When She Woke: Summary and book reviews of When She Woke by Hillary Jordan, plus links to an excerpt from When She Woke and a biography of Hillary Jordan.
When She Woke A Novel
by Hillary Jordan
Hardcover: Oct 2011,
352 pages.
Paperback: 18 Sep 2012,
368 pages.
Hannah Payne's life has been devoted to church and family, but after her arrest, she awakens to a nightmare: she is lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home, for whom observing new Chromes - criminals whose skin color has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime - is a new and sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red; her crime is murder. The victim, according to the State of Texas, was her unborn child, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father, a public figure with whom she's shared a fierce and forbidden love.
When She Woke is a fable about a stigmatized woman struggling to navigate an America of a not-too-distant future - where the line between church and state has been eradicated and convicted felons are no longer imprisoned and rehabilitated but chromed and released back into the population to survive as best they can. In seeking a path to safety in an alien and hostile world, Hannah unknowingly embarks on a path of self-discovery that forces her to question the values she once held true and the righteousness of a country that politicizes faith.
In short, When She Woke is a fast and engaging read, and ideally suited for someone looking for an entertaining book requiring little thought. It's popcorn, not steak: enjoyable and addictive, but in the long run not very filling. (Reviewed by Kim Kovacs).
The Book Case
It reads like a thriller, and one that makes you think hard, to boot. I've already placed this one on my favorite-books-for-book-clubs list.
Kirkus Reviews
Jordan manages to open up powerful feminist and political themes without becoming overly preachy - and the parallels with Hawthorne are fun to trace.
Library Journal
Jordan offers no middle ground: she insists that readers question their own assumptions regarding freedom, religion, and risk. Christian fundamentalists may shun this novel, but book clubs will devour it, and savvy educators will pair it with Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter. Essential.
Booklist
Starred Review. Jordan blends hot-button issues such as separation of Church and State, abortion, and criminal justice with an utterly engrossing story... Absolutely a must-read.
Family Circle
[A] provocative, politically charged novel... [Hannah's] journey to reclaim herself is equally chilling and riveting.
Valerie Martin, author of The Confessions of Edward Day
Hillary Jordan channels Nathaniel Hawthorne by way of Margaret Atwood in this fast-paced, dystopian thriller. Unputdownable.
Recent Reader Reviews
Rated of 5
by Sandra H. When She Woke Having taught Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" to numerous high school juniors, I bought the book as soon as I saw it advertised. And, yes, I can see the resemblance to Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" as well. But ultimately a... Read More
Rated of 5
by mainlinebooker fascinating A wonderful Margaret Atwood type of dystopian tale but, I tend to disagree with the reviewers. I was looking for something more. In fact, what I loved about it was how this mild dystopian nature could be related directly to today's events. I... Read More
Rated of 5
by Eileen Elkinson Close to the bone... This novel is written very close to the bone. Jordan transports us into a world that is at once frightening and plausible. It is The Scarlet Letter moved forward to a future society that is as puritanical as it was back then. Could we regress to... Read More
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(1052 words).
Valerie Martin, author of The Confessions of Edward Day
of 5
by Sandra H.
of 5
by mainlinebooker
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Withal, bans remained until the landmark Supreme Court case Roe...
