When She Woke

by Hillary Jordan

Review by Rebecca Hoetger

This novel was a huge disappointment for me. I thought When She Woke had so much potential, but didn’t really deliver in the execution; it never made it past the “meh” stage, really. For me, this novel was all about the tease. You’re given a little bit of information, but not enough to be truly satisfied, though there were some really good parts—the futuristic world, its technology, the morality laws, etc. While I thought the America created by Hillary Jordan was interesting and thought-provoking, again I didn’t get quite enough of the backstory to really be a part of that world.

The novel starts off strong, but begins tapering off about half way through, and I found myself with more questions than answers. I loved The Scarlet Letter references and The Handmaid’s Tale feel, but I just kept expecting and wanting more from the characters and the plot and never got any of it.

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About the reviewer: Rebecca is an Office Administrative Professional and also an avid reader. Spanning fiction, history, classics, and YA, her bookcase has really grown over the years, and she am never caught without a book, eBook or audiobook. (You never know when you’ll get an extra few minutes to read!)