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Ava: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26For 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?
- GenresFictionScience Fiction
229 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 3, 2026
2 people are currently reading
4018 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 11, 2026
Thought provoking and an out of the box way of looking at reproduction!
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 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 Author
A unique story! I was a lucky early reader and found this book intriguing from the beginning. It is an important tale that weaves the truth of science and the fantasy of "what if" in remarkable ways. An entertaining and thought-provoking read about a subject that demands attention. The characters are excellent and after your read the last page and close this book, they will stay with you a long time as will the subject. Victora Dillon does not disappoint. Loved this book!
January 2, 2026
First book finished in 2026
Just finished my first book of 2026, ‘Ava’ by @victoriadillon.bsky.social an arc epub sent by the publisher thanks to @publisherswkly.bsky.social #grabagalley
God, how much New Years Eve can change after having a baby….
This feminist sci fi/horror novel is as much about the reality of the horrific
Just finished my first book of 2026, ‘Ava’ by @victoriadillon.bsky.social an arc epub sent by the publisher thanks to @publisherswkly.bsky.social #grabagalley
God, how much New Years Eve can change after having a baby….
This feminist sci fi/horror novel is as much about the reality of the horrific
November 20, 2025
A powerful analysis on what women's bodily autonomy means in a time where it is all too important. Dillon masterfully weaves fiction, speculation, and a difficult dose of reality. A must read!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews