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XX
GUARDIAN BEST BOOKS OF 2018 'One of the feminist novels of 2018' Stylist'Handmaid's Tale-shaped hole in your life? (Read) XX' The Times'Fantastic - completely topical, utterly believable, and that rare an issue-driven book that feels like a story, not an issue' Julie Cohen'Pulled on my heartstrings . . . could not recommend more' Bookbag'A pacy dystopian thriller' Red Magazine'Topical, probing and quietly intense - XX is a phenomenal debut' Skinny'Fantastic' Storgy'Powerful exploration . . . Beautifully paced' Mancunion'Emotionally compelling' - Lauren Wilkinson on her Year in Reading for Millions***HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR A CHILD OF YOUR OWN? When Rosie and Jules discover a ground-breaking clinical trial that enables two women to have a female baby, they jump at the chance to make history.Fear-mongering politicians and right-wing movements are quick to latch on to the controversies surrounding Ovum-to-Ovum (o-o) technology and stoke the fears of the public. What will happen to the numbers of little boys born? Is there a sinister conspiracy to eradicate men at play?In this toxic political climate, Jules and Rosie try to hide their baby from scrutiny. But when the news of Rosie's pregnancy is leaked to the media, their relationship is put under a microscope and they're forced to question the loyalty of those closest to them, and battle against a tirade of hate that threatens to split them apart...***What readers are 'Well written, perfectly paced and so timely,. Through excellent character development, Chadwick manages to explore the social, ethical and political questions raised, while still telling what is at its core a beautifully human story.''I could not put this down, even when my heart was aching and my pulse was raging.''This is politically and ethically engaging, as well as a very personal read. It shows a world that is only a few years away, and it left me with a lot of thoughts about gender and science. Excellent.'"The whole plot was set out so effectively that it made me feel like this was something that could be being developed somewhere in the world right now or it's in the near distant future!
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
August 30, 2018
What a wonderfully provocative and stimulating book this is! There’s a danger than novels based around ‘issues’ can lose their creative edge, that thing that makes them an act of storytelling rather than polemic, but Chadwick doesn’t fall into that trap. She also doesn’t tie up all the ends so that difficult issues remain problematic, open to discussion, rather than being closed down in a narrow-minded fashion. Indeed, the book has little time for the aggressively easy answers being put forward by the Tory politician, the tabloid newspapers and the less salubrious side of social media where any woman who steps out of line is threatened with physical violence and rape to put her back into ‘her place’.
I don’t want to say much about the plot which would be too spoilery but the originating premise is that researchers at a UK university have discovered a way to fertilise a human egg with the DNA taken from another egg: ovum-to-ovum fertilisation which, because it doesn’t involve male Y chromosomes, always results in a baby girl. Cue some rabid scaremongering from the media about feminist/lesbian conspiracies to eradicate men...
From this starting point, however, unweaves a story that takes in issues of class and sexuality, gender politics and Westminster politics, the popular media, ‘fake news’ and the frightening phenomenon of people ditching expert and rational factual discourse for something far more emotive and irrational. It’s not all ‘issues’ either: through the relationship of Jules and Rosie, this also looks at how a couple cope under crisis, and what happens when one of them wants a child the other just isn’t sure about.
Through it all Chadwick keeps a tight hold on her material so that plot and debate unfurl hand-in-hand. This is the kind of book you’ll want to press on all your friends if only to have someone to discuss it with. And I even cried a bit at the end!
Many thanks to Dialogue Books/Little Brown for an ARC via NetGalley
I don’t want to say much about the plot which would be too spoilery but the originating premise is that researchers at a UK university have discovered a way to fertilise a human egg with the DNA taken from another egg: ovum-to-ovum fertilisation which, because it doesn’t involve male Y chromosomes, always results in a baby girl. Cue some rabid scaremongering from the media about feminist/lesbian conspiracies to eradicate men...
From this starting point, however, unweaves a story that takes in issues of class and sexuality, gender politics and Westminster politics, the popular media, ‘fake news’ and the frightening phenomenon of people ditching expert and rational factual discourse for something far more emotive and irrational. It’s not all ‘issues’ either: through the relationship of Jules and Rosie, this also looks at how a couple cope under crisis, and what happens when one of them wants a child the other just isn’t sure about.
Through it all Chadwick keeps a tight hold on her material so that plot and debate unfurl hand-in-hand. This is the kind of book you’ll want to press on all your friends if only to have someone to discuss it with. And I even cried a bit at the end!
Many thanks to Dialogue Books/Little Brown for an ARC via NetGalley
October 4, 2018
As soon as I discovered 'XX' I knew it was my type of book. Provocative, controversial and thought-provoking, this is a timely and topical tale that addresses many of the issues that are playing out at the moment, such as the me too movement where women are no longer afraid to call out men's behaviour. The central concept of the story is that due to recent medical advancements two women are now able to produce a female baby without the need for a male through ovum-to-ovum technology. A public outcry follows with religious types, advocates for men's rights and many others speaking out against the use of this methodology. Lesbian couple Jules and Rosie are one of the first couples to try this new method of fertilisation, but when their details are leaked to the media, they come under intense scrutiny Suddenly everywhere they go they are followed by photographers and media personalities who are looking for a story and a payday.
This is a book of substance which may seem far-fetched to some, but this is not unthinkable. The probability of this happening in the near future is pretty high. Chadwick addresses some extremely important issues here including misogyny, medical ethics, press intrusion vs public interest, sexism, inequality, homophobia, social media, betrayal and class war. All of the issues were dealt with sensitively and with respect, and everything comes across as believable and realistic. Although 'XX' brings up some intriguing moral dilemmas, Chadwick refrains from coming across as preachy or instructing the reader on what to think, and readers are given the opportunity to think about where they stand on the matters she explores. The story held my attention for the duration, and if I'm honest I am still thinking about it weeks after finishing it! An unforgettable read! I hope this receives the critical acclaim it deserves - it's truly difficult to believe that this is her debut novel!
Many thanks to Dialogue Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This is a book of substance which may seem far-fetched to some, but this is not unthinkable. The probability of this happening in the near future is pretty high. Chadwick addresses some extremely important issues here including misogyny, medical ethics, press intrusion vs public interest, sexism, inequality, homophobia, social media, betrayal and class war. All of the issues were dealt with sensitively and with respect, and everything comes across as believable and realistic. Although 'XX' brings up some intriguing moral dilemmas, Chadwick refrains from coming across as preachy or instructing the reader on what to think, and readers are given the opportunity to think about where they stand on the matters she explores. The story held my attention for the duration, and if I'm honest I am still thinking about it weeks after finishing it! An unforgettable read! I hope this receives the critical acclaim it deserves - it's truly difficult to believe that this is her debut novel!
Many thanks to Dialogue Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
April 22, 2020
Wow I hated this.
Anyway, I hated this book. Surprised it got 2 stars out of me instead of 1. I'd say the only good thing was the writing was easy to read and the o-o plot line was interesting.
Also a magazine reviewed this book and called it a "pacy dystopian thriller" and its so obvious no one actually read the book before they read it becomes its not dystopian (its set in 2018) nor is it a thriller. And I think a lot of people -- myself included -- will go into this book expecting those exact elements and then be disappointed when the book doesn't live up to them.
Anyway, I hated this book. Surprised it got 2 stars out of me instead of 1. I'd say the only good thing was the writing was easy to read and the o-o plot line was interesting.
Also a magazine reviewed this book and called it a "pacy dystopian thriller" and its so obvious no one actually read the book before they read it becomes its not dystopian (its set in 2018) nor is it a thriller. And I think a lot of people -- myself included -- will go into this book expecting those exact elements and then be disappointed when the book doesn't live up to them.
April 14, 2021
İngiltere'de bir biliminsanı yumurtadan yumurtaya döllenmeyi keşfeder, yani iki kadın beraber kendi çocuklarına sahip olabilecektir. Prosedüre hiç erkek karışmadan, sadece kendilerinden oluşacak bebeği kucakvlama fikri Jules ve partneri Rosie'yi de çok heyecanlandırır ve araştırmada denek olmak içim gönüllü yazılırlar. Rosie hamile kalınca ortalık karışır.
Kitabımız bu tartışmalı hamilelik sürecini anlatıyor, İngiliz boyalı basını çiftin hayatını cehenneme çevirirken, o bölgenin tutucu politikacısı var gücüyle bu deneye karşı çıkıyor.
Aile olmak nedir, ebeveyn olmanın anlamı nedir sorularını irdeleyen duygusal bir roman.
Kitabımız bu tartışmalı hamilelik sürecini anlatıyor, İngiliz boyalı basını çiftin hayatını cehenneme çevirirken, o bölgenin tutucu politikacısı var gücüyle bu deneye karşı çıkıyor.
Aile olmak nedir, ebeveyn olmanın anlamı nedir sorularını irdeleyen duygusal bir roman.
February 27, 2021
Great concept, but kinda slow and not as interesting as I thought it would be.
November 9, 2018
There’s an interesting tradition of feminist utopian novels which speculate about futures or alternative societies that feature populations dominated by or entirely composed of women. These range from Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “Herland Trilogy” to Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s witty parody “Sultana’s Dream” to Marge Piercy’s science fiction classic “Woman on the Edge of Time” to Mary E. Bradley’s “Mizora” where women can reproduce through parthenogenesis (reproduction from an ovum without fertilization.) These imaginative works radically envision places where men are of secondary importance or become entirely irrelevant. These idealistic visions offer a breath of fresh air and a welcome counter-reality to the patriarchy which has dominated society for centuries.
Given enormous recent advances in science, it’s not hard to imagine the prospect of a technology which enables women to reproduce without men. That’s exactly the premise of Angela Chadwick’s enthralling debut novel “XX” which tells the story of lesbian couple Rosie and Jules who enrol in the trial stage of a ground-breaking new Ovum-to-Ovum treatment. It allows them to become pregnant through an IVF technique using two eggs rather than needing a sperm-donor. Since there is no XY sex-determination system at play in this method of reproduction it means the child will always be born with the sex chromosome XX and must be female. But Chadwick doesn’t posit this advancement as an opportunity for a world-dominating matriarchy; it’s exactly the opposite. The great drama of the novel comes from the wide-scale social resistance to such an advancement which will enable a small group of isolated individuals a unique opportunity to reproduce together. A conservative backlash perceives this technology as a threat to the status quo as they assert all children need a mother and father. They also fear boys will be phased out of the species. Rosie and Jules find themselves at the centre of a horrific and politically-contentious media storm. It’s a vivid story of personal struggle reflecting how any advancement with society is sadly met with reactionary politics.
Read my full review of XX by Angela Chadwick on LonesomeReader
Given enormous recent advances in science, it’s not hard to imagine the prospect of a technology which enables women to reproduce without men. That’s exactly the premise of Angela Chadwick’s enthralling debut novel “XX” which tells the story of lesbian couple Rosie and Jules who enrol in the trial stage of a ground-breaking new Ovum-to-Ovum treatment. It allows them to become pregnant through an IVF technique using two eggs rather than needing a sperm-donor. Since there is no XY sex-determination system at play in this method of reproduction it means the child will always be born with the sex chromosome XX and must be female. But Chadwick doesn’t posit this advancement as an opportunity for a world-dominating matriarchy; it’s exactly the opposite. The great drama of the novel comes from the wide-scale social resistance to such an advancement which will enable a small group of isolated individuals a unique opportunity to reproduce together. A conservative backlash perceives this technology as a threat to the status quo as they assert all children need a mother and father. They also fear boys will be phased out of the species. Rosie and Jules find themselves at the centre of a horrific and politically-contentious media storm. It’s a vivid story of personal struggle reflecting how any advancement with society is sadly met with reactionary politics.
Read my full review of XX by Angela Chadwick on LonesomeReader
October 12, 2019
You know those imaginary arguments and situations you play out in your head in the shower or when you're bored? You come up with all the retorts and really show 'em who's boss? This is what Chadwick's novel is. A 370+ page 'standing up to the homophobes' imaginary argument. There is minimal, elementary-level critique of UK politics, and a total disinterest in anything but the protagonist, all of it an extensive romanticising ode to surviving in a homophobic society like it makes us somehow better... It's a 1960s soap opera but with Tory lesbians this time!
It's the sloppiest, most wilful misinterpretation of feminist theory combined with flat mono-dimensional puppet characters that flick between emotions like Xmas lights, a protagonist that is actually a chauvinist man in disguise as a lesbian who waves away her partner like she's a pesky fly, and the poorest damn world-building this side of the sandcastle-building competition.
The underlying ethics, politics, and overall message are overwhelmingly conservative and essentially a backhanded "we're not like the other gays"..., the extensive amount of detail dedicated to describing shit (literal excrement) and piss, and the failure to make the text accessible to anyone outside of the UK as a shortcut through constructing a setting for the narrative. All of this, delivered in the most monotone meter and repetitive sentence structures, liberally peppered with sickly sweet sentimentalism and self-contradictions and THE DAMN WAY PEOPLE FLICK IN AND OUT OF EMOTIONAL STATES...
Nope. Just no.
It's the sloppiest, most wilful misinterpretation of feminist theory combined with flat mono-dimensional puppet characters that flick between emotions like Xmas lights, a protagonist that is actually a chauvinist man in disguise as a lesbian who waves away her partner like she's a pesky fly, and the poorest damn world-building this side of the sandcastle-building competition.
The underlying ethics, politics, and overall message are overwhelmingly conservative and essentially a backhanded "we're not like the other gays"..., the extensive amount of detail dedicated to describing shit (literal excrement) and piss, and the failure to make the text accessible to anyone outside of the UK as a shortcut through constructing a setting for the narrative. All of this, delivered in the most monotone meter and repetitive sentence structures, liberally peppered with sickly sweet sentimentalism and self-contradictions and THE DAMN WAY PEOPLE FLICK IN AND OUT OF EMOTIONAL STATES...
Nope. Just no.
August 26, 2019
Based on the description, I thought the story would be... bigger? It focused on such a narrow point, and although the (admittedly interesting) plot could be completely covered in one A4 page, it dragged on for 300+ snail-paced, overly sentimental pages.
September 29, 2018
A taut, focused story of two women joining a medical trial of a new fertilisation treatment to create a baby (necessarily female - hence the title, XX) without the need for a sperm donor. They are a lesbian couple but in theory the procedure could be rolled out to any two women choosing to create a family together, rather than involving a man. The very idea of this causes consternation and is taken up by the press and politicians, both of which have their own agendas. What starts as an intriguing discussion of the ethics of experimental programmes like this also soon gives us an emotionally engaging portrayal of the effect its controversy has on one couple. Jules and Rosie are hounded at home and at work, their relationships with family, friends and neighbours become increasingly strained and inevitably this extends to their relationship with each other. In their different ways, they are both complicated and sympathetic characters, though we follow their story through just Jules’ narration. Emotions run high, indignation alternates with doubt. All this is very well paced, my interest didn’t flag at all and the result is a satisfyingly thought-provoking book that I’d recommend highly.
With thanks to Little, Brown & Dialogue Books via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
With thanks to Little, Brown & Dialogue Books via NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.
August 19, 2019
The thing about feminist (“feminist”) literature coming out of the UK circa the late 2010s is that you have to be on guard for TERF authors and ideas. Extra caution is needed if the book comes recommended by The Guardian, as this one was. I held this book in three different bookstores before deciding to give it a chance, having not found explicit TERF links.
XX is, at least, not overtly transphobic. But it is severely impoverished by a simplistic, reductionist view of sex as it relates to gender and sexuality. (I know, I know — I really should’ve expected as much from a book titled “XX”.) It is not unwarranted for a story about “ovum-to-ovum fertilisation” to centre two cis lesbians. The real-life manifestation of such technology would likely do so as well, though I would think another obvious application would be for straight trans men. But it’s incredibly boring when that’s all the story is about. This is a classic “gay, not queer” story — gender/sexuality reduced to biology rather than questions of identity, culture and society. (The protagonists don’t even have any queer friends, much more any queer culture/politics to speak of!) Even the backlash, which most of the book is devoted to, doesn’t really feel credible when it doesn’t adequately capture the cisheteropatriarchy’s anxieties about the threat posed by queer parent/motherhood beyond “fathers will become irrelevant!” and “girls might outnumber boys!!” (spoiler alert: they will not).
Separately, I was a bit wary when another trial participant, a secondary character, was mentioned to be Chinese early on in the book. I can’t articulate what exactly felt off about it, beyond that it came across like a “nominally diverse group participates in scientific trial” stock photo. No other mention is made for most of the rest of the book... until about 3/4 in we get to “almond-shaped eyes” and “gently sloping eyes” and I’m like ahh, there it is. Keep on doing you, white women.
Two stars only because I found some of Jules’ anxieties about being a reluctant parent and “other mother” relatable. (Fuck Anthony, man.) But otherwise, no, don’t believe the British press (fittingly one of the actual lessons of this novel!) — this most definitely won’t be filling a Handmaid’s Tale-shaped hole in anyone’s life.
XX is, at least, not overtly transphobic. But it is severely impoverished by a simplistic, reductionist view of sex as it relates to gender and sexuality. (I know, I know — I really should’ve expected as much from a book titled “XX”.) It is not unwarranted for a story about “ovum-to-ovum fertilisation” to centre two cis lesbians. The real-life manifestation of such technology would likely do so as well, though I would think another obvious application would be for straight trans men. But it’s incredibly boring when that’s all the story is about. This is a classic “gay, not queer” story — gender/sexuality reduced to biology rather than questions of identity, culture and society. (The protagonists don’t even have any queer friends, much more any queer culture/politics to speak of!) Even the backlash, which most of the book is devoted to, doesn’t really feel credible when it doesn’t adequately capture the cisheteropatriarchy’s anxieties about the threat posed by queer parent/motherhood beyond “fathers will become irrelevant!” and “girls might outnumber boys!!” (spoiler alert: they will not).
Separately, I was a bit wary when another trial participant, a secondary character, was mentioned to be Chinese early on in the book. I can’t articulate what exactly felt off about it, beyond that it came across like a “nominally diverse group participates in scientific trial” stock photo. No other mention is made for most of the rest of the book... until about 3/4 in we get to “almond-shaped eyes” and “gently sloping eyes” and I’m like ahh, there it is. Keep on doing you, white women.
Two stars only because I found some of Jules’ anxieties about being a reluctant parent and “other mother” relatable. (Fuck Anthony, man.) But otherwise, no, don’t believe the British press (fittingly one of the actual lessons of this novel!) — this most definitely won’t be filling a Handmaid’s Tale-shaped hole in anyone’s life.
March 25, 2019
*sigh*
2.5 rounded down, review to follow
2.5 rounded down, review to follow
May 27, 2021
Bilimsel gelişmeler sonucu, yumurtadan yumurtaya döllenme keşfedilir. Yani erkek katkısı olmadan çoğalabilmek.
Birçok eşcinsel kadın çift bu klinik deneye katılmak ister. Bizim çiftimiz de onlardan biri.
Çok büyük zorbalığa, lince maruz kalırlar. Hayatları iki insanın çocuk sahibi olmak istemesi gibi basit bir nedenden cehenneme döner.
İşte bu iki kadının deney boyunca yaşadıklarını okuyoruz. Çok uzak bir distopya değil bence. Hatta yaşadığımız dünyada distopya bile denemez.
💚
Birçok eşcinsel kadın çift bu klinik deneye katılmak ister. Bizim çiftimiz de onlardan biri.
Çok büyük zorbalığa, lince maruz kalırlar. Hayatları iki insanın çocuk sahibi olmak istemesi gibi basit bir nedenden cehenneme döner.
İşte bu iki kadının deney boyunca yaşadıklarını okuyoruz. Çok uzak bir distopya değil bence. Hatta yaşadığımız dünyada distopya bile denemez.
💚
March 28, 2023
Ok, let’s firstly get a few things hetero straight: though the quote on the cover describes it as such, XX is no “dystopian thriller”. It isn’t set in the future but in the world of today, and while it has elements of a kind of suspense, it is mostly a book about a medical trial and how it affects one couple and their family.
Overall, I liked XX for what it is, enjoyed imagining a world in which children could be produced in a different way. XX is a typical first novel in the way it’s written and I didn’t expect perfection, but I feel like a stricter editorial look could’ve removed some of the clunkier sentences. Also, there were way too many descriptions about what everyone was wearing, what colour the walls were, what people’s bodies looked like... I didn’t have much room for imagination after all that.
Jules and Rosie seem like the oddest of queer couple, with a straight male BFF for each, no female friends and in fact no queer friends either. Sorry, I mean lesbian — bisexual, pansexual, and other queer women didn’t get a mention... I understand the use of the word lesbian to signify “women who date exclusively women” from the novel’s antagonists, but I would’ve imagined the main couple would’ve remembered we too exist?
Aside from these gripes, XX is a fascinating novel, the ovum-to-ovum technology creates exciting possibilities (saving near-extinct species!), and the reactions by the media, politicians and regular people all feel very realistic.
I do wish Jules and Rosie communicated better so that the vast majority of the book wasn’t spent re-evaluating their relationship, and could’ve instead looked into the wider world (or maybe even had another couple’s perspective). Perhaps then the ending wouldn’t have needed to be so saccharine — although I am glad it wasn’t a traumatic or otherwise horrific one.
* Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Overall, I liked XX for what it is, enjoyed imagining a world in which children could be produced in a different way. XX is a typical first novel in the way it’s written and I didn’t expect perfection, but I feel like a stricter editorial look could’ve removed some of the clunkier sentences. Also, there were way too many descriptions about what everyone was wearing, what colour the walls were, what people’s bodies looked like... I didn’t have much room for imagination after all that.
Jules and Rosie seem like the oddest of queer couple, with a straight male BFF for each, no female friends and in fact no queer friends either. Sorry, I mean lesbian — bisexual, pansexual, and other queer women didn’t get a mention... I understand the use of the word lesbian to signify “women who date exclusively women” from the novel’s antagonists, but I would’ve imagined the main couple would’ve remembered we too exist?
Aside from these gripes, XX is a fascinating novel, the ovum-to-ovum technology creates exciting possibilities (saving near-extinct species!), and the reactions by the media, politicians and regular people all feel very realistic.
I do wish Jules and Rosie communicated better so that the vast majority of the book wasn’t spent re-evaluating their relationship, and could’ve instead looked into the wider world (or maybe even had another couple’s perspective). Perhaps then the ending wouldn’t have needed to be so saccharine — although I am glad it wasn’t a traumatic or otherwise horrific one.
* Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2019
XX follows Jules and Rosie as they become the world’s first participants in a new clinical trial that will allow two women to conceive a child, using ovum-to-ovum fertilisation. Hailed by some as a breakthrough for queer couples, others see it as a catalyst for a vast population shift – as, given the genetics involved, the technique can only produce baby girls. Set against a backdrop of fierce political backlash, and media scaremongering, the couple must contend with a tirade of hatred, paranoia, and betrayal, alongside the usual fears that come with looming parenthood.
This is the best kind of speculative fiction, in that the scientific elements of the story feel only just out of reach. The political and social landscape could have been lifted from today’s newspapers; the breakthrough in fertility treatment one that may well be on the horizon. It makes the book’s musings on the morality involved in science versus nature, and the role of the media in shaping the public’s perception all the more topical. I also like that the argument as to whether this advancement is leading us towards a utopia or a dystopia is entirely open to debate.
For all the big questions raised by the subject matter, however, I was pleased that it finds time for an insular look at the central couple’s relationship. This allowed Chadwick to bring a further layer of depth to the narrative, exploring the idea of class divides. Jules, a local journalist, has grafted her entire life to work her way up from poor beginnings, whilst Rosie was born into a decidedly more privileged family. Despite being liberal in their social views, it becomes increasingly clear that both possess their own inherent prejudices against the other’s class, and feel an odd sense of loyalty to their own; a friction that no amount of love or social-ladder climbing can ever fully erase.
Given that this is, in many ways, a book about yearning for parenthood, it was refreshing to see some discussion on the pressure that women feel to become a mother, even if it’s not necessarily what they want. There is, however, a slight whisper of the ‘you just don’t get it until you have kids’ attitude, which can be patronising. Though, I suppose that’s to be expected given the topic at hand, and the circumstances/outlook of certain characters. My other small gripes are an overly neat epilogue that I’m not sure was necessary, and a nod towards the melodramatic at times, with someone holding back tears on just about every other page (a repetition that I feel an editor should have flagged up).
This is an altogether timely and thought-provoking, though surprisingly subtle, character driven story that ultimately asks us to consider what makes a family, and if our beginnings (from where we are born, to our very DNA) truly shape the person we are. I flew through this, and would love to hear other people’s thoughts on it.
This is the best kind of speculative fiction, in that the scientific elements of the story feel only just out of reach. The political and social landscape could have been lifted from today’s newspapers; the breakthrough in fertility treatment one that may well be on the horizon. It makes the book’s musings on the morality involved in science versus nature, and the role of the media in shaping the public’s perception all the more topical. I also like that the argument as to whether this advancement is leading us towards a utopia or a dystopia is entirely open to debate.
For all the big questions raised by the subject matter, however, I was pleased that it finds time for an insular look at the central couple’s relationship. This allowed Chadwick to bring a further layer of depth to the narrative, exploring the idea of class divides. Jules, a local journalist, has grafted her entire life to work her way up from poor beginnings, whilst Rosie was born into a decidedly more privileged family. Despite being liberal in their social views, it becomes increasingly clear that both possess their own inherent prejudices against the other’s class, and feel an odd sense of loyalty to their own; a friction that no amount of love or social-ladder climbing can ever fully erase.
Given that this is, in many ways, a book about yearning for parenthood, it was refreshing to see some discussion on the pressure that women feel to become a mother, even if it’s not necessarily what they want. There is, however, a slight whisper of the ‘you just don’t get it until you have kids’ attitude, which can be patronising. Though, I suppose that’s to be expected given the topic at hand, and the circumstances/outlook of certain characters. My other small gripes are an overly neat epilogue that I’m not sure was necessary, and a nod towards the melodramatic at times, with someone holding back tears on just about every other page (a repetition that I feel an editor should have flagged up).
This is an altogether timely and thought-provoking, though surprisingly subtle, character driven story that ultimately asks us to consider what makes a family, and if our beginnings (from where we are born, to our very DNA) truly shape the person we are. I flew through this, and would love to hear other people’s thoughts on it.
August 29, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ I was just chugging along reading about this main character struggle with the decision to become a mother and she frustrated me and annoyed me AND THEN CHAPTER 32 blew me away. The drama, the twist, jaw dropping. I expected the ethical conversations associated with this type of genetic creation of life but girl threw in some more ethical shenanigans and almost bumped this to a 4. Interesting concept for a book!
Read
October 14, 2018Review to come, but in the meantime...
This was not exactly what I was expecting going in... I had thoughts that it would be too heavy and high-brow, but there are actually quite a lot of parallels to the world in which we currently live, and the treatment of women living in said world, and as such it's fairly easy to get through.
At times it's a little dry and things take a while to get properly going, with the first half of the book feeling like a repeated cycle: MC is feeling disconnected and put upon by the situation, sees how that keeps her from those she loves, has deep and hopeless thoughts about it, and something happens that starts the cycle over again.
That being said, once things start ramping up it can be hard to put the book down...
One big qualm for this reader, which shows how things are often not examined too closely by the characters, takes place at the start of the study. Just after Jules and Rosie have been accepted into the trial, one of the other people who was present at the same information session has an article published (she's a journo) in which she reveals she lied about her whole application, the "life partner" she took along was an actress she had hired for this stunt and had known for all of an hour, and yet she still got in, so there must be some kind of plot going on.
Our MC is a journo, too, and there never seems to be any further scrutiny of her by those running the study. In this way it seems that certain elements of the story are glossed over, while other elements are revisited again and again and again. And, to be fair, the thing that is visited over and over is a very important part of the plot, but there are really only so many ways to say essentially the same thing.
Thoughts on LGBTQ+ rights, reproduction, what it means to be a family, the way certain older straight rich white men with power don't like surrendering any of that power to women, fear-mongering, journalism, consumer awareness and acceptance of "facts", and societal indignance are all explored in these pages.
It was really interesting to see the character's transformation throughout, both emotionally and from the opening scene in which she boasts to herself about how clever a journalist she is - figuring out how to get to the source, through to a little later in the the story where she really starts to understand what it's like to be on the other side of those clever journos.
This was not exactly what I was expecting going in... I had thoughts that it would be too heavy and high-brow, but there are actually quite a lot of parallels to the world in which we currently live, and the treatment of women living in said world, and as such it's fairly easy to get through.
At times it's a little dry and things take a while to get properly going, with the first half of the book feeling like a repeated cycle: MC is feeling disconnected and put upon by the situation, sees how that keeps her from those she loves, has deep and hopeless thoughts about it, and something happens that starts the cycle over again.
That being said, once things start ramping up it can be hard to put the book down...
One big qualm for this reader, which shows how things are often not examined too closely by the characters, takes place at the start of the study. Just after Jules and Rosie have been accepted into the trial, one of the other people who was present at the same information session has an article published (she's a journo) in which she reveals she lied about her whole application, the "life partner" she took along was an actress she had hired for this stunt and had known for all of an hour, and yet she still got in, so there must be some kind of plot going on.
Our MC is a journo, too, and there never seems to be any further scrutiny of her by those running the study. In this way it seems that certain elements of the story are glossed over, while other elements are revisited again and again and again. And, to be fair, the thing that is visited over and over is a very important part of the plot, but there are really only so many ways to say essentially the same thing.
Thoughts on LGBTQ+ rights, reproduction, what it means to be a family, the way certain older straight rich white men with power don't like surrendering any of that power to women, fear-mongering, journalism, consumer awareness and acceptance of "facts", and societal indignance are all explored in these pages.
It was really interesting to see the character's transformation throughout, both emotionally and from the opening scene in which she boasts to herself about how clever a journalist she is - figuring out how to get to the source, through to a little later in the the story where she really starts to understand what it's like to be on the other side of those clever journos.
Read
July 26, 2018Fantastic—completely topical, utterly believable, and that rare thing: an issue-driven book that feels like a story, not an issue.
August 18, 2019
Ľahké čítanie o blízkej budúcnosti (?) aj súčasnosti (nálady spoločnosti a rôzne anti hnutia sú dosti aktuálne), kedy je možné splodiť dieťa kombináciou dvoch ženských pohlavných buniek. Okrem iného je podľa niektorých problémom to, že týmto spôsobom môžu vzniknúť iba dievčatá. A tak sa straší, že dievčat bude viac ako chlapcov, že sa chlapci už viac nebudú rodiť, že ženy začnú uprednostňovať alternatívne plodenie spolu s ďalšími ženami, lebo veď, ženy sú starostlivejšie a zodpovednejšie, že ženy mužov už na nič nepotrebujú, kým muži ženy áno, a tak treba nový spôsob plodenia zakázať a vytvoriť riadnu antikampaň, veď je to neprirodzené, že sa nehanbia!?
A pritom zopár ženských párov len chce mať deti s vlastnou genetickou kombináciou, veda to umožňuje, spoločnosť sa ide zblázniť a rôzne indivíduá a skupiny situáciu využívajú pre vlastné politické záujmy.
Veľmi sa mi pozdáva hlavný motív knihy, horšie hodnotím koniec so šťastným koncom. Oddychové a jednoduché čítanie.
A pritom zopár ženských párov len chce mať deti s vlastnou genetickou kombináciou, veda to umožňuje, spoločnosť sa ide zblázniť a rôzne indivíduá a skupiny situáciu využívajú pre vlastné politické záujmy.
Veľmi sa mi pozdáva hlavný motív knihy, horšie hodnotím koniec so šťastným koncom. Oddychové a jednoduché čítanie.
October 15, 2019
A great, real life, modern day drama about a single sex (Female) couple who have taken part in a scientific trial to have a child using a new, highly controversial, ground-breaking ovum-ovum fertilisation process which, as they become named (targets!), charts the trials and tribulations that they encounter from family, friends the general public and ultimately, society itself. Question: If this process becomes optional for women, then what will eventually happen to the male of the species? A fascinating read, containing lots of twists and turns, although not too many laughs along the way.
Thoroughly enjoyable, very believable and highly recommended - 4.5 stars.
Thoroughly enjoyable, very believable and highly recommended - 4.5 stars.
December 10, 2018
I received this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review
This book has an incredibly interesting premise and I wanted it to make me feel so much more.
The problem was that the story seemed to jgraze the surface not completely unlike the stories in the tabloid newspapers that hound and harass these women throughout the book.
The women’s character’s are underdeveloped and not quite 3 dimensional and there is little introspection or discussion of the wider implications and consequences of the procedure.
Another problem is that the narrative is limited to Jules who is an anxious, cautious and reactive – something happens and Jules reacts she rarely initiates.
Jules doesn’t seem willing or able to learn and develop according to the circumstance and instead is always convinced she knows what is right even when the reality is proving her wrong. After a while she just becomes repetitive and a more than a little boring.
Rosie on the other hand is incredibly capricious and almost childlike in her naivety such that I never quite understood where the middle ground was between them on which they built their relationship.
While I expected the book to be about this new science and technology ovum-to-ovum just became a McGuffin to add tension into Jules and Rosie’s relationship.
I quite enjoyed reading this book but felt it was less than it could have been.
This book has an incredibly interesting premise and I wanted it to make me feel so much more.
The problem was that the story seemed to jgraze the surface not completely unlike the stories in the tabloid newspapers that hound and harass these women throughout the book.
The women’s character’s are underdeveloped and not quite 3 dimensional and there is little introspection or discussion of the wider implications and consequences of the procedure.
Another problem is that the narrative is limited to Jules who is an anxious, cautious and reactive – something happens and Jules reacts she rarely initiates.
Jules doesn’t seem willing or able to learn and develop according to the circumstance and instead is always convinced she knows what is right even when the reality is proving her wrong. After a while she just becomes repetitive and a more than a little boring.
Rosie on the other hand is incredibly capricious and almost childlike in her naivety such that I never quite understood where the middle ground was between them on which they built their relationship.
While I expected the book to be about this new science and technology ovum-to-ovum just became a McGuffin to add tension into Jules and Rosie’s relationship.
I quite enjoyed reading this book but felt it was less than it could have been.
December 20, 2018
This book was about an all female couple who decide to start a family, Rosie and Jules initially discuss finding a male donor until technological findings at a nearby university enables them to be part of a new trial, Ovum-to-Ovum technology. This breakthrough not only enables them the opportunity to have the right to reproduce their own child, but has lead to a high level of media coverage and controversey.
When their participation is leaked to the media that Rosie is one of only two women to become pregnant from the treatment, her relationship with Jules is put under a microscope.
This book not only delves into the strength of relationship required of Jules and Rosie but also the impact on their professional careers and the sometimes stark and cruel reality of being the brunt of the media circus.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, it kept me gripped to the end just purely with the style of the prose and the close to reality feeling of the plot.
When their participation is leaked to the media that Rosie is one of only two women to become pregnant from the treatment, her relationship with Jules is put under a microscope.
This book not only delves into the strength of relationship required of Jules and Rosie but also the impact on their professional careers and the sometimes stark and cruel reality of being the brunt of the media circus.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, it kept me gripped to the end just purely with the style of the prose and the close to reality feeling of the plot.
December 14, 2018
NOTE: I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Hachette Australia through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was really hoping for more from this book. The description sounded so promising, but in the end it kind of fell flat for me. It wasn't so bad that I didn't finish it, more that I just found myself having no trouble at all putting it down to go do other things, which doesn't happen if I'm really enjoying a book.
While it was very well written, it was pretty predictable. The first half was a little slow for my liking, I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters, and the ending was rather disappointing, with a lot of things left up in the air. All in all, I was expecting more and this one fell just a little short.
I was really hoping for more from this book. The description sounded so promising, but in the end it kind of fell flat for me. It wasn't so bad that I didn't finish it, more that I just found myself having no trouble at all putting it down to go do other things, which doesn't happen if I'm really enjoying a book.
While it was very well written, it was pretty predictable. The first half was a little slow for my liking, I didn't find myself connecting with any of the characters, and the ending was rather disappointing, with a lot of things left up in the air. All in all, I was expecting more and this one fell just a little short.
August 26, 2019
Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
DNF at 34%.
I went into this with high hopes but it's so boring and heavy. I got to just over a third of the way through, and the characters aren't likeable. They're so bland and there's nothing about them that makes me want to continue reading. Jules is passive, Rosie is frustrating, Anthony is annoying, Rosie's parents are bland and I did actually kind of appreciate Jules's dad for being the only character in this book to actually have an opinion. The major downside to this book is that it feels longer than it is, and nothing really actually happens.
Also, there are plenty of women who would benefit from a development like this, not just lesbians.
DNF at 34%.
I went into this with high hopes but it's so boring and heavy. I got to just over a third of the way through, and the characters aren't likeable. They're so bland and there's nothing about them that makes me want to continue reading. Jules is passive, Rosie is frustrating, Anthony is annoying, Rosie's parents are bland and I did actually kind of appreciate Jules's dad for being the only character in this book to actually have an opinion. The major downside to this book is that it feels longer than it is, and nothing really actually happens.
Also, there are plenty of women who would benefit from a development like this, not just lesbians.
Read
September 25, 2018A Scottish journalist volunteers to become the first woman to be impregnated with an ovum to ovum baby with her female partner as the other biological parent. This is politically and ethically engaging, as well as a very personal read. It shows a world that is only a few years away, and it left me with a lot of thoughts about gender and science. Excellent.
August 20, 2019
This was an excellent read. I can't remember when was the last time I couldn't stop reading a book. What I found the most impressive is the way Jules (the protagonist) is feeling about the situation, her partner and her future child. For males, who can't be pregnant, this is very relatable. Seeing that Jules feels what, I reckon, many males feel during pregnany shows us that men and women are more equal than many think. Truly a great feminist novel that should be read by all cis-gender heterosexual males (especially those that would never read) in order to open your eyes at least a bit.
September 10, 2018
I received an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was really intrigued when I read the synopsis for this book. Imagine a world in which scientists can use two women's eggs to produce a baby girl. It's such a interesting concept and one which would completely change the world if it were true.
From the beginning I was drawn into Jules and Rosie's relationship and I felt a part of their struggles. Sometimes books which feature science as their plot are too science-heavy, whereas XX very much focuses on the humans involved in the science- what's it like for them, what are they experiencing and feeling and how they would cope with the events that unfurl.
I found this meant I gobbled up page after page eager to know what happened next, personally invested in whether Rosie and Jules would get their happy ending. It also avoided the author getting anything too scientific incorrect, which is important as it wouldn't have worked to make up the science involved in this process.
I had real problems liking Jules as a person. I felt she consistantly made the wrong choices when she could so easily have made the right one. She was quite infuriating as a character but this did work within the plot of the book as Jules frequently makes reference to the fact she knows she's less personable and easy to like than her partner Rosie.
I thought the exploration of what makes a child yours and the feelings Jules and Rosie had about the baby all the way through the book was really believable and honestly whilst I was reading I had no idea how it was all going to end.
I also really enjoyed the fact it was set in Petersfield and surrounding areas as that's near where I'm from. It was nice to see familiar names and areas being referenced. I think only people who live near Leigh Park will properly understand the relevance of Jules's father being raised there!
I really enjoyed this book.
I was really intrigued when I read the synopsis for this book. Imagine a world in which scientists can use two women's eggs to produce a baby girl. It's such a interesting concept and one which would completely change the world if it were true.
From the beginning I was drawn into Jules and Rosie's relationship and I felt a part of their struggles. Sometimes books which feature science as their plot are too science-heavy, whereas XX very much focuses on the humans involved in the science- what's it like for them, what are they experiencing and feeling and how they would cope with the events that unfurl.
I found this meant I gobbled up page after page eager to know what happened next, personally invested in whether Rosie and Jules would get their happy ending. It also avoided the author getting anything too scientific incorrect, which is important as it wouldn't have worked to make up the science involved in this process.
I had real problems liking Jules as a person. I felt she consistantly made the wrong choices when she could so easily have made the right one. She was quite infuriating as a character but this did work within the plot of the book as Jules frequently makes reference to the fact she knows she's less personable and easy to like than her partner Rosie.
I thought the exploration of what makes a child yours and the feelings Jules and Rosie had about the baby all the way through the book was really believable and honestly whilst I was reading I had no idea how it was all going to end.
I also really enjoyed the fact it was set in Petersfield and surrounding areas as that's near where I'm from. It was nice to see familiar names and areas being referenced. I think only people who live near Leigh Park will properly understand the relevance of Jules's father being raised there!
I really enjoyed this book.
September 23, 2018
I remember years ago reading about the potential for a baby to be produced using two women's eggs, bypassing the need for sperm. So when I saw that this book followed what could happen if/when this becomes a genuine option for women I knew I had to read. The most interesting part for me was around the media attention and speculation. As much as I would like to think in today's world it would not be so nasty and scathing, I know that is just wishful thinking. The political point-scoring and the impact on couples' personal relationships is also covered in detail.
The downside for me is the book felt a lot longer than it actually was. The writing was very dry and as interesting as it was following the journey, nothing much really seemed to happen. I found I didn't particularly care for the characters because I didn't feel I really got to know them. I understand it's a sensitive subject, and not one that needs or deserves any cheap twists, but I did find myself struggling to keep going at times.
Regardless this book deserves to get a lot of attention and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The downside for me is the book felt a lot longer than it actually was. The writing was very dry and as interesting as it was following the journey, nothing much really seemed to happen. I found I didn't particularly care for the characters because I didn't feel I really got to know them. I understand it's a sensitive subject, and not one that needs or deserves any cheap twists, but I did find myself struggling to keep going at times.
Regardless this book deserves to get a lot of attention and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2018
I really liked the concept of this book but it fell a bit flat for me and I found myself making time to read it at first rather than being gripped from the beginning.
The first half I found slow and I struggled as I couldn't get on with the characters. The second half really picked up and I liked how we got to understand a little bit more background. I don't have children but I can imagine there are times you doubt yourself and fear giving up all that has gone before so some readers might find comfort in this honest portrayal. I wish we had also got to go a bit more in depth about the report that she was going to write on the main mp - that was fascinating but was merely skimmed over.
I also felt the tag line of how far would you go for a child of your own is a little misleading in that the main narrator doubts that she wants the baby.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The first half I found slow and I struggled as I couldn't get on with the characters. The second half really picked up and I liked how we got to understand a little bit more background. I don't have children but I can imagine there are times you doubt yourself and fear giving up all that has gone before so some readers might find comfort in this honest portrayal. I wish we had also got to go a bit more in depth about the report that she was going to write on the main mp - that was fascinating but was merely skimmed over.
I also felt the tag line of how far would you go for a child of your own is a little misleading in that the main narrator doubts that she wants the baby.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2018
👍
Well written, convincing setting (once I'd gotten past the discrepancies between Fictional Portsmouth and Actual Portsmouth)
Shies away from the bigger picture at almost every opportunity, but that's actually okay, I think. It works as a close up portrait of this couple, and I'm wary of expecting every LGBT novel to have to teach us something or extrapolate to its full extent. It's a look at the effect this kind of fertility treatment has on this particular family, and it's a good one, and that's fine.
👎
The writing was good, but a bit dry, because Jules is a bit dry; would've liked to have maybe had Rosie's POV to break that up/provide a bit of excitement. Jules is very anxious, and basically responds exactly how I would, but she isn't the most sympathetic character.
All in all though, an interesting work of speculative fiction, and very timely; worth a look.
Well written, convincing setting (once I'd gotten past the discrepancies between Fictional Portsmouth and Actual Portsmouth)
Shies away from the bigger picture at almost every opportunity, but that's actually okay, I think. It works as a close up portrait of this couple, and I'm wary of expecting every LGBT novel to have to teach us something or extrapolate to its full extent. It's a look at the effect this kind of fertility treatment has on this particular family, and it's a good one, and that's fine.
👎
The writing was good, but a bit dry, because Jules is a bit dry; would've liked to have maybe had Rosie's POV to break that up/provide a bit of excitement. Jules is very anxious, and basically responds exactly how I would, but she isn't the most sympathetic character.
All in all though, an interesting work of speculative fiction, and very timely; worth a look.
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