I found the blurb about this one so interesting that I cashed in my points for it - a decision I really regret, having read it.
Billed as a kind of "handmaid's tale" in reverse this really doesn't have any of the powerful effect of other dystopian books I've read.
The Quickening is the handbook for a feminist society, lead by and created by Dana in a post pandemic and nuclear war damaged world.
The story is told from the viewpoint of Art(hur), who has been in love (thrall) of Dana since their university days and Victoria, a reality show pop puppet. Through their eyes we see the world before and after Dana's social revolution and, frankly, neither place seems great.
This is a book full of weak, dull characters. In the Handmaid's Tale at least you feel as though the Commanders and their wives believe in the cause but most of Dana's followers seem confused as to why they even like her (understandable really as I didn't see any kind of behaviour that would inspire such compliance and devotion). This perhaps was the biggest problem for me - a leader that lacked any kind of charisma made it impossible for me to believe that an entire country would have "played along" with her vision.
All in all I got to the end of this book wishing that I hadn't bothered.
Billed as a kind of "handmaid's tale" in reverse this really doesn't have any of the powerful effect of other dystopian books I've read.
The Quickening is the handbook for a feminist society, lead by and created by Dana in a post pandemic and nuclear war damaged world.
The story is told from the viewpoint of Art(hur), who has been in love (thrall) of Dana since their university days and Victoria, a reality show pop puppet. Through their eyes we see the world before and after Dana's social revolution and, frankly, neither place seems great.
This is a book full of weak, dull characters. In the Handmaid's Tale at least you feel as though the Commanders and their wives believe in the cause but most of Dana's followers seem confused as to why they even like her (understandable really as I didn't see any kind of behaviour that would inspire such compliance and devotion). This perhaps was the biggest problem for me - a leader that lacked any kind of charisma made it impossible for me to believe that an entire country would have "played along" with her vision.
All in all I got to the end of this book wishing that I hadn't bothered.