In a not-too-distant future, people who commit crimes are coded by color. In this new America, one of the worst crimes to commit is that of abortion. If you have an abortion, you are dyed red, and considered a murderer. Once you serve out your sentence in prison, you’re forced into world, to survive as best you can in your newly acquired skin.
Hannah is a Red–she has been convicted of murder. As she lives out her sentence as a Red best she can, she’s forced to re-consider the values she once held true, and navigate her way in a country that politicizes faith.
I originally picked up this book on my trip to London, downloading it on my phone because it sounded similar to The Handmaid’s Tale, and I do quite love a good feminist dystopia. I loved the concept of this novel, because it presents a pretty realistic future, and was a somewhat different concept than what I had read before. The idea of chroming (or dying the skin of) people who had committed crimes was interesting, and I wish that the author had delved into more of this particular aspect of the society. We learn about Hannah as a Red, and a few of her other comrades when she’s let out, but the colors are never clearly outlined. I feel that if they were, I would have had a better grasp of the society.
Despite the fantastic concept, an issue I had with the text was the pacing. It didn’t quite feel even throughout the text, and there were definitely times where the plot slowed way down, almost to the point that it was difficult to keep reading. The ending felt a bit open to me, which I normally don’t have a problem with, but in this instance, I felt like there was almost no resolution. It felt like it should lead to something more, like a sequel, but it doesn’t seem like that will be happening.
All in all, this is a fascinating concept that I wish was done a bit more cleanly. But, if you’re looking for a novel that will make you think about the way we treat criminals, and perhaps the direction our justice system might be going, the core concept is interesting enough that it should drive you through the slow parts of the plot.
3/5 stars