Helpful Score: 2
4.0 out of 5 stars Red: the color of blood, the color of murder, the color of sin...
Hannah Payne wakes up in a cell after being injected with a virus that has turned her skin completely red -- her crime: she aborted her illegitimate pregnancy in a new American society where that is illegal. She will not name the father of her unborn child, a famous married minister, nor the abortionist, and is charged and convicted of murder. What happens to Hannah when she is released from the temporary post-chroming seclusion and is thrust back into a society where she is stigmatized and humiliated by everyone who sees her as a Red? Prevented from returning to her home by parents who will not allow her to live with them, Hannah must navigate a scary road to regain her dignity and make a new life for herself in a world where there is no longer separation between church and state -- and no protection for the Chromes.
I've just paged through all the wonderful reviews written on this product page about When She Woke. I agree wholeheartedly with those who suggest that you obtain and read this book if you like dystopian, futuristic novels about family, religious controversies, crime and punishment, relationships, and self-discovery. The author weaves a very interesting tale -- yes it does have themes similar to those found in some of the classic literature mentioned in other reviews, but it brings all of those together in a new and very thought-provoking way. This would be a fantastic book for a book group discussion, and though probably more appealing to women, I'd love to hear from any men who read it as well.
I will be recommending this!
Hannah Payne wakes up in a cell after being injected with a virus that has turned her skin completely red -- her crime: she aborted her illegitimate pregnancy in a new American society where that is illegal. She will not name the father of her unborn child, a famous married minister, nor the abortionist, and is charged and convicted of murder. What happens to Hannah when she is released from the temporary post-chroming seclusion and is thrust back into a society where she is stigmatized and humiliated by everyone who sees her as a Red? Prevented from returning to her home by parents who will not allow her to live with them, Hannah must navigate a scary road to regain her dignity and make a new life for herself in a world where there is no longer separation between church and state -- and no protection for the Chromes.
I've just paged through all the wonderful reviews written on this product page about When She Woke. I agree wholeheartedly with those who suggest that you obtain and read this book if you like dystopian, futuristic novels about family, religious controversies, crime and punishment, relationships, and self-discovery. The author weaves a very interesting tale -- yes it does have themes similar to those found in some of the classic literature mentioned in other reviews, but it brings all of those together in a new and very thought-provoking way. This would be a fantastic book for a book group discussion, and though probably more appealing to women, I'd love to hear from any men who read it as well.
I will be recommending this!
Helpful Score: 1
I can't say this book is particularly well-written, but I found myself strangely captivated. A very loose twist on Nathaniel Hawthorne's "A Scarlet Letter," this book has a more futuristic tone. Rather than imprison criminals, "When She Woke" takes place in a time where conviction takes on the form of melachroming. Human skins are tinted based on the severity of the crime they committed. For example, green skin means the person is an arsonist or a burglar, and red skin means the person committed murder.
Hannah Payne was impregnated by a public figure, but does not want the man to be known. So she has a secret abortion, is caught, and therefore chromed as a red.
What annoys me about Jordan's style of writing in this novel is the fact that the majority of the story is supposed to have a futuristic tone. However, there are random tidbits of what seems like her wanting to be Hawthorne. It's as if she is still trying to find her own style and voice, and the result is this book seeming to be more like a first novel.
The ending left me feeling like there were small holes in the plot, and Jordan threw some lines in just to throw them in.
With that said, I couldn't help but root for Hannah Payne to become the strong, independent woman she needed to be. Jordan throws in A LOT of religious quotes and questioning, but surprisingly, I didn't find it overpowering.
"When She Woke" starts off a little slow and strange, but as you get into it, it becomes strange, creepy and captivating. You will be creeped out; you will raise your eyebrows and say: "Really?"; you will wonder why you really just can't put it down.
Hannah Payne was impregnated by a public figure, but does not want the man to be known. So she has a secret abortion, is caught, and therefore chromed as a red.
What annoys me about Jordan's style of writing in this novel is the fact that the majority of the story is supposed to have a futuristic tone. However, there are random tidbits of what seems like her wanting to be Hawthorne. It's as if she is still trying to find her own style and voice, and the result is this book seeming to be more like a first novel.
The ending left me feeling like there were small holes in the plot, and Jordan threw some lines in just to throw them in.
With that said, I couldn't help but root for Hannah Payne to become the strong, independent woman she needed to be. Jordan throws in A LOT of religious quotes and questioning, but surprisingly, I didn't find it overpowering.
"When She Woke" starts off a little slow and strange, but as you get into it, it becomes strange, creepy and captivating. You will be creeped out; you will raise your eyebrows and say: "Really?"; you will wonder why you really just can't put it down.
