When She Woke

The plot follows so many other alternate reality plots, with Biblical references throughout. However, the concepts are modern and echo current tides. The writing is captivating and the storyline gripping. It is well worth the read.

After purchasing and realizing that this was based on "The Scarlet Letter" I was worried that the interpretation would be too literal. It turned out that it was updated with its own twist on the old concept of being a public outcast. The only thing that turned me off was the once in a while pop of archaic language. I get that its a throwback to Hawthorne, but it was a strange juxtaposition next to the scfi terms like "halo" for hologram. Either way I couldn't put it down, and it was a quick read.

I eagerly awaited Hillary Jordan's second book having absolutely loved Mudbound. I was not disappointed. This book captured my imagination from the first words. The story was a very modern throw back to the Scarlet Letter and gave me a great deal to think about (which I love)

My only crit is that there were a few too many unbelievable scenarios towards the end but I loved the book and highly recommend it

Fabulous! There are a few flaws in the book, odd turns of events that seem unlikely, but the proposition of the entire book is dystopian with rays of hope interspersed. The heroine is someone you want to keep cheering on. This book is so good it made my list of books I'll re-read.

One of the best dystopian novels I've read recently. The combo of The Scarlet Letter and The Handmaids Tale told from an unexpected/unique voice. It's been several months since I read this and it's stuck with me more than any other book I've read since.

I loved Mudbound and looked forward to another book by Hillary Jordan, but this one was pretty disappointing. While the premise was interesting, the "dystopian" society was not plausible. Characters were flat. Hannah Payne was supposed to be struggling to make peace with the religion of her childhood, but since she'd always questioned things and never really conformed, it felt like a false dilemma. Also, who wakes up from being drugged and almost raped and engages in love affair with the woman in bed next to her? Most disappointing was the writing itself and the use of very immature metaphors. (Example: Hannah's thoughts returned constantly to her family and Aidan, her mind circling around them like a June bug on fishing line.) At some point, I began to wonder if maybe it was supposed to be teen fiction? If anything, I could only recommend this book to other Dallasites who would be thoroughly amused (as I was) to find out that the outcast Chromes take up in Lakewood, that the abortion clinic is an apart off Central and Forest, and the crazy-God people live in Garland.

This book was innovative and thought provoking. I am not sure if this book was written for teenagers, but as an adult I enjoyed it very much. The characters were very believable and the whole premise made one think "hmmmm"

What a thought provoking read. It has a story line that one could really feel a potential for it happening in the future. She touched on so many of today's problems and how we went so far astray in solving. Excellent book.

This novel has been compared to the Scarlet Letter, and I can see the comparison. However I feel this also brings elements of the larger issue of judgement and punishment. The guilty are dyed a bright and jarring color, in this case red. The stain is indelible and impossible to hide. One's face is forever altered in the mirror and in the mirror of the mind. I think this bears echoes of the current branding online and in the social media. A public decision is made, and the tails of it follow us through the data. Of course this is much more subtle than this book's premise, but I feel this book does echo the finality of society and judgement. From inside the skin are echoes of meaning and intent, but the view outside is monochrome.

When she woke is very different that what I usually read and I really enjoyed it. Hillary Jordan has quite an imagination. The basic story is common but what she did with that story line and how she changed so many things about it were definitely interesting.

I am currently addicted to the dystopian genre, after reading The Hunger Games. In my quest for more stories in this genre I decided I wanted something written for adults rather than for teens.

When she woke fell into this catogory and started off well. I wouldn't say its a 'cant-put-it-down' read, but definitely held my interest, up until about the last quarter where it got a little bit lost.

Still a good read, if only the ending was stronger....

There are plenty of things to like about this novel. I loved the central idea and the way Hillary Jordan saw it through to the logical consequences, which made this book much more than just a riff on The Scarlet Letter. The action was a bit predictable, but the setting was extremely realistic and familiar, which made the characters' situations believable. It made me think about what might really happen if some groups came to power in the near future.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. The concept was interesting and in a age of prison over-crowding this seemed like an answer in a science fiction-fantasy sort of way.
The problem for me was from the start the author's allusions to Thackery's work seemed silly in use of names,occupations and colors. Then it turned into describing a society that had a great deal of similarity to the Magdalen isolations and its treatment of "wayward" women.The book is certainly not boring;the ending could be read in two different ways.
Overall the novel reminds me of an exercise in making a modern version of the Scarlet Letter.

This book was very entertaining. It does remind me of The Handmaid's Tale with a twist. The book made me think that our society wasn't so far from becoming this dystopian society if we're not careful.

I liked this book. It spoke to some current controversial topics and would be great for a book club because it does have these hot topics to spark discussion - from abortion to religion to politics it was a good read.

A brilliant story about what could happen if we let superstitions and fear run our country. Unfortunately it is made more real by some of what is happening with the Tea Party and right wing fundamentalists today.

This is an enjoyable read for a thinking person who opposes fundamentalism, believes in gender equality, and is ready to consider the new dangers of one alternative to prisons.... More fiction, than science, but creatively put together.

This book got my attention from the moment I started it AND I could not put it down. It touches on many delicate and controversial subjects without forcing opinion on you. Draw your own conclusions. It was fun from the perspective that it is set in North Texas so the geography was familiar. A must read.

I think the concept for this novel was very unique and interesting; we certainly haven't seen a world before where people are "chromed" certain colors to match their crimes then released into the world to face life as a known criminal. I also think the book was very well written. However, I just simply did not like it. I almost stopped reading it about six different times but since it was a fast read (and I don't like to start books without finishing them) I made myself keep going. I personally felt that the main character, Hannah, was completely un-relatable, despite the fact that she's around my age and we're both women. The novel also featured much too much religious talk for my liking, and I wouldn't have known that would be the case just from reading the description. It felt like every other page mentioned Jesus or church and I just didn't care for that subject matter, when I was led to believe I would just be reading about a girl on the run. I read this book with my book club and we all agreed that it was "just okay" and that the main character was not relatable. We also felt that the things she did were not believable, and that her complete 180 transformation from extremely religious to liberal renegade was just not plausible.

I absolutely loved reading this book. From the first page I was sucked into Hannah's world. This book provides an eye opening and frightening look into what a fundamentalist run country might look like.

Loved the concept of this book, a very interesting way of punishing criminals in the future. The book is a page turner, I couldn't put it down. However some of the turns and twists didn't make sense and seemed unnecessary, like the writer didn't quite know where to go or how to end the story.

HIllary Jordan definately has a way with words. The writing was effortless, always with purpose and never heavy with fillers. The story, whereas comparable to the scarlet letter, is new and exciting. I enjoyed the journey, both physical and emotional.

Eh, the story has already been written really. I guess if the author really loves The Scarlet Letter than for her this is a fun and interesting project to try and rewrite the story for a more modern time. However, as the reader and someone who didn't go for the Scarlett Letter other than appreciating it for what it was saying about society at the time I didn't really find this book all that appealing. It's an easy read and the story is okay, a little simple, a bit predictable, like Liftetime movie style I think maybe.

this book remeinds me of the scarlet letter taken to extremes. this is in the future but some of this is expoused by the extreme right wing conservatives and that makes it scary. i think this is a good book for everyone but i would like
women to read this especially young women.. pay as much attention as we have to fifty shades of gray.