the perils of silence

Vox by Christina Dalcher
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Genre: science fiction
Review: Imagine that a new President has been elected with the help of the extreme Christian right.  So extreme, and so powerful, that they reverse over a hundred years of women's rights, and worse.  Women are limited to 100 words a day, enforced by a "bracelet" they wear that administers worsening electric shocks for every word over the limit.  Dalcher doesn't waste much time on the details of how this came about, which is fine, as they're largely beside the point for the purposes of her story.  But, every time I caught myself saying "this is just too unbelievable - that would never happen here," I reminded myself that that's been said by other people at other times and places in history, and it could, and it did.

As for this book, though, comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale are inevitbale, but Vox has a different ambition.  Dalcher doesn't pull her punches when it comes to the details of women's subjugation in the new regime, but the story focuses on a small group of people who suddenly realize that they can change everything.

Even that isn't the real point, though.  Dalcher also pulls no punches in getting her message across.  Everyone: use your voice.  While you still can.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

these boots were made for walking

Two Steps Forward by Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
Genre: fiction
Review: Martin and Zoe are both recently single, middle-aged people who decide to walk to the Camino de Santiago starting in Cluny, France.  Neither of them have particularly good reasons to walk hundreds of miles on an historical pilgrimage, but it seems like a good idea at the time.  They don't know each other until just before they set out, but fate brings them together on the trail.  And apart.  And together.  And apart.  And together again.  Each time they come together, the encourage each other forward with well-placed cliches, and then misunderstand each other just enough so that they separate again.

Martin's and Zoe's stories are somewhat less than compelling, unfortunately, and the cast of characters they meet along the way isn't much better.  But the descriptions of the Camino were very well done, and almost made me feel like I was walking alongside them.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

the sky is falling, the sky is falling!

Latchkey by Nicole Kornher-Stace
Genre: science fiction
Rating: 2 stars (out of 5)
Review: Isabel has some serious wounds, but then there's a big fight, so she just has to power through.  Then the ceiling falls in (literally), but the ghost helps her.  Then she's even more wounded, but there's another big fight, so she continues to power through.  Then the ceiling falls in, again (literally - Isabel's in a network of underground tunnels), but the ghost helps her again.  Then she and the ghost are both in trouble, but the gears click in her mind and she figures out a solution, which is totally risky and probably won't work, but it's their only chance... annnnd it works, and they live to have the ceiling fall in on them again (literally).  Meanwhile, there's like a mystery, and some feelings, and Isabel keeps falling into the ghost-place and no-one knows why, and people fighting aboveground too, and it's really just a big mess.  But Isabel is undaunted - actually, that's a lie, she's totally daunted, but she knows the fate of ... everything? ... is at stake.

There, now you don't have to read the book.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.