What do you think?
Rate this book
The Prynne Viper
In a futuristic world where predictive software can map out the lives of every living person and their descendants, Naomi Prynne is on trial. The charge: endangerment by way of a pregnancy.
Thirteen jurors will determine whether Naomi is allowed to carry the pregnancy to term, but the jurors are also all plaintiffs, the software having predicted how Naomi Prynne’s child will affect each of them in life-changing ways. Among them: a history professor who has given up on her own dreams for the sake of the greater good; a student participating in his first ever trial who’s about to discover an earth-shattering truth; and a former mathematician, who knows all too well the dark machinations of the state, but is prohibited from speaking out against them. The future of the Prynne Viper— an acronym for "viable person"—is in their hands.
But this Prynne Viper is unlike Naomi’s other pregnancies. This time, Naomi Prynne is carrying a secret, one with the power to alter the future into something incalculable, and therefore, unpredictable.
Thirteen jurors will determine whether Naomi is allowed to carry the pregnancy to term, but the jurors are also all plaintiffs, the software having predicted how Naomi Prynne’s child will affect each of them in life-changing ways. Among them: a history professor who has given up on her own dreams for the sake of the greater good; a student participating in his first ever trial who’s about to discover an earth-shattering truth; and a former mathematician, who knows all too well the dark machinations of the state, but is prohibited from speaking out against them. The future of the Prynne Viper— an acronym for "viable person"—is in their hands.
But this Prynne Viper is unlike Naomi’s other pregnancies. This time, Naomi Prynne is carrying a secret, one with the power to alter the future into something incalculable, and therefore, unpredictable.
Audible Audio
First published January 13, 2022
5 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Bianca Marais
6 books1,014 followersBianca Marais cohosts the popular podcast, 'The Shit No One Tells You About Writing', which is aimed at emerging writers/aspiring authors. She teaches creative writing through the podcast and was named a winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award for Creative Writing at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies.
Before becoming an author, she volunteered in Soweto where she assisted care workers with providing aid for HIV/AIDS orphans and their caregivers.
She now lives in Toronto, where she loves playing escape-room games and writing about strong female protagonists.
Before becoming an author, she volunteered in Soweto where she assisted care workers with providing aid for HIV/AIDS orphans and their caregivers.
She now lives in Toronto, where she loves playing escape-room games and writing about strong female protagonists.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
March 11, 2022
Thank you GR friend Tania for her stellar review of “The Prynne Viper”, a freebee from audible and only from audible. It’s a little over a two hour listen, and it’s one of the better Audible Original Stories, in my opinion.
Naomi Prynne is on trial for her pregnancy. Thirteen jurors will determine whether Naomi can keep her pregnancy, which is referred to as a “viper”, which is an acronym for viable person. This is in the future, and there is a computer program that analyzes everything about the developing embryo and can predict what the embryo will become as a person. This embryo will affect the lives of the thirteen jurors in differing ways. Once they hear how the viper will impact their own lives, they vote not guilty (she can keep the baby) or guilty (she must abort the fetus).
This is at a time in the future where we have a population issue because we have eradicated all those diseases that cull the herd. The government now imposes their own ways of culling the herd.
The story involves the inner musings of the jurors. It’s very creative and sadly foreseeable. This takes place in 2076; author Bianca Marais begs the listener to consider whether humans have free will. Can a computer accurately predict what a person will do in first grade?
Interesting and very clever….definitely worth the 2 hours!
Naomi Prynne is on trial for her pregnancy. Thirteen jurors will determine whether Naomi can keep her pregnancy, which is referred to as a “viper”, which is an acronym for viable person. This is in the future, and there is a computer program that analyzes everything about the developing embryo and can predict what the embryo will become as a person. This embryo will affect the lives of the thirteen jurors in differing ways. Once they hear how the viper will impact their own lives, they vote not guilty (she can keep the baby) or guilty (she must abort the fetus).
This is at a time in the future where we have a population issue because we have eradicated all those diseases that cull the herd. The government now imposes their own ways of culling the herd.
The story involves the inner musings of the jurors. It’s very creative and sadly foreseeable. This takes place in 2076; author Bianca Marais begs the listener to consider whether humans have free will. Can a computer accurately predict what a person will do in first grade?
Interesting and very clever….definitely worth the 2 hours!
August 30, 2022
Wow, Bianca Marais can write in any genre. Her first two books are literary historical (I LOVED them), and her most recent book is a fun romp with witches.
This Audible original with a full cast of talented narrators is a dystopian novella about a future world where a pregnant woman is on trial; well, actually, her unborn child is on trial.
The jury has to determine if the pregnancy can go to term, and they do this by using a software to predict how the child will affect each of them in the future. Naomi, the mother, has many secrets.
In just under two hours, The Prynne Viper is a quick listen, and one that held me captivated throughout. It’s thought-provoking, mind-spinning, and powerful.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
This Audible original with a full cast of talented narrators is a dystopian novella about a future world where a pregnant woman is on trial; well, actually, her unborn child is on trial.
The jury has to determine if the pregnancy can go to term, and they do this by using a software to predict how the child will affect each of them in the future. Naomi, the mother, has many secrets.
In just under two hours, The Prynne Viper is a quick listen, and one that held me captivated throughout. It’s thought-provoking, mind-spinning, and powerful.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
December 28, 2022
Wow wow wow wow wow. What an interesting idea. This could have been a full size novel and I would still have countless questions. These are the type of scifi stories I live for, thought provoking in so many ways.
Audible original BTW and multiple narrators, all of them were good.
Audible original BTW and multiple narrators, all of them were good.
March 2, 2022
3.5 stars
I love, LOVE the authors South African novels and even though this one is a departure from her normal fare, its clear that she can get away with stretching her writing skills into another genre.
This is a short but powerful novella about a dystopian future where society has been conditioned to view the worth of a pregnancy by pre-calculating how this "potential person" will have a ripple effect on society, by studying its genes
The story takes the form of a court case with certain jurors getting voice time and how the "viper" of the accused will affect either them or their offspring's lives. This method of determining the validity of a pregnancy is viewed as the ultimate "civil" way of doing things. But is it?
"speaking up takes courage, silence is complicity.
If anything, what we owe society is to challenge one another. Holding each other to account"
A sentiment that's as relevant today as it was 100 years ago and will be in 100 years time.
I love, LOVE the authors South African novels and even though this one is a departure from her normal fare, its clear that she can get away with stretching her writing skills into another genre.
This is a short but powerful novella about a dystopian future where society has been conditioned to view the worth of a pregnancy by pre-calculating how this "potential person" will have a ripple effect on society, by studying its genes
The story takes the form of a court case with certain jurors getting voice time and how the "viper" of the accused will affect either them or their offspring's lives. This method of determining the validity of a pregnancy is viewed as the ultimate "civil" way of doing things. But is it?
"speaking up takes courage, silence is complicity.
If anything, what we owe society is to challenge one another. Holding each other to account"
A sentiment that's as relevant today as it was 100 years ago and will be in 100 years time.
February 8, 2022
Another fabulous audible original freebie! I really enjoyed the inventive storyline and absolutely adored the full cast narration. If you enjoy dystopian stories, I highly recommend that you make this your next listen.
The Story: In a futuristic world where predictive software can map out the lives of every living person and their descendants, Naomi Prynne is on trial. The charge: endangerment by way of a pregnancy.
The Story: In a futuristic world where predictive software can map out the lives of every living person and their descendants, Naomi Prynne is on trial. The charge: endangerment by way of a pregnancy.
January 25, 2022
Clear out your calendar when you start this one, because you probably won't want to pause it.
I listened to this in one session and WOW, Bianca Marais really knows how to pack a punch even in a short period of time. It little bit to understand what was going on with its futuristic setting, but I'm so glad I paid attention and stuck with it, because this ended up being super powerful. I felt like my breath was sucked out of me for about an hour and a half straight as I listened.
This story had me thinking of the quote, "Just because we can doesn't mean we should." (Or something along those lines? I feel like that's it.) The premise of this book is a whole, "Just because they could doesn't mean they should. But they did." And look at the mess it got this fictional society into.
It really had me thinking on so many things, particularly if I would even want the power to control any aspect of my future...or if I would ever even want to something before it happened to me. It had me questioning the ethics, boundaries, and not doing harm to others.
All in all, this was a thought provoking, slightly terrifying listen, and I am still a forever Bianca Marais fan. This is not her norm, but still gut punched like her other two novels - and that is what she is best at. There are not many authors of our time who can create characters like hers and weave together a plot so intricate that you don't see things coming, but she does it every time!
I listened to this in one session and WOW, Bianca Marais really knows how to pack a punch even in a short period of time. It little bit to understand what was going on with its futuristic setting, but I'm so glad I paid attention and stuck with it, because this ended up being super powerful. I felt like my breath was sucked out of me for about an hour and a half straight as I listened.
This story had me thinking of the quote, "Just because we can doesn't mean we should." (Or something along those lines? I feel like that's it.) The premise of this book is a whole, "Just because they could doesn't mean they should. But they did." And look at the mess it got this fictional society into.
It really had me thinking on so many things, particularly if I would even want the power to control any aspect of my future...or if I would ever even want to something before it happened to me. It had me questioning the ethics, boundaries, and not doing harm to others.
All in all, this was a thought provoking, slightly terrifying listen, and I am still a forever Bianca Marais fan. This is not her norm, but still gut punched like her other two novels - and that is what she is best at. There are not many authors of our time who can create characters like hers and weave together a plot so intricate that you don't see things coming, but she does it every time!
January 18, 2022
This is a short but powerful story about a dystopian future where society has been convinced that everything a person is worth can be calculated and predicated by studying their genes. When people dare to become pregnant without approval, the unborn child (called a viper) is put on trial by people that science predicts will be impacted (positively and negatively) by the child during his or her life. The trials are clearly for show trial spectators who get to watch but not hear the evidence. All participants have their memories wiped of the testimony. Even having the trial seems weird since in theory there is no free will and the outcome is known (one might even say rigged) in advance.
Now I enjoyed the story and I found the ending highly moving, but I still think the author missed the boat here. Very little information is given on how the child will impact most of the 13 jurors and we never had a scene in which the jurors try to convince each other to vote their way (after all, not all impacts are negative, but some could potentially be terribly so). That being said, it’s a nice quick read with a surprisingly strong ending.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
Now I enjoyed the story and I found the ending highly moving, but I still think the author missed the boat here. Very little information is given on how the child will impact most of the 13 jurors and we never had a scene in which the jurors try to convince each other to vote their way (after all, not all impacts are negative, but some could potentially be terribly so). That being said, it’s a nice quick read with a surprisingly strong ending.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
April 12, 2022
The performances by these awesome voice actors are 🔥🔥🔥
January 17, 2022
Full disclosure I’m not usually a fan of audiobooks. I find my mind wanders often and I lose track of the story. But this particular audio with sound effects and multiple voices was a treat! The story was original (and scary) Bravo Bianca!
January 24, 2022
Imagine you get to be a juror on a trial of a person who will eventually wrong you or one of your family members. Now imagine that defendant is an unborn baby, a viper (viable person), and you get to decide whether their life even begins. This is the story of The Prynne Viper.
I love Bianca Marais's writing and this is a great piece of speculative fiction. As always with novellas or short stories, I wanted more. More detail about each juror and what the impact on them might be would have been great but I loved the three that we followed and how unique each's perspective was. Even though the story was short, there was great world building and the moral conundrum presented was really fabulously done.
I love Bianca Marais's writing and this is a great piece of speculative fiction. As always with novellas or short stories, I wanted more. More detail about each juror and what the impact on them might be would have been great but I loved the three that we followed and how unique each's perspective was. Even though the story was short, there was great world building and the moral conundrum presented was really fabulously done.
March 13, 2022
Wow, Bianca Marais!!
Loved this short dystopian novella on Audible. ( only available this way)
I have stayed away from dystopian type stories recently as sometimes it feels a little too close for comfort & this too had a feel of the- what if, but listening to it was just perfect!!
Loved this short dystopian novella on Audible. ( only available this way)
I have stayed away from dystopian type stories recently as sometimes it feels a little too close for comfort & this too had a feel of the- what if, but listening to it was just perfect!!
January 12, 2024
An important piece of work, on the level of The Handmaid's Tale and 12 Angry Men. AViper is an acronym for "viable person" (and a possible threat, great word-play), a yet unborn child whose right of existence is decided upon in a courtroom. The jury: people who are calculated by a predictive machine to be affected, positively or negatively, by the Viper's life in the future. What an idea and what a gripping story, especially in these times. I wish it were a full novel. One of the best dystopian stories out there for sure. This needs a series or a movie adaptation. I just need to know more!
Read
February 8, 2022WOW WOW WOW!
I love Bianca Marais and would read her grocery list if she published it. She's an extraordinarily gifted writer and this short story completely blew me away. Very insightful, fresh, and well written (and narrated!!). This one will make you think - don't miss out.
I love Bianca Marais and would read her grocery list if she published it. She's an extraordinarily gifted writer and this short story completely blew me away. Very insightful, fresh, and well written (and narrated!!). This one will make you think - don't miss out.
February 14, 2022
This was mind blowing! A fantastic short audible freebie
Natural resources in the future is extremely limited. After the wars over resources are over, predictive software can map every babies future, they are no longer just a fetus, but a Viper - a viable person.
Depending the fetus's DNA, the Mother is brought to trial, each person who's future, family and circumstance will be influenced by the new baby is part of the trial and get's to decide if the fetus is aborted or allowed to live. Naomi Prynne is on trial for the third time - but this time she has the edge, a secret that may save her babies life.
The juror's do not keep their memories of the trial or the details of how their lives will be influenced and what their vote's where, the accused however, does not have the same luxury, Namoi has to remember each trial, each baby lost and the impact on her marriage.
This is a short but powerful story, you have to consider throughout how you would vote yourself after hearing how a unborn child may "possibly" influence your life. A fascinating futuristic story.
Natural resources in the future is extremely limited. After the wars over resources are over, predictive software can map every babies future, they are no longer just a fetus, but a Viper - a viable person.
Depending the fetus's DNA, the Mother is brought to trial, each person who's future, family and circumstance will be influenced by the new baby is part of the trial and get's to decide if the fetus is aborted or allowed to live. Naomi Prynne is on trial for the third time - but this time she has the edge, a secret that may save her babies life.
The juror's do not keep their memories of the trial or the details of how their lives will be influenced and what their vote's where, the accused however, does not have the same luxury, Namoi has to remember each trial, each baby lost and the impact on her marriage.
This is a short but powerful story, you have to consider throughout how you would vote yourself after hearing how a unborn child may "possibly" influence your life. A fascinating futuristic story.
January 21, 2022
Readers of my blog know that I adored Bianca Marais' previous books, Hum If You Don't Know The Words and If You Want To Make God Laugh when I read them a few years ago. So, when she announced on Instagram that she had a new short story audiobook called The Prynne Viper, I jumped at the chance to listen to it.
I'll be candid and say that dystopian fiction and short stories are not my usual 'jam', if you will. I don't enjoy short stories as a rule, but I downloaded this Audible Original based solely on my trust in Marais' writing chops. Sweet Offred, Katniss and Katsa! I was utterly captivated by this short but mighty story.
With several highly skilled voice actors taking on different characters and the addition of background noises to set the stage for the courtroom scenes, this story is about Naomi Prynne's trial to determine if she gets to keep her unborn and unplanned child. Set in an undetermined time in the future, women who become pregnant without the approval of their government are put on trial.
The trial jurors are selected based on predictions of how this unborn child will positively or negatively affect their lives. These jurors, in turn, determine if this unborn child (or Viper) will be allowed to be born. Cool concept, no? Through the eyes of three of the jurors and Naomi Prynne herself, listeners get a feel for the time, the restrictions, and the eerie genetic requirements.
This two-hour digital audiobook is currently free for Audible.ca members as an Audible Original selection. Though a brief story, it is compelling, powerful, and thought provoking and will bring to mind A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood for its dystopian setting, focus on women's lack of reproductive rights and will provide much fodder for great book club discussion.
January 17, 2022
If you have been following me for awhile, you know how much I loved Bianca Marais books, If You Want to Make God Laugh and Hum if You Don’t Know the Words. If you are new to following me and haven’t heard of these or read them, you need to get these, you need them on your shelves and in your life.
⠀
Because I am a HUGE fan of Bianca’s, when I saw she had a short story come out on Audible Originals last week I downloaded it immediately. I had been warned that this was a departure from her earlier books, she tried her hand at writing dystopian fiction as opposed to apartheid South Africa.
⠀
She nailed it. The Prynne Viper is wonderful.
⠀
I was instantly drawn into this futuristic courtroom where Naomi Prynne is on trial charged with endangerment by way of a pregnancy. In this world, highly sophisticated software can determine what life will be like for an unborn child (a Viper, an acronym for viable person) and how they will impact the lives of others, specifically the thirteen members of the jury who will determine her fate.
⠀
This story is narrated by a great cast, alternately telling the story from Naomi’s point of view and the POV of three of the jurors. It is so well done, smart, thought provoking, and emotional as well. Maybe it is because I am a mother, but I instantly became immersed in this world and felt thoroughly invested in the outcome of the trial.
⠀
The Audible story is two hours long. It has been three days since I read it and I can’t stop thinking about this story.
⠀
I don’t know if this story will ever be available anywhere except on Audible (it is free to members) but I hope it is so everyone can get a chance to read/hear it. Meanwhile if you have Audible be sure to check it out, get a trial membership and enjoy, or hang out with me. I’d listen to it again with you.
⠀
Because I am a HUGE fan of Bianca’s, when I saw she had a short story come out on Audible Originals last week I downloaded it immediately. I had been warned that this was a departure from her earlier books, she tried her hand at writing dystopian fiction as opposed to apartheid South Africa.
⠀
She nailed it. The Prynne Viper is wonderful.
⠀
I was instantly drawn into this futuristic courtroom where Naomi Prynne is on trial charged with endangerment by way of a pregnancy. In this world, highly sophisticated software can determine what life will be like for an unborn child (a Viper, an acronym for viable person) and how they will impact the lives of others, specifically the thirteen members of the jury who will determine her fate.
⠀
This story is narrated by a great cast, alternately telling the story from Naomi’s point of view and the POV of three of the jurors. It is so well done, smart, thought provoking, and emotional as well. Maybe it is because I am a mother, but I instantly became immersed in this world and felt thoroughly invested in the outcome of the trial.
⠀
The Audible story is two hours long. It has been three days since I read it and I can’t stop thinking about this story.
⠀
I don’t know if this story will ever be available anywhere except on Audible (it is free to members) but I hope it is so everyone can get a chance to read/hear it. Meanwhile if you have Audible be sure to check it out, get a trial membership and enjoy, or hang out with me. I’d listen to it again with you.
February 3, 2022
Imagine the fate of your unborn child being left to the fate of a jury. In this dystopian twisted nightmare that is exactly what is taking place for Naomi Prynne. Predictive software that maps the lives of every living person, their descendants, and whether or not the future unborn is an endangerment to society. The determination of whether Naomi gets to carry her pregnancy to term rests in the hands of thirteen jurors. These are not simply random citizens but actually the plaintiffs who's lives would be directly affected by the Prynne Viper (an acronym for "viable person".)
Bianca Marais once again delivers a powerfully written prose in this compact short story that is haunting example of what could happen in an advanced scientific and tech driven society. This short story delivers a complex narrative that explores our humanity, future, and the power that others can hold. And without spoilers - the ending blew me away. Bianca Marais can write and told an epic story here in The Prynne Viper.
Thoughts on the audio book itself: it was done in a somewhat 'audio theater' style with a cast of characters narrating and some background noises layered in sporadically, often as transitions between chapters. Certainly a more immersive experience than what is included in many audio books.
Bianca Marais once again delivers a powerfully written prose in this compact short story that is haunting example of what could happen in an advanced scientific and tech driven society. This short story delivers a complex narrative that explores our humanity, future, and the power that others can hold. And without spoilers - the ending blew me away. Bianca Marais can write and told an epic story here in The Prynne Viper.
Thoughts on the audio book itself: it was done in a somewhat 'audio theater' style with a cast of characters narrating and some background noises layered in sporadically, often as transitions between chapters. Certainly a more immersive experience than what is included in many audio books.
February 1, 2022
“The Prynne Viper” by Bianca Marais is a dystopian short story that takes a little over 2 hours of listening time (not available in print). Viper, by the way, stands for “viable person” (i.e., in utero). I thought the setup — depiction of the dystopian future — was clever, as was the dilemma posed and the rationale for how things turned out. I also appreciate that society tries to stay true to “the Thunberg Principles of 2076” and liked the nod to The Scarlet Letter and its implications through the last name of the socially transgressive woman in the story (Prynne). The story is perhaps a bit predictable. Or maybe not. I wasn’t exactly surprised or blown away — but it’s thought-provoking for sure. Wonderful audio narration — and sound effects, too.
January 16, 2022
This was wonderfully crafted, superbly narrated, and thought-provoking.
This was my first audible experience, and I’m so glad it was this story. Bianca’s writing is absolutely beautiful, powerful, emotional. It was a tense opening and I could easily picture it. I love that this story is told in multiple POV. The world Bianca writes about is scary, and I think that’s because it feels all too possible.
There are a couple eye-popping parts and I got choked up a couple of times. The tension is so strong as one of the jurors presses thoughts and instincts and morals to make the decision: guilty or not guilty.
As a mother, this story hit me right in the feels!
What an incredible short story!! Absolutely loved it from start to finish.
This was my first audible experience, and I’m so glad it was this story. Bianca’s writing is absolutely beautiful, powerful, emotional. It was a tense opening and I could easily picture it. I love that this story is told in multiple POV. The world Bianca writes about is scary, and I think that’s because it feels all too possible.
There are a couple eye-popping parts and I got choked up a couple of times. The tension is so strong as one of the jurors presses thoughts and instincts and morals to make the decision: guilty or not guilty.
As a mother, this story hit me right in the feels!
What an incredible short story!! Absolutely loved it from start to finish.
January 18, 2022
Wow. This was a great futuristic concept. I wasn't expecting the twist and it made the audiobook that much better. I would love to see this as a novel with a more in-depth look at how the this type of society came to be and more about Naomi and Nate's history. I will definitely be looking for more of this author's works. This was recommended to me by @kimreadsandreads.
January 23, 2022
Absolutely loved this one. I think even though this is set in the future, it is clearly talking about today's obsession with perfection and how to deal with those who don't conform. All of the jurors had distinct points of views that really fed into not just the story unfolding in the case but how they got there. Highly recommend 👌
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2024
I love stories that are driven by people deciding between what is “logical” and what is humane. This puts humanity on trial in a concise and interesting way, it was very enjoyable
January 22, 2022
3.5. The story was very original and well told up until the very last chapter. At that point it was like spoon-feeding a message, which I think that any semi-intelligent reader could have understood by themselves. And had the author ended the story at the next-to-last chapter it would have left us thinking: probably thinking that we know what happened but at the same time leaving some room for human variance, which is what the whole point was to begin with. And so, the last chapter with its hitting you over the head with a bat type of messaging ruined what was until that point a pretty solid story.
Also, on one hand, kudos for normalization of non-binary gender in this dystopia, but OTOH the author does tell on herself with the constant "men, women, and enbies" hierarchy. Same with the waif-like blonde protagonist.
Also, on one hand, kudos for normalization of non-binary gender in this dystopia, but OTOH the author does tell on herself with the constant "men, women, and enbies" hierarchy. Same with the waif-like blonde protagonist.
April 5, 2022
Short story. Dystopian.
Worth the day spent reading from start to finish. A comment on entitlement, overreach, AI technology and blind devotion towards the “greater good.” Awesome read for our post-pandemic world as it concisely navigates currently hot issues: problematic justification for infringement on personal rights; trust in governmental authority; inflexible thinking and decision making; and, simultaneously underestimating and overestimating human nature.
Worth the day spent reading from start to finish. A comment on entitlement, overreach, AI technology and blind devotion towards the “greater good.” Awesome read for our post-pandemic world as it concisely navigates currently hot issues: problematic justification for infringement on personal rights; trust in governmental authority; inflexible thinking and decision making; and, simultaneously underestimating and overestimating human nature.
June 5, 2024
⭐3.1
A conceptually compelling dystopian tale.
While this futuristic courtroom drama is engaging and original, with a few twists and turns that truly begin to captivate the reader - The Prynne Viper is a little too compact to truly explore the world, and the moral dilemmas raised within it.
A conceptually compelling dystopian tale.
While this futuristic courtroom drama is engaging and original, with a few twists and turns that truly begin to captivate the reader - The Prynne Viper is a little too compact to truly explore the world, and the moral dilemmas raised within it.
July 3, 2022
I plowed through this one in one sitting and absolutely loved the premise. It was fascinating, took a little tiny while to understand, but utterly unique and so difficult not to binge (it is extremely short too, so that helps). This shouldn't have been my first foray into this magnificent author but I'm so excited I have so many more of her words to enjoy in the future!
This is dystopian, a reflection of some of our current societal struggles but so unlike anything we experience overall. The characters and format of the storytelling were perfect.
This is dystopian, a reflection of some of our current societal struggles but so unlike anything we experience overall. The characters and format of the storytelling were perfect.
January 31, 2022
This was the best kind of dystopian fiction - a short, sharp, Atwood-type situation worthy of a bottle of wine & a long, argumentative session with friends. Another reviewer suggested it should be used in college ethics classes & I agree. Listen to it!
November 16, 2022
In this futuristic society, many things have changed from the time before and citizens are expected to sacrifice for the greater good. Software is now able to determine how the life of every person will play out. How they will behave, grow, do in school, if they will save another person or harm someone, etc. This "predictive software" can predict an embryos interaction with other people once it becomes an adult.
Naomi Prynne is on trial, charged with endangerment for being pregnant. The court will determine whether her pregnancy will be carried to full term. But first, the predictive software will tell each juror how exactly the existence of Prynne’s potential child , the “viper” (an acronym for “viable person”), will affect their own life and the life of their family members in generations to come.
A fascinating, compelling short story. The book reminds me of 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale and The School for Good Mothers and more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#emptynestreader #instagram #ThePyrnneViper #BiancaMarais #fiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #shortstory #NovemberReads #AudibleOriginal #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #Audible #emptynestreaderaudiblebooks🎧
Naomi Prynne is on trial, charged with endangerment for being pregnant. The court will determine whether her pregnancy will be carried to full term. But first, the predictive software will tell each juror how exactly the existence of Prynne’s potential child , the “viper” (an acronym for “viable person”), will affect their own life and the life of their family members in generations to come.
A fascinating, compelling short story. The book reminds me of 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale and The School for Good Mothers and more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#emptynestreader #instagram #ThePyrnneViper #BiancaMarais #fiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #shortstory #NovemberReads #AudibleOriginal #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #Audible #emptynestreaderaudiblebooks🎧
July 30, 2024
This was a really intriguing thought experiment about a future in which a computer program predicts the actions of a fetus and, if a significant amount of harm will be brought to the population as a result of the fetus's birth, the woman is brought on trial to determine whether or not the pregnancy should be allowed to continue. I really enjoyed this story, though there were certain things about the idea that didn't feel like they entirely added up. For example, why have the court case at all when the jury members are expected to always vote a specific way? The percentage of people harmed to people helped could simply be predicted in the computer and the woman could be ordered to terminate the pregnancy or not without ever adding in the human element. I think the telling of the story might have also benefited from being made slightly more complex, though that likely wouldn't have been possible without lengthening it significantly, and since it was an Audible Original, I wouldn't be surprised if it were written with this specific length in mind. Even so, I liked it a lot and would absolutely read more by this author.
February 3, 2022
I love audiobooks and when I heard this one was coming in at only two hours, I jumped. And for only two hours, it has given me days and days of things to think about.
Imagine you are on a jury and are told the unborn baby of the defendant will somehow harm you or your loved ones in the future: would you vote to terminate it? Can you imagine? This is the premise of Bianca Marais’s newest short story, THE PRYNNE VIPER. Set far in the future, it gave me vibes of a mashup of The Minority Report, The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale. I found the different points of view, voiced by a cast of great narrators to be fascinating, along with the entire futuristic world itself. The writing is exquisite and if the world-building and story itself doesn’t blow your mind, the ending certainly will. How all this was jam-packed into only a two-hour audio book is beyond me, but I’m game for more.
Imagine you are on a jury and are told the unborn baby of the defendant will somehow harm you or your loved ones in the future: would you vote to terminate it? Can you imagine? This is the premise of Bianca Marais’s newest short story, THE PRYNNE VIPER. Set far in the future, it gave me vibes of a mashup of The Minority Report, The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale. I found the different points of view, voiced by a cast of great narrators to be fascinating, along with the entire futuristic world itself. The writing is exquisite and if the world-building and story itself doesn’t blow your mind, the ending certainly will. How all this was jam-packed into only a two-hour audio book is beyond me, but I’m game for more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews