liked more from Part III, but I am hoping this was intentional and the author is planning a sequel.
One of the characters that I LOVED that no one else has mentioned is Dr. Davis, the African-American scientist who is Larkin's mentor. I loved the subtle nod he gave to author Rebecca Skloot when he was talking about HeLa cells. And I loved his calm demeanor throughout the book and his response to Larkin about reincarnation and the callback to that conversation later.
I think the author does a great job of presenting the scientific aspects in a way that make it easy to understand. It gave me SO MUCH to think about (and a new appreciation for eggs!), and I thought there was a great balance of science, politics and bodily autonomy presented in a unique way.
This is not a book to skim or you'll miss a lot of the message and feel it is heavy handed when a lot is actually understated. I do think Dillon wants us to consider the ethics of altering the human genome without consent and that taking away a choice from someone because you had your choice taken away doesn't make it right. I need a sequel!
One of the characters that I LOVED that no one else has mentioned is Dr. Davis, the African-American scientist who is Larkin's mentor. I loved the subtle nod he gave to author Rebecca Skloot when he was talking about HeLa cells. And I loved his calm demeanor throughout the book and his response to Larkin about reincarnation and the callback to that conversation later.
I think the author does a great job of presenting the scientific aspects in a way that make it easy to understand. It gave me SO MUCH to think about (and a new appreciation for eggs!), and I thought there was a great balance of science, politics and bodily autonomy presented in a unique way.
This is not a book to skim or you'll miss a lot of the message and feel it is heavy handed when a lot is actually understated. I do think Dillon wants us to consider the ethics of altering the human genome without consent and that taking away a choice from someone because you had your choice taken away doesn't make it right. I need a sequel!
March 23, 2026
I found it is a powerful book that has a rooted message for a cause, a cause for women. And the story of Larkin, I mean, you feel that she is a solid character. She is a biologist, studied comparative biology, and she even wears a science band on her wrist. She gets married and has a child. And because there is a question of freedom of choice, you find that the Tennessee laws restrict abortion in a severe way, and women have to endure the worst side of it. She is forced to live a life under that pressure, and you can feel the stress and the struggle, but also a sense of overcoming it for a good cause.
The good thing is that the book is divided into three parts, and it shows activism and also a futuristic side, which is very optimistic and signifies not only victory for a cause but also the freedom that comes with it. The story of Ava adds more depth, showing the trafficking of birth control and abortion pills, and also the outcomes for Spencer and Larkin, with a bit of family element in it. It contributes to the idea of freedom of choice for women, and how that connects to the happiness of a family. I would say it is a commendable job by Victoria Dillon, and I really liked her approach and how she presented such an important cause.
The good thing is that the book is divided into three parts, and it shows activism and also a futuristic side, which is very optimistic and signifies not only victory for a cause but also the freedom that comes with it. The story of Ava adds more depth, showing the trafficking of birth control and abortion pills, and also the outcomes for Spencer and Larkin, with a bit of family element in it. It contributes to the idea of freedom of choice for women, and how that connects to the happiness of a family. I would say it is a commendable job by Victoria Dillon, and I really liked her approach and how she presented such an important cause.
March 22, 2026
This is such an interesting novel and one that will tug at your emotions from beginning to end. The whole concept of changing the evolutionary way women have children made this a fascinating read that felt like a mix of fantasy and real possibility. The explanation of the scientific procedure behind Dr. James Davis' work made sense without feeling too hard to understand. And Larkin's emotions over Maeve and later Ava's emotions over her lack of choice in things brought tears to my eyes as a reader. And yet the ending was absolutely wonderful and felt like a full-circle moment of healing for Larkin and Ava. Overall the book was an eye opening take on real events, such as the over-turning of Roe v. Wade and the potential repercussions on society if such strict reproductive laws continue to be pushed. Who knows what people and scientists would do as a result. Highly recommend reading this and I would love to see some kind of sequel written.
April 27, 2026
As a person with a vested interest in fertility problems and women's reproductive rights, I was excited to read AVA. I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I got, at one point, was heart-wrenching. It was mind-blowing to think a woman would have to carry a baby whom doctors stated had next to no chance of survival after birth for the full nine months because of laws made by men! That was the most emotionally engaging part of this novel and the author did a good job making us feel the protagonist's pain.
But what I didn't expect was the scientifically-based proposed solution to this problem for the women of the future. I'd love to spell it out here, but no way would I want to spoil readers' enjoyment of this futuristic novel. Let's just say prepare yourself to be intrigued, dubious, but so curious you won't be able to put the book down. As for me, I don't think I'll ever again be able to crack open eggs for breakfast without thinking of AVA!
But what I didn't expect was the scientifically-based proposed solution to this problem for the women of the future. I'd love to spell it out here, but no way would I want to spoil readers' enjoyment of this futuristic novel. Let's just say prepare yourself to be intrigued, dubious, but so curious you won't be able to put the book down. As for me, I don't think I'll ever again be able to crack open eggs for breakfast without thinking of AVA!
Review of advance copy
I read this novel last month, and I’m still thinking out it.
The science is presented in an easily digestible way for folks like me with no background in medicine or science without being confusing. It’s very political but never veers into hyperbole which is unsettling.
The line between fact and fiction is easily blurred except for the biggest plot point which seems oddly plausible.
This novel will be polarizing in a good way and will spark long conversations in book clubs. The main question for me would be if the main character’s traumatic pregnancy and delivery justify the decision she made her second child. This is left for the reader to decide. The MC’a decision was unethical at best but done with the best of intentions and understandable motivation.
A notable work of sci-fi/women’s/literary fiction.
The science is presented in an easily digestible way for folks like me with no background in medicine or science without being confusing. It’s very political but never veers into hyperbole which is unsettling.
The line between fact and fiction is easily blurred except for the biggest plot point which seems oddly plausible.
This novel will be polarizing in a good way and will spark long conversations in book clubs. The main question for me would be if the main character’s traumatic pregnancy and delivery justify the decision she made her second child. This is left for the reader to decide. The MC’a decision was unethical at best but done with the best of intentions and understandable motivation.
A notable work of sci-fi/women’s/literary fiction.
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