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The Quickening
"Does the world seem right, to you?"
Years ago, Dana Mayer had a vision of a better world: one where women are in charge. Now her manifesto, The Quickening, has established the rules for a new order, designed to elevate and protect women. A genteel and peaceful society that prioritises nature, good manners and aesthetics. Of course, in order for women to maintain control, the freedoms of men have been necessarily limited.
Arthur Alden loves Dana Mayer but hates the world she has created. But can he find a way to resist, without losing everything? And with Dana intent on making men pay reparations for their past crimes, can Arthur be allowed to live without punishment?
Years ago, Dana Mayer had a vision of a better world: one where women are in charge. Now her manifesto, The Quickening, has established the rules for a new order, designed to elevate and protect women. A genteel and peaceful society that prioritises nature, good manners and aesthetics. Of course, in order for women to maintain control, the freedoms of men have been necessarily limited.
Arthur Alden loves Dana Mayer but hates the world she has created. But can he find a way to resist, without losing everything? And with Dana intent on making men pay reparations for their past crimes, can Arthur be allowed to live without punishment?
Hardcover
Published June 23, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
July 9, 2022
Wow. For a book written now and set in the future it contains such an out dated and caricatured view of feminism. Any comparisons to 1984 and Handmaid's Tale are superficial and even antithetical, imagine if Margaret Atwood was a right wing apologist and wrote a reversed Handmaid's Tale about the danger of too much 'feminism'. Transposed perceptions of Victorian ideals of gender and society seem to be an excuse to provide no consideration of wider society; class, racism, or...*hushed voice* other forms of gender. Where they are considered it just comes across as an ill conceived after thought or veiled bigotry. Maybe I'm missing subtext here and this is a criticism of white female feminism? But when our protagonist is a sexist, white, cis, rich, male who learns nothing about those things that criticism isn't active in the narrative and just reads like a chauvinist's horror story. Until i an enlightened, that was an awful read. Ergh...need a shower my brain feels dirty
October 1, 2022
No. Just. No. How dare this book even be mentioned in the same breath as Vox and The Handmaid's Tale. That’s hours of my life I am never getting back and I am furious. Absolutely livid.
I read the whole thing expecting some revelation or twist, maybe even some sort of denouement, despite the dreadful writing, the mundane characters and the insipid view of sexual and gender politics. It masks as clever by setting up a context of other amazing sci-fi and then shreds it by the 17th mention of the fact that all these people went to Oxford (which incidentally is in about page 4.) it ignore so many social and political contexts - most of the characters are from contexts of white, privileged, yadda yadda yadda. The ones that aren’t sound EXACTLY THE SAME as the ones that are. There’s no nuance of tone. It’s such a good idea, so badly executed in the least interesting way. The characters went to Oxford, you know. It’s an entire book about what is effectively radical French feminism manifested to the nth degree and THERE ISN’T ANY MENTION OF FEMALE-FEMALE SEXUAL PREFERENCE/RELATIONSHIPS, as an example. There’s so much wrong here. Like so much. Did I mention most of the characters went to Oxford? I’m incandescent with rage, just not in the way the book was hoping to inspire. Last time I was this angry, I’d just read Da Vinci Code and at least I actually kinda enjoyed that.
The best thing about this was the font is big so I finished it quickly.
I read the whole thing expecting some revelation or twist, maybe even some sort of denouement, despite the dreadful writing, the mundane characters and the insipid view of sexual and gender politics. It masks as clever by setting up a context of other amazing sci-fi and then shreds it by the 17th mention of the fact that all these people went to Oxford (which incidentally is in about page 4.) it ignore so many social and political contexts - most of the characters are from contexts of white, privileged, yadda yadda yadda. The ones that aren’t sound EXACTLY THE SAME as the ones that are. There’s no nuance of tone. It’s such a good idea, so badly executed in the least interesting way. The characters went to Oxford, you know. It’s an entire book about what is effectively radical French feminism manifested to the nth degree and THERE ISN’T ANY MENTION OF FEMALE-FEMALE SEXUAL PREFERENCE/RELATIONSHIPS, as an example. There’s so much wrong here. Like so much. Did I mention most of the characters went to Oxford? I’m incandescent with rage, just not in the way the book was hoping to inspire. Last time I was this angry, I’d just read Da Vinci Code and at least I actually kinda enjoyed that.
The best thing about this was the font is big so I finished it quickly.
May 30, 2022
I was offered this book as an ARC via NetGalley and was intrigued by the premise. I am a fan of dystopian fiction when it is done well and I think I have been spoilt by gems such as The Handmaid's Tale. Margaret Atwood clearly influenced Riley as the eunuchs are dressed in similar headgear to the handmaids in Atwood's world. The difficulty I have with this is that it leads one to draw direct comparisons and compared to Atwood's subtle creeping fear, Riley's book felt as though I was being bludgeoned by rhetoric for example on p72 Dana says "But let us not forget, that pre-Change, a woman was killed every three days". Although written from two perspectives, for me, the characters did not always have distinctive enough voices. There were points where if I hadn't taken note of the change in perspective indicated by the name at the beginning of the chapter it wasn't immediately obvious whose point of view I was reading.
For a book who's premise was based on Dana Mayer's "vision of a better world: one where women are in charge" there were premises that I found hard to stomach. For example, the idea that women shouldn't (can't?) work when they are menstruating was rather baffling and this feeling was exacerbated by the comment made by Dana that having a period was your "body punishing you for not being pregnant". Wow! That certainly is not my idea of feminism (or feminism +). As a woman, I do not feel like my entire being is encapsulated by my ability to procreate. Riley then takes this further with the concept of the "wet womb" where women congregate to "free bleed" (p52), I cannot think that many women would feel at all comfortable with that. This isn't about not feeling comfortable with my own body; I also choose not to urinate or defecate in public! Equally bizarre was the idea that all women could be categorised with labels such as "Earth Mother" which dictates not only personality/jobs but modes of dress. Personally, I like the freedom to choose what I want to wear and would not be happy for anyone to dictate to me what to put on. Would all women truly be willing to submit to that level of control just because it was being wielded by female hands? On page 210, Dana says "Women are nature's anarchists. We are born to create chaos." This seems totally at odds with the submissive population that Riley has created.
The fact that the name of the resistance movement is "The Strife" only made me think of it being cockney rhyming slang for wife (Trouble and Strife). Potentially this was intentional but it seemed an odd choice. The scene of Arthur being sexually harassed around p273 just felt cringeworthy. Again, it felt like Riley was beating us over the head from her moral high horse. Similarly on p 276, the slogan following "Women and Children First!" was "Know your place. Prioritise those with greater biological value". By this point, I was not sure whether the author was taking everything to the point of absurdity but any strength in arguing female superiority had leaked away.
Victoria's viewpoint was the one that I found pretty problematic. The only main character who was not part of the group of Oxford graduate circle, you would hope that maybe there would be some variety of perspective. Many of her sections were coloured by the fact that she had had a violent ex-partner. This could have made an interesting character however somehow Riley ended up in the trap of the abused person wanting to perpetuate the abuse. When Victoria meets up with Geoff again she says things like "it's a social taboo for a gentleman to be condescending to a woman - but I like it. I want more. I want him to hurt me. I deserve to be hurt." (p290) These attitudes are so damaging to women who have or are victims of domestic violence. Yes, often the perpetrator will convince their victim that these things are true however most people will regain their sense of worth with time. It is too easy to blame the victim or assume that they somehow like the behaviour rather than challenge it. Where was the personal growth of moving from a young victim to an empowered woman? For that matter, where were the viewpoints of the poorer women in this supposedly enlightened future?
I did finish the book to be able to write a review however it was not my cup of tea.
For a book who's premise was based on Dana Mayer's "vision of a better world: one where women are in charge" there were premises that I found hard to stomach. For example, the idea that women shouldn't (can't?) work when they are menstruating was rather baffling and this feeling was exacerbated by the comment made by Dana that having a period was your "body punishing you for not being pregnant". Wow! That certainly is not my idea of feminism (or feminism +). As a woman, I do not feel like my entire being is encapsulated by my ability to procreate. Riley then takes this further with the concept of the "wet womb" where women congregate to "free bleed" (p52), I cannot think that many women would feel at all comfortable with that. This isn't about not feeling comfortable with my own body; I also choose not to urinate or defecate in public! Equally bizarre was the idea that all women could be categorised with labels such as "Earth Mother" which dictates not only personality/jobs but modes of dress. Personally, I like the freedom to choose what I want to wear and would not be happy for anyone to dictate to me what to put on. Would all women truly be willing to submit to that level of control just because it was being wielded by female hands? On page 210, Dana says "Women are nature's anarchists. We are born to create chaos." This seems totally at odds with the submissive population that Riley has created.
The fact that the name of the resistance movement is "The Strife" only made me think of it being cockney rhyming slang for wife (Trouble and Strife). Potentially this was intentional but it seemed an odd choice. The scene of Arthur being sexually harassed around p273 just felt cringeworthy. Again, it felt like Riley was beating us over the head from her moral high horse. Similarly on p 276, the slogan following "Women and Children First!" was "Know your place. Prioritise those with greater biological value". By this point, I was not sure whether the author was taking everything to the point of absurdity but any strength in arguing female superiority had leaked away.
Victoria's viewpoint was the one that I found pretty problematic. The only main character who was not part of the group of Oxford graduate circle, you would hope that maybe there would be some variety of perspective. Many of her sections were coloured by the fact that she had had a violent ex-partner. This could have made an interesting character however somehow Riley ended up in the trap of the abused person wanting to perpetuate the abuse. When Victoria meets up with Geoff again she says things like "it's a social taboo for a gentleman to be condescending to a woman - but I like it. I want more. I want him to hurt me. I deserve to be hurt." (p290) These attitudes are so damaging to women who have or are victims of domestic violence. Yes, often the perpetrator will convince their victim that these things are true however most people will regain their sense of worth with time. It is too easy to blame the victim or assume that they somehow like the behaviour rather than challenge it. Where was the personal growth of moving from a young victim to an empowered woman? For that matter, where were the viewpoints of the poorer women in this supposedly enlightened future?
I did finish the book to be able to write a review however it was not my cup of tea.
to-buy
September 9, 2019Seems good... I would want to read it. The villain's name is Dana!
March 14, 2022
I won an advanced reader copy of this from Readers First in exchange for an honest review of the book.
I wasn't sure what to expect of this book, and still don't really know where to start reviewing it..
This book is a lot, it is engaging, exciting, interesting and infuriating.
It tells the story of a group of University friend that set about changing the world. The largely female friendship group consider that patriarchal society has failed and that there are clear indicators that a matriarchal society is preferable.
Changes begin to happen following the pandemic and then a nuclear world war 3 which is only briefly touched upon. As the time comes to rebuild society Dana steps up to PM.
This story is told from two viewpoints, that of a guy called Art who fell in love with Dana at University and still does despite being married to a woman who she chose for him. The second is Victoria, a once pop star who suffered abuse and sexual violence in her relationship with her manager and through Dana turns her life around, using her music as propaganda.
The story is told both in the characters present and through their memory's of 'the quickening'.
This book is akin to Brave New World and The Handmaids Tale in that it's a horribly depressing but interesting and engaging read.
I am glad the author makes it clear in the book that the characters are not feminists... Because the women in charge in this book are clearly dangerous extremists. I was a bit disappointed that the book did not consider a rational possible future where women were in charge; at the same time this clearly was not the authors intention.
I did not find the writing style overly poetic, or particularly emotive- I did not find myself much warming to the main characters. That said this was an enjoyable read and I would recommend as a different and contemporary dystopian novel with a rather scary outlook.
I wasn't sure what to expect of this book, and still don't really know where to start reviewing it..
This book is a lot, it is engaging, exciting, interesting and infuriating.
It tells the story of a group of University friend that set about changing the world. The largely female friendship group consider that patriarchal society has failed and that there are clear indicators that a matriarchal society is preferable.
Changes begin to happen following the pandemic and then a nuclear world war 3 which is only briefly touched upon. As the time comes to rebuild society Dana steps up to PM.
This story is told from two viewpoints, that of a guy called Art who fell in love with Dana at University and still does despite being married to a woman who she chose for him. The second is Victoria, a once pop star who suffered abuse and sexual violence in her relationship with her manager and through Dana turns her life around, using her music as propaganda.
The story is told both in the characters present and through their memory's of 'the quickening'.
This book is akin to Brave New World and The Handmaids Tale in that it's a horribly depressing but interesting and engaging read.
I am glad the author makes it clear in the book that the characters are not feminists... Because the women in charge in this book are clearly dangerous extremists. I was a bit disappointed that the book did not consider a rational possible future where women were in charge; at the same time this clearly was not the authors intention.
I did not find the writing style overly poetic, or particularly emotive- I did not find myself much warming to the main characters. That said this was an enjoyable read and I would recommend as a different and contemporary dystopian novel with a rather scary outlook.
December 21, 2024
Exactly the kind of anti-feminist dystopian fiction you'd expect from the gender traitor who encouraged Elon Musk to buy Twitter and "fight woke-ism"
January 3, 2023
Who is this written for?
Even after having read this book I cannot tell you. It is not the kind of book with a message that would be useful to any gender. Honestly, it doesn't have a message at all.
It started so interestingly with the potential to have a powerful message about the harm of Patriarchy and the harm it does, but it turned out to just be a misogynistic mess with pro patriarchy undertones.
Art is a disgusting waste of potential and could have been an examination of toxic masculinity. Victoria might as well not have existed.
As the book skipped over many nuances in society, like lesbianism, people of colour, (I know victoria and her mum are black but they might as well have been white Oxford attendees like the rest of them) any genders other than men and women, lower classes, (again Victoria might as well have been upper class) I'm not going to go into that either.
This is such a strange form of wasted potential. There were so many things about our society it could have examined or critiqued but fell short on all fronts. It didn't seem to realise how much of it is extremely or insidiously problematic. It seems to me that the author doesn't quite know what she was trying to say about patriarchy or misogyny and doesn't understand the function of the dystopia genre. I had half expected and would have respected it if it had been a warning about swinging too far into the "feminine" in an attempt to get away from patriarchy. Instead, it has misused the term matriarchy to ascribe it to this world of control and dictatorship.
In short, this book will do far more harm than good, especially to people not able to see the many harmful things in this book.
Even after having read this book I cannot tell you. It is not the kind of book with a message that would be useful to any gender. Honestly, it doesn't have a message at all.
It started so interestingly with the potential to have a powerful message about the harm of Patriarchy and the harm it does, but it turned out to just be a misogynistic mess with pro patriarchy undertones.
Art is a disgusting waste of potential and could have been an examination of toxic masculinity. Victoria might as well not have existed.
As the book skipped over many nuances in society, like lesbianism, people of colour, (I know victoria and her mum are black but they might as well have been white Oxford attendees like the rest of them) any genders other than men and women, lower classes, (again Victoria might as well have been upper class) I'm not going to go into that either.
This is such a strange form of wasted potential. There were so many things about our society it could have examined or critiqued but fell short on all fronts. It didn't seem to realise how much of it is extremely or insidiously problematic. It seems to me that the author doesn't quite know what she was trying to say about patriarchy or misogyny and doesn't understand the function of the dystopia genre. I had half expected and would have respected it if it had been a warning about swinging too far into the "feminine" in an attempt to get away from patriarchy. Instead, it has misused the term matriarchy to ascribe it to this world of control and dictatorship.
In short, this book will do far more harm than good, especially to people not able to see the many harmful things in this book.
November 10, 2023
Not worth the time to even write how bad this is...Boring!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2022
Years ago, Art loved a woman named Dana. A vibrant, chaotic woman who made him question everything. But that woman is gone now, he thinks.
The Dana now is untouchable - since she published her manifesto, The Quickening, and created a new world order that strives to protect and prioritise women, one with no war or violence, one where women finally take control. But to do that, the men of the world have been stripped of their rights, their identities, their very selves.
Dana has achieved everything she's ever dreamed of, by any means necessary. So how can Art ever really love her, when she has vowed to destroy everything that he is?
"It starts like a love story, but don't be fooled."
The Quickening is a startling warning about the danger of feminine rage and the power of an idea. Hearing from Art gave this story a side that most matriarchal dystopian fiction just lacks, a perspective from a male living through the persecution and pain that women have historically experienced to an extreme - and trying to make sense of the woman who is supposed to love him who has taken everything from him. We don't hear from Dana until quite late in the story, wrapping her in a shroud of mystery, making her untouchable and ethereal like a Goddess.
There was a hidden softness amid the bloodshed and hatred, when we see that Dana still cares for Art, and see some women can still feel empathy about the divide between them which will lead the reader to question, how far is too far? And what would we be willing to do for radical change?
Now, I will always push for a matriarchal society - I love feminist fiction and honestly, it's cathartic sometimes to indulge in a speculative revenge fantasy where women finally seek retribution and reparation from their male counterparts.
That being said, Dana is shown not as a feminist revolutionary, but a hateful dictator who seems to care more about punishing men than elevating women and for me, she didn't translate into a whole character. I just wish for once I could read a speculative novel about female empowerment that shows the leader in a positive light. Now, while her actions are a statement on the treatment women have historically received, comes across sometimes as a power play and showing the concept of matriarchy as something undesirable for all involved.
Get ready for some brutal truths about bodily autonomy, power, politics and role reversal in ways that will make you see our world in a new light and masterful manipulation. The Quickening is full of disquiet horror and violence and will stay with you long after the final page.
The Dana now is untouchable - since she published her manifesto, The Quickening, and created a new world order that strives to protect and prioritise women, one with no war or violence, one where women finally take control. But to do that, the men of the world have been stripped of their rights, their identities, their very selves.
Dana has achieved everything she's ever dreamed of, by any means necessary. So how can Art ever really love her, when she has vowed to destroy everything that he is?
"It starts like a love story, but don't be fooled."
The Quickening is a startling warning about the danger of feminine rage and the power of an idea. Hearing from Art gave this story a side that most matriarchal dystopian fiction just lacks, a perspective from a male living through the persecution and pain that women have historically experienced to an extreme - and trying to make sense of the woman who is supposed to love him who has taken everything from him. We don't hear from Dana until quite late in the story, wrapping her in a shroud of mystery, making her untouchable and ethereal like a Goddess.
There was a hidden softness amid the bloodshed and hatred, when we see that Dana still cares for Art, and see some women can still feel empathy about the divide between them which will lead the reader to question, how far is too far? And what would we be willing to do for radical change?
Now, I will always push for a matriarchal society - I love feminist fiction and honestly, it's cathartic sometimes to indulge in a speculative revenge fantasy where women finally seek retribution and reparation from their male counterparts.
That being said, Dana is shown not as a feminist revolutionary, but a hateful dictator who seems to care more about punishing men than elevating women and for me, she didn't translate into a whole character. I just wish for once I could read a speculative novel about female empowerment that shows the leader in a positive light. Now, while her actions are a statement on the treatment women have historically received, comes across sometimes as a power play and showing the concept of matriarchy as something undesirable for all involved.
Get ready for some brutal truths about bodily autonomy, power, politics and role reversal in ways that will make you see our world in a new light and masterful manipulation. The Quickening is full of disquiet horror and violence and will stay with you long after the final page.
April 17, 2023
A necessary read.
An autocratic society where women dominate public and private life, where men have no choice but to submit and be entirely subdued by them.
I LOVED this story. It “womansplains” what it feels like to have a system rigged in favour of one category of humans over others. As crazy as it sounds, in today’s world an explanation is something that is necessary.
A few observations:
- EVERY detail of societal female oppression, as small as it is, has been transposed into a male equivalent in the cleverest of ways (e.g. the sound of Art’s shoes distinguishes him from his peers; i.e. a reference to the sound of women’s high heels clicking, symbolic of both status and oppression)
- Style: it feels a little forced, it isn’t lyrical, no prose to be found here. It is not a criticism, this style goes perfectly with the autocrat message of the story;
- Can this book be compared to a dystopia similar to The Hunger Games? Yes! It is a more realistic version of a psychopathic dystopia. Is it not absolutely f*cked up that so many people want to immerse themselves in The Hunger Games? It’s an awful world but the style of writing makes it look somehow desirable.
Would I want to live in London during The Quickening? No.
Is it satisfying to read about women in charge and men reduced to second (third? fourth?) class citizen? Incredibly so.
You will like this book if you’ve ever felt angry, yearning for revenge; if you’ve banged against the glass ceiling, spat out your hormone control pill, repressed your inner voice yelling “ENOUGH”!
Summary:
Writing 4
Story line 5
Characters 5
Impact 5
Entertainment 5
An autocratic society where women dominate public and private life, where men have no choice but to submit and be entirely subdued by them.
I LOVED this story. It “womansplains” what it feels like to have a system rigged in favour of one category of humans over others. As crazy as it sounds, in today’s world an explanation is something that is necessary.
A few observations:
- EVERY detail of societal female oppression, as small as it is, has been transposed into a male equivalent in the cleverest of ways (e.g. the sound of Art’s shoes distinguishes him from his peers; i.e. a reference to the sound of women’s high heels clicking, symbolic of both status and oppression)
- Style: it feels a little forced, it isn’t lyrical, no prose to be found here. It is not a criticism, this style goes perfectly with the autocrat message of the story;
- Can this book be compared to a dystopia similar to The Hunger Games? Yes! It is a more realistic version of a psychopathic dystopia. Is it not absolutely f*cked up that so many people want to immerse themselves in The Hunger Games? It’s an awful world but the style of writing makes it look somehow desirable.
Would I want to live in London during The Quickening? No.
Is it satisfying to read about women in charge and men reduced to second (third? fourth?) class citizen? Incredibly so.
You will like this book if you’ve ever felt angry, yearning for revenge; if you’ve banged against the glass ceiling, spat out your hormone control pill, repressed your inner voice yelling “ENOUGH”!
Summary:
Writing 4
Story line 5
Characters 5
Impact 5
Entertainment 5
May 3, 2022
The Quickening is a frightening and haunting glimpse into a dystopian society where women (or individuals who identify as women) are the superior governing race. However, the story isn’t just about what it would be like if women took control. In fact, the book takes a much more extremist view into this chilling possibility.
Men are treated as property, or in some cases considered worthless and sent off to wars to be ‘disposed’ of. They’ve no rights, no voice, and those who are considered lucky act as mere ‘trophy husbands’ to their wives. It’s eye opening and controversial but I think that this is intentionally done by the author to paint a picture of what life to women is like. While not all may experience such cruelty, it shows how women live in fear each time they leave their house, and so this book uses extremity to highlight this.
However, while the book shows how this new society improves the lives of women, their world isn’t so picture perfect. They have dress codes, and their children are mere objects, hidden away from them - among other things.
Overall, this was an intriguing reimagining of society, one that I have not yet come across. The writing is quite jarring, blunt and far from poetic, but I think that this is fitting and impactful for such a story. A great book! [3.5/5 stars]
Men are treated as property, or in some cases considered worthless and sent off to wars to be ‘disposed’ of. They’ve no rights, no voice, and those who are considered lucky act as mere ‘trophy husbands’ to their wives. It’s eye opening and controversial but I think that this is intentionally done by the author to paint a picture of what life to women is like. While not all may experience such cruelty, it shows how women live in fear each time they leave their house, and so this book uses extremity to highlight this.
However, while the book shows how this new society improves the lives of women, their world isn’t so picture perfect. They have dress codes, and their children are mere objects, hidden away from them - among other things.
Overall, this was an intriguing reimagining of society, one that I have not yet come across. The writing is quite jarring, blunt and far from poetic, but I think that this is fitting and impactful for such a story. A great book! [3.5/5 stars]
June 15, 2023
This book was a wild ride from start to finish, and I honestly do not know how to feel about it. When I first read what it was about I thought it would an extravagant book, and I felt some extremist feminist ideals that I was not sure I was going to enjoy. I genuinely did not think the book would go in the direction it went, with such a crazy society and twisted plots. If you ask me what happened in this book I wouldn't know what to tell you, except for these three scenes that are stuck in my head: the first one is the overly detailed description of why the sentence "no eggs for me please is sexist in the society presented in the book, the blood chambers in old churches where women just let their period flow freely (why??), and the torture of the main male characters (waaay over the top and weird.) Also the whole concept of keeping men in a "working camp and keeping the "pretty" ones as a form of pet, resembles too much a particular event in history that was very, very horrible.
At least the cover design was really great.
At least the cover design was really great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2023
Simplistic and unfortunately fairly unsophisticated in its world building. Quite readable but ultimately unsatisfying. I was hoping for an actual successor to The Handmaid's Tale and The Power, but no. When I saw the dedication to Elon Musk as a "perfect ex-husband", it felt like some things clicked into place. Would not recommend.
June 22, 2022
When I read the sample of this book I was so excited. A story about a future where women are in control, it seemed like a surreal book.
The premise is good and the characters relatable. Imagine wing in a prod where the men are dehumanised and women have all the power? There were elements that were hard to believe but actually some of it relatable,
However, I was very disappointed with the ending. I don’t know what I expected but it didn’t end with a satisfying equilibrium. Poor Arthur was teased by Dana from the start, even before the quickening took over, Arthur was under her spell and wanted to be with her. In the end he got what he wanted, it after all the hurt she caused it wasn’t what he wanted. It felt like I followed Arthur on his journey and engaged with him, only for him to result in not being happy.
I liked Victoria’s story, I found that engaging and how changing your life from being a pop star to someone in parliament.
Overall, it was okay but the ending was underwhelming.
The premise is good and the characters relatable. Imagine wing in a prod where the men are dehumanised and women have all the power? There were elements that were hard to believe but actually some of it relatable,
However, I was very disappointed with the ending. I don’t know what I expected but it didn’t end with a satisfying equilibrium. Poor Arthur was teased by Dana from the start, even before the quickening took over, Arthur was under her spell and wanted to be with her. In the end he got what he wanted, it after all the hurt she caused it wasn’t what he wanted. It felt like I followed Arthur on his journey and engaged with him, only for him to result in not being happy.
I liked Victoria’s story, I found that engaging and how changing your life from being a pop star to someone in parliament.
Overall, it was okay but the ending was underwhelming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2022
The Quickening is a chilling dystopia set in a future Britain where women are in charge and men are barely tolerated.
While studying at Oxford, Dana Mayer can feel that change is coming and develops a manifesto along with her female friends that they call The Quickening. Thanks to a global pandemic quickly followed by a war (sound familiar anyone?) there is a vacuum in the corridors of power and Dana and her coterie of privileged women are uniquely positioned to fill it.
Anyone who naively thinks that the world would be better off governed by women, take heed. Women aren't intrinsically better or morally superior to men - we are all human, with the same foibles, desires and biases, the same capacity for kindness and cruelty. And these women have no interest in equality - they want revenge.
The story is told in alternating chapters through the eyes of two protagonists, Art and Victoria. Art befriends Dana at Oxford, but he is so blinkered by his white male privilege and his desire to get into Dana's pants that he fails entirely to see what is happening right under his nose. He is a pathetic figure, easily manipulated by the powerful women in his life and smilingly colludes until it is all too late. Victoria, a pop star and the winner of a reality show, is co-opted into the inner circle to be the populist face of the party. Coming from a different background however, she is less comfortable with some of the new regime's diktats.
And so, The Quickening describes a really well thought out terrifying potential future, with a fabulous cast of characters ranging from unlikeable to totally despicable. If you have any lingering misogynistic idea that women are sugar and spice and all things nice, then a) you've clearly never been to an all girl's school and b) this novel should thoroughly disabuse you of that notion.
Thanks to Readers First for the advance copy.
While studying at Oxford, Dana Mayer can feel that change is coming and develops a manifesto along with her female friends that they call The Quickening. Thanks to a global pandemic quickly followed by a war (sound familiar anyone?) there is a vacuum in the corridors of power and Dana and her coterie of privileged women are uniquely positioned to fill it.
Anyone who naively thinks that the world would be better off governed by women, take heed. Women aren't intrinsically better or morally superior to men - we are all human, with the same foibles, desires and biases, the same capacity for kindness and cruelty. And these women have no interest in equality - they want revenge.
The story is told in alternating chapters through the eyes of two protagonists, Art and Victoria. Art befriends Dana at Oxford, but he is so blinkered by his white male privilege and his desire to get into Dana's pants that he fails entirely to see what is happening right under his nose. He is a pathetic figure, easily manipulated by the powerful women in his life and smilingly colludes until it is all too late. Victoria, a pop star and the winner of a reality show, is co-opted into the inner circle to be the populist face of the party. Coming from a different background however, she is less comfortable with some of the new regime's diktats.
And so, The Quickening describes a really well thought out terrifying potential future, with a fabulous cast of characters ranging from unlikeable to totally despicable. If you have any lingering misogynistic idea that women are sugar and spice and all things nice, then a) you've clearly never been to an all girl's school and b) this novel should thoroughly disabuse you of that notion.
Thanks to Readers First for the advance copy.
March 31, 2022
Possibly one of the most painfull reading experiences I have ever had. Would not recommend.
March 12, 2023
Really couldn't get into this book at all. The characters are all unlikable and I'm just not invested in any of their narrative.
March 31, 2024
Who is this even for?
August 17, 2025
So bad it’s offensive would give 0 stars if I could. I sometimes think about how bad this book truly is.
September 8, 2022
Beware the Matriarchy
The world has changed.
No longer do men have dominance, no longer are women second class citizens. Now the tables have turned.
Equality was never an option, superiority was always the aim.
The Quickening is a dystopian novel which flips the real world on it's head, showing what society would be like if women took control, and made the matriarchy as powerful and all consuming as the patriarchy ever was.
Although caricaturised in parts, the simple reversal of roles described in this book create a powerful image. The things which happen every day to women in our world suddenly seem ridiculous, criminal and unlikely when they are shown to happen to men instead.
The ludicrous nature of those things throws into sharp relief how desperately certain changes of the last few centuries were in fact needed, and how equally necessary further change still is.
Although the storytelling is sloppy and this book screams first novel (although it's her second...), I appreciate how this book made me think. The characters were almost all fairly uninteresting to me, and out of everyone I was really only drawn with curiosity to Dana. There must have been millions of Dana's over the centuries, filled with subversive ideals and swimming in privilege - it's scary to have a look at what it might be like when one of them is in the right place at the right time, and is given the opportunity to realise those ideals.
The end of the story felt so silly to me, the scenes in The Nest clearly came from a good idea yet they just didn't work for me.
I think that Riley uses more crass imagery than her writing talent has scope for.
Overall I am happy to have read this inflammatory, provocative book. I enjoyed the general concept a great deal, and I would recommend it to specific people. Strong parallels exist with between The Quickening and Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. That's not to say that if you loved those books then you should read this one - it is certainly not of their class.
The world has changed.
No longer do men have dominance, no longer are women second class citizens. Now the tables have turned.
Equality was never an option, superiority was always the aim.
The Quickening is a dystopian novel which flips the real world on it's head, showing what society would be like if women took control, and made the matriarchy as powerful and all consuming as the patriarchy ever was.
Although caricaturised in parts, the simple reversal of roles described in this book create a powerful image. The things which happen every day to women in our world suddenly seem ridiculous, criminal and unlikely when they are shown to happen to men instead.
The ludicrous nature of those things throws into sharp relief how desperately certain changes of the last few centuries were in fact needed, and how equally necessary further change still is.
Although the storytelling is sloppy and this book screams first novel (although it's her second...), I appreciate how this book made me think. The characters were almost all fairly uninteresting to me, and out of everyone I was really only drawn with curiosity to Dana. There must have been millions of Dana's over the centuries, filled with subversive ideals and swimming in privilege - it's scary to have a look at what it might be like when one of them is in the right place at the right time, and is given the opportunity to realise those ideals.
The end of the story felt so silly to me, the scenes in The Nest clearly came from a good idea yet they just didn't work for me.
I think that Riley uses more crass imagery than her writing talent has scope for.
Overall I am happy to have read this inflammatory, provocative book. I enjoyed the general concept a great deal, and I would recommend it to specific people. Strong parallels exist with between The Quickening and Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. That's not to say that if you loved those books then you should read this one - it is certainly not of their class.
April 15, 2024
This book feels like many forms of different women's movements have been smooshed together and completely distorted. It's almost as though the author doesn't actually understand any of them properly and has written her view of how those women would behave if given the chance to be in charge of society, unfortunately because she doesn't understand them properly her view is grotesque. I don't always agree with all these movements but to think all those women would fall into line with becoming far worse than that which they abhor is badly conceived.
There are different ideas about differences of men and women and it seems the author follows the idea that men and women are not the same that we have our own 'specialities', because of this it doesn't look like she approves of those which says women are equal or those which say they are better, she evidences this by making the matriarchal society far worse than the patriarchal society.
The book could have been so much better had she not made me feel like she hates the idea that men and women think they should be equal, it would also have benefited far more if we'd seen more about regular people living this society, how they navigated it and how they felt, keeping it between two protagonists made us lose a whole lot of nuance with the short pieces we see of other not being satisfactorily given. I so wanted to enjoy this as I loved the premise but it fell short of full enjoyment because of the author's apparent perceptions. It's nothing to do with the fact the women become worse than men were, that could still have made for a good book, it's more the reason 'why' she thinks they are worse that seems to be where it goes wrong.
There are different ideas about differences of men and women and it seems the author follows the idea that men and women are not the same that we have our own 'specialities', because of this it doesn't look like she approves of those which says women are equal or those which say they are better, she evidences this by making the matriarchal society far worse than the patriarchal society.
The book could have been so much better had she not made me feel like she hates the idea that men and women think they should be equal, it would also have benefited far more if we'd seen more about regular people living this society, how they navigated it and how they felt, keeping it between two protagonists made us lose a whole lot of nuance with the short pieces we see of other not being satisfactorily given. I so wanted to enjoy this as I loved the premise but it fell short of full enjoyment because of the author's apparent perceptions. It's nothing to do with the fact the women become worse than men were, that could still have made for a good book, it's more the reason 'why' she thinks they are worse that seems to be where it goes wrong.
June 24, 2022
Interesting dystopian science-fiction, along the lines of a reverse Handmaid's Tale, set in the near future in the aftermath of a pandemic and war, where patriarchal society has been overturned and females are now the dominant sex.
Arthur meets Dana at university, first seeing her across a crowded room and immediately feeling drawn to her. Dana senses a change is coming and has a vision of creating a matriarchal society, honing her manifesto during her time at university.
Dana's strange magnetism compels many to follow her and Arthur also finds himself trying to emulate her values in order to get closer to her and win her affections, as a result finding himself drawn into her cult following.
The story unfolds across two broad timeframes of before and after The Change, and from two perspectives: Arthur who initially sees himself as a suitor but finds himself subjugated but intact; and Victoria, a former reality pop star who Dana helps to escape from her abusive manager, enabling the group to use Victoria's fame and social outreach to spread their message.
In many ways the world the author creates seems not dissimilar to a reversal of current societal norms, and it was interesting to see little details that are viewed as horrific when men are on the receiving end.
Driven by one single-minded and power-crazed individual, the overall impression is that a matriarchal society would be vengeful and even worse than the current status quo, unfortunately feeling exaggerated and unrealistic in that sense although it makes the story more interesting! The tone is possibly more suitable for a New Adult readership (NB CW:sexual violence), but a thought-provoking read.
Arthur meets Dana at university, first seeing her across a crowded room and immediately feeling drawn to her. Dana senses a change is coming and has a vision of creating a matriarchal society, honing her manifesto during her time at university.
Dana's strange magnetism compels many to follow her and Arthur also finds himself trying to emulate her values in order to get closer to her and win her affections, as a result finding himself drawn into her cult following.
The story unfolds across two broad timeframes of before and after The Change, and from two perspectives: Arthur who initially sees himself as a suitor but finds himself subjugated but intact; and Victoria, a former reality pop star who Dana helps to escape from her abusive manager, enabling the group to use Victoria's fame and social outreach to spread their message.
In many ways the world the author creates seems not dissimilar to a reversal of current societal norms, and it was interesting to see little details that are viewed as horrific when men are on the receiving end.
Driven by one single-minded and power-crazed individual, the overall impression is that a matriarchal society would be vengeful and even worse than the current status quo, unfortunately feeling exaggerated and unrealistic in that sense although it makes the story more interesting! The tone is possibly more suitable for a New Adult readership (NB CW:sexual violence), but a thought-provoking read.
August 25, 2022
Actual rating 2.5.
OK so I wanted to love this - the cover’s cute, I like Talulah Riley as an actress etc etc. I was hoping for something along the lines of Q/Vox etc, which I guess it is, but sadly it just fell short for me. I haven’t seen much on here about this one and now I think I get why…
Imagine a world in which men are the ones who feel unsafe walking home at night. Or where they can only be a gentleman, gay, or a eunuch. Because with The Quickening manifesto, women are in charge and have created a “peaceful” society - for themselves at least. Arthur sometimes wishes he’d killed Dana before she unleashed this new way of living, but it’s hard to do that when he’s in love with her. Except enough is enough now, and he’s finally ready to stand up to this matriarchal system - but will Dana’s feelings for him be enough to protect him if it all goes wrong?
So, sorry if the blurb is crap but honestly I still don’t have much of a clue what the point of this was other than hating on men (not saying that’s not justified sometimes!). Obviously it’s a dystopian novel, but is it meant to be romantic? Exciting? Insightful? Because I’m not sure it ticks many of those boxes sadly.
But some pros - I listened to this on audio and the narration was good, it’s a dual narrative between Arthur and one of Dana’s inner circle, Victoria. Victoria’s story was actually one of the more emotive aspects of the story, as she’d gone from nothing to stardom as singer, but found herself in a controlling and abusive relationship before The Quickening. I liked that it was unclear which way Victoria would go with her loyalties - was she an ally to Arthur or Dana?
The writing itself was also good, but it just wasn’t a storyline which managed to capture my attention unfortunately.
OK so I wanted to love this - the cover’s cute, I like Talulah Riley as an actress etc etc. I was hoping for something along the lines of Q/Vox etc, which I guess it is, but sadly it just fell short for me. I haven’t seen much on here about this one and now I think I get why…
Imagine a world in which men are the ones who feel unsafe walking home at night. Or where they can only be a gentleman, gay, or a eunuch. Because with The Quickening manifesto, women are in charge and have created a “peaceful” society - for themselves at least. Arthur sometimes wishes he’d killed Dana before she unleashed this new way of living, but it’s hard to do that when he’s in love with her. Except enough is enough now, and he’s finally ready to stand up to this matriarchal system - but will Dana’s feelings for him be enough to protect him if it all goes wrong?
So, sorry if the blurb is crap but honestly I still don’t have much of a clue what the point of this was other than hating on men (not saying that’s not justified sometimes!). Obviously it’s a dystopian novel, but is it meant to be romantic? Exciting? Insightful? Because I’m not sure it ticks many of those boxes sadly.
But some pros - I listened to this on audio and the narration was good, it’s a dual narrative between Arthur and one of Dana’s inner circle, Victoria. Victoria’s story was actually one of the more emotive aspects of the story, as she’d gone from nothing to stardom as singer, but found herself in a controlling and abusive relationship before The Quickening. I liked that it was unclear which way Victoria would go with her loyalties - was she an ally to Arthur or Dana?
The writing itself was also good, but it just wasn’t a storyline which managed to capture my attention unfortunately.
March 22, 2022
Disturbing dystopian
Women dominate the world in this terrifying dystopian tale set in the near future. The story begins with the two main characters, Dana and Arthur, meeting in university in 2015, just before the world is nearly destroyed by a horrible virus and war. Dana and her devoted female followers take advantage of the aftermath of these tragedies by envisioning a bright new future in which women are in power.
Dana and Arthur have been in love since university, but men in Dana's new world are either sent to battle to die, turned in as eunuchs, or treated as pets with no rights. The plot centres around Dana's ability to sustain her relationship with Arthur while not breaching her own standards, as well as Arthur's developing want to rebel.In a roundabout way, the novel explores several important social issues, and the author gives enough opportunity for you to decide whether the new society is better, worse, or a mix of the two. Parts of it were also quite troubling to me, notably the sections on torture. By the end of the book, I had the idea that the author had demonstrated that male-female relationships will occur regardless of laws, but rather because of the overriding instincts of desire and love.
Although I like the book in parts, I felt the ending to be unsatisfactory, and most of the subject to be upsetting. (I wonder whether her marriages to Elon Musk had anything to do with this?) The author does come out as a male hater. Dana's world is also fascinating to me.
Women dominate the world in this terrifying dystopian tale set in the near future. The story begins with the two main characters, Dana and Arthur, meeting in university in 2015, just before the world is nearly destroyed by a horrible virus and war. Dana and her devoted female followers take advantage of the aftermath of these tragedies by envisioning a bright new future in which women are in power.
Dana and Arthur have been in love since university, but men in Dana's new world are either sent to battle to die, turned in as eunuchs, or treated as pets with no rights. The plot centres around Dana's ability to sustain her relationship with Arthur while not breaching her own standards, as well as Arthur's developing want to rebel.In a roundabout way, the novel explores several important social issues, and the author gives enough opportunity for you to decide whether the new society is better, worse, or a mix of the two. Parts of it were also quite troubling to me, notably the sections on torture. By the end of the book, I had the idea that the author had demonstrated that male-female relationships will occur regardless of laws, but rather because of the overriding instincts of desire and love.
Although I like the book in parts, I felt the ending to be unsatisfactory, and most of the subject to be upsetting. (I wonder whether her marriages to Elon Musk had anything to do with this?) The author does come out as a male hater. Dana's world is also fascinating to me.
March 4, 2022
A disturbing dystopian novel set in the near future, where women rule the world.
The story starts with the two main characters Dana and Arthur meeting at university in 2015, before a deadly virus and war nearly ends the world. Dana and her loyal female following take advantage of the aftermath of these catastrophes by creating what they see as a bright new future, with women in charge.
Dana and Arthur have had feelings for each other since university but in her new world men are either sent off to war to die, turned in eunuchs or treated as a pet with no rights. The story partly revolves around how Dana can maintain her relationship with Arthur without breaking her own rules and Arthur growing need to rebel.
Indirectly, the novel raises some interesting social questions and the author leaves enough room for you to decide whether the new world is better or worse, or a bit of both. I also found it particularly disturbing in parts, especially the bits on torture. By the end of the book, my impression was that the author showed that relationships between males and females will happen regardless of rules but because of the over-riding instincts of desire and love.
Although I did enjoy the book in part, I found the end lacking and a lot of the content disturbing. The author does come across as a man hater, (I wonder if her marriages to Elon Musk had any bearing on this?!) and Dana’s world, to me, sounds like hell.
The story starts with the two main characters Dana and Arthur meeting at university in 2015, before a deadly virus and war nearly ends the world. Dana and her loyal female following take advantage of the aftermath of these catastrophes by creating what they see as a bright new future, with women in charge.
Dana and Arthur have had feelings for each other since university but in her new world men are either sent off to war to die, turned in eunuchs or treated as a pet with no rights. The story partly revolves around how Dana can maintain her relationship with Arthur without breaking her own rules and Arthur growing need to rebel.
Indirectly, the novel raises some interesting social questions and the author leaves enough room for you to decide whether the new world is better or worse, or a bit of both. I also found it particularly disturbing in parts, especially the bits on torture. By the end of the book, my impression was that the author showed that relationships between males and females will happen regardless of rules but because of the over-riding instincts of desire and love.
Although I did enjoy the book in part, I found the end lacking and a lot of the content disturbing. The author does come across as a man hater, (I wonder if her marriages to Elon Musk had any bearing on this?!) and Dana’s world, to me, sounds like hell.
March 28, 2022
Perhaps the best way of describing The Quickening is that it's a bit like The Handmaid's Tale in reverse with a female-led society and strong female characters, although added to these layers of perspective on offer from the female author is a male narrator in the form of Arthur Alden. The novel begins with a reminiscence about his experience as a student living near Cowley Road in Oxford, attending a student party where - against the advice of his pal Sanderson - he is drawn in by Dana Mayer, who had a vision of a better world: one where women are in charge. Arthur finishes the first chapter by speculating on how easily he could have killed Dana and prevented the dystopia that was to come.
The next chapter is told from the perspective of Victoria, a one-time aspiring pop star turned Culture and Media minister in the government implementing Dana's manifesto The Quickening which has established the rules for a new order, designed to elevate and protect women. A genteel and peaceful society that prioritises nature, good manners and aesthetics. Of course, in order for women to maintain control, the freedoms of men have been necessarily limited. Arthur loves Dana but hates the world she has created. But can he find a way to resist, without losing everything? And with Dana intent on making men pay reparations for their past crimes, can Arthur be allowed to live without punishment?
The next chapter is told from the perspective of Victoria, a one-time aspiring pop star turned Culture and Media minister in the government implementing Dana's manifesto The Quickening which has established the rules for a new order, designed to elevate and protect women. A genteel and peaceful society that prioritises nature, good manners and aesthetics. Of course, in order for women to maintain control, the freedoms of men have been necessarily limited. Arthur loves Dana but hates the world she has created. But can he find a way to resist, without losing everything? And with Dana intent on making men pay reparations for their past crimes, can Arthur be allowed to live without punishment?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2024
The idea behind the book is good. However its execution is poor.
I really enjoy feminist fiction but the premise of the book goes so far beyond feminism that it is awful, and its the worst kind of story. Where women want revenge for the inequal way they were treated before the change.
Women are plotted against women within this society, although they seemingly choose more subordinate roles it really is because it is decided that they aren't suitable for others. Young women are forced into slavery as birthing mothers. Women wear clothes determined by their type and cannot stray from this, and womens sexual desires are none existent, in fact anything sexual is secret within the postchange society.
There are many plot holes, and the ending is rushed and nonsensical.
And I won't get started on the writing which is really poor in parts.
Matriarchal societies exist in this world and have done forever, and this books story goes against everything we know about them and the way they operate, to present us with a feminist revenge plot that in its own words goes beyond feminism.
Its disappointing because there could have been something really good here if only the central characters back story was explored more, how they came to be where they are, and how one 19 year old Oxford student could radically change a whole countries view of their society. Instead it doesn't dip below surface level, and comes up incredibly short.
Super disappointing, especially for feminism
I really enjoy feminist fiction but the premise of the book goes so far beyond feminism that it is awful, and its the worst kind of story. Where women want revenge for the inequal way they were treated before the change.
Women are plotted against women within this society, although they seemingly choose more subordinate roles it really is because it is decided that they aren't suitable for others. Young women are forced into slavery as birthing mothers. Women wear clothes determined by their type and cannot stray from this, and womens sexual desires are none existent, in fact anything sexual is secret within the postchange society.
There are many plot holes, and the ending is rushed and nonsensical.
And I won't get started on the writing which is really poor in parts.
Matriarchal societies exist in this world and have done forever, and this books story goes against everything we know about them and the way they operate, to present us with a feminist revenge plot that in its own words goes beyond feminism.
Its disappointing because there could have been something really good here if only the central characters back story was explored more, how they came to be where they are, and how one 19 year old Oxford student could radically change a whole countries view of their society. Instead it doesn't dip below surface level, and comes up incredibly short.
Super disappointing, especially for feminism
July 19, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Talulah Riley for this advanced copy!
The Quickening; if The Handmaid's Tale and 1984 had a book baby with the gender roles reversed. Sounds fantastic but unfortunately, this one just didn't deliver. In terms of a dystopian fiction, it wasn't a terrible read but I did have a few issues with it.
At times, this book was hard to stomach. I'm not squeamish usually but parts of this just didn't sit with me right. If there's a scene or actions within a book that are uncomfortable but fit in with the narrative smoothly, I have no issue. But, some of the things I read in this felt like they were thrown in purely for shock value rather than being an organic part of the story.
I did find it interesting to read about this world. Women are in control, completely and utterly. It should be a utopia but I found it to be a scary place. It's not just men that are affected either; young women, children, teenagers are all heavily impacted. Supposedly, the world would be a better place but I think when there is complete control by one group, that will never be the case.
Personally, it was a hard book to get into but it definitely picked up and I found it a quick, somewhat enjoyable read in the end. Not a bad book, but not a great one either I'm afraid!
*Please research any trigger warnings before reading *
The Quickening; if The Handmaid's Tale and 1984 had a book baby with the gender roles reversed. Sounds fantastic but unfortunately, this one just didn't deliver. In terms of a dystopian fiction, it wasn't a terrible read but I did have a few issues with it.
At times, this book was hard to stomach. I'm not squeamish usually but parts of this just didn't sit with me right. If there's a scene or actions within a book that are uncomfortable but fit in with the narrative smoothly, I have no issue. But, some of the things I read in this felt like they were thrown in purely for shock value rather than being an organic part of the story.
I did find it interesting to read about this world. Women are in control, completely and utterly. It should be a utopia but I found it to be a scary place. It's not just men that are affected either; young women, children, teenagers are all heavily impacted. Supposedly, the world would be a better place but I think when there is complete control by one group, that will never be the case.
Personally, it was a hard book to get into but it definitely picked up and I found it a quick, somewhat enjoyable read in the end. Not a bad book, but not a great one either I'm afraid!
*Please research any trigger warnings before reading *
March 3, 2022
Dana Mayer has literally taken over the and destroyed the patriarchy and installed instead the matriarchy.
The world is controlled in every way by women, men are reduced to basically servants or eunuchs and definitely according to her concept lower class citizens.
But Art is different, he is her pet, there are feelings on both sides but when he goes against the system and a faded pop star called Victoria Bain finds out then what can Dana do?
How can she bend the rules for her "lapdog" when any other man would be severely punished for insurrection and crimes against the matriarchy and in particular against Dana herself.
I loved the Handmaid's tale and this was dubbed as being in the vein of it but I have mixed feelings on it, it had a great concept but at times it dragged, then towards the end with Art's attempts to bring down the matriarchy it was very exciting but I feel the end was a little too hurried and I expected more
Plus I hated the goldfish scene, how the hell did that aid the story???
Not a fan of animal cruelty in any way shape or form.
Ultimately it was a good read but it had its flaws and was let down by a kind of stop dead ending when I really didn't expect that, kind of a cop out.
The world is controlled in every way by women, men are reduced to basically servants or eunuchs and definitely according to her concept lower class citizens.
But Art is different, he is her pet, there are feelings on both sides but when he goes against the system and a faded pop star called Victoria Bain finds out then what can Dana do?
How can she bend the rules for her "lapdog" when any other man would be severely punished for insurrection and crimes against the matriarchy and in particular against Dana herself.
I loved the Handmaid's tale and this was dubbed as being in the vein of it but I have mixed feelings on it, it had a great concept but at times it dragged, then towards the end with Art's attempts to bring down the matriarchy it was very exciting but I feel the end was a little too hurried and I expected more
Plus I hated the goldfish scene, how the hell did that aid the story???
Not a fan of animal cruelty in any way shape or form.
Ultimately it was a good read but it had its flaws and was let down by a kind of stop dead ending when I really didn't expect that, kind of a cop out.
April 10, 2022
This sounded really intriguing, from the description. A world with women in charge! Can't be much worse than what we've got now, right?
Turns out it's a reverse Handmaid's Tale, with men as the subjugated gender (as in Handmaid's, there's no mention of trans people of any kind.) It's also rather confused; we have two points of view, and each of them bounces back and forth in time, from before the Quickening, to just after, to several years after, and any point inbetween, with no warning or signposting. It's tricky to follow. And having read the whole thing, I'm still not sure how the Quickening came about; there is vague reference to a plague that killed mostly men, and a war that doesn't seem to have affected Britain except that it doesn't trade anything but men away now, but nothing about how it was actually brought into being and enforced. It seems unlikely that men just went along with it.
For those readers who enjoy puzzling out a timeline, this will be a good read. I found it tough to get through in some spots, but overall I enjoyed it well enough. It's an interesting thought exercise, at least - and I did not hate the new laws freeing women from working during their periods!
Turns out it's a reverse Handmaid's Tale, with men as the subjugated gender (as in Handmaid's, there's no mention of trans people of any kind.) It's also rather confused; we have two points of view, and each of them bounces back and forth in time, from before the Quickening, to just after, to several years after, and any point inbetween, with no warning or signposting. It's tricky to follow. And having read the whole thing, I'm still not sure how the Quickening came about; there is vague reference to a plague that killed mostly men, and a war that doesn't seem to have affected Britain except that it doesn't trade anything but men away now, but nothing about how it was actually brought into being and enforced. It seems unlikely that men just went along with it.
For those readers who enjoy puzzling out a timeline, this will be a good read. I found it tough to get through in some spots, but overall I enjoyed it well enough. It's an interesting thought exercise, at least - and I did not hate the new laws freeing women from working during their periods!
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