A Space for Books
I’ve been devouring books lately. I made it one of my priorities for 2019 to read every single day. And I’m so glad I made that commitment. Even if it’s for just a few minutes before bedtime, I’m working my brain and discovering so many amazing authors and stories.
My last two books were the kind of reads that hook you from the beginning and never let go. I found myself reading late into the night, like I used to do before kids and work. It was difficult to tear myself away and turn off the light.
Both books are from the same genre: feminist dystopian literature. They are amazing and I can’t recommend them enough! I finished each one in less than a week.
VOX by Christina Dalcher
Dalcher created a contemporary novel where fundamentalist Christians have taken over. Women can no longer work outside of the home, GLBTQ folks are either forced to marry or put into work camps, and women are only allowed to speak 100 words a day.
100, only. The average person speaks over 60,000 words a day. Let that sink in for a moment.
The US government has fitted every US woman (I say US because the rest of the world is not enslaving their women this way. In fact, the rest of the world has mostly cut ties with the US because of these practices) with a bracelet that tracks their word-count. If she goes over 100 words, then she is hit with a jolt of electricity that progressively worsens with each infraction. In one case, a women’s hand was burned off because she refused to keep quiet.
It’s a very sobering novel. Dalcher is clearly describing President and Melania Trump, and what happens when society silences dissent. Women are no longer allowed to read or write, and there is only one state-sponsored news station that spews propaganda.
Dalcher has an interesting background. She earned a PhD and is a professor of linguistics, phonetics, and phonology, so she understands the power of language.
I found myself wanting to shout and sing and talk after finishing this book. Her message is clear: Don’t let anyone silence you. Never let anyone talk for you. Words and ideas matter. Women (and our GLBTQ friends) matter. I only hope in our current world of twitter tirades that we can keep our voices heard. Get to the rooftops and shout if you have to!
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Originally written in 1985, I read it as an undergraduate in the early 1990’s for my Feminist Literature class. Atwood has written a sequel called The Testaments which will be released on September 10 of this year; so I thought it would be a great time to re-read this feminist classic.
It’s a tough one for sure, but Atwood is such a master of language and ideas that you too won’t be able to put it down.
The story is told by the Handmaid Offred. In this not-too-distant time, a series of nuclear explosions, pollution, and environmental destruction has caused most of the population to become sterile, and humanity is slowly dying since most women can no longer have children…except for a small group of women called the Handmaids.
A hierarchy has been setup to keep order and ensure the continuation of humanity (however small it may be). The “Aunts” are the guardians of the Handmaids. They are older, single women who keep the Handmaids in line and subservient. The “Wives” are women who cannot have children, but are married to “Commanders”, the men who are in control. The Handmaids are assigned to a “Wife” and “Commander”.
Our heroine, Offred, has been assigned to Commander Fred, so she is the property of Fred; hence her name: Of-Fred. She is no longer a person, but a potential vessel for children. The Wife, Commander, and Handmaid engage in a rather disturbing procreation ritual to help Offred get pregnant.
The Handmaid’s Tale tells her story and how she survives living in such an oppressive time, and I found myself unable to tear myself away as the story unfolds. Atwood’s tale describes what happens when women lose their voice, their choice, and control over their bodies.
Even though it was written over 30 years ago, it seems very current and very true in today’s political climate.
Call to Action: Donate, write, talk, sing, yell! Do whatever it takes to tell your story and let your voice be heard!