Author: C.J. Carey
Started: July 10, 2022
Finished: July 15, 2022
In London 1953, the world is very different than what it should be. It has been 13 years since England surrendered to the Nazis and became an outlier for the mainland of Germany. In order to keep with the thoughts and wants of The Leader, lives begin to change. Women are relegated to a more subservient role and placed into casts based on heritage, breeding abilities, and age.
Rose Ransom, a member of the elite Geli case, works for the Ministry of Culture where she works rewriting the classics to fall in line with The Leader's beliefs of what should be taught. Around her, there are signs of insurgency. Quotes about empowering women and allowing free thought begin to show up on important buildings where they can be plainly seen. It is suspected that those who live in Widowland, the lowest caste in the region, are responsible for the graffiti. Rose is given an assignment of venturing into Widowland and finding clues as to who is leaving the quotes. She comes to discover that the most unlikely people can open your eyes to the truth.
This was a very different genre that I usually read but I was very interested in the premise considering the current state of our country. It reminded me a little of 1984 by George Orwell in terms of changing the thoughts of the people and ensuring they only read what the government wants them to. This was a slow read for me because the action really did not start until the last chapter or so and then it moves quickly and I was left having to re-read in order to be sure I understood. If you are a fan of dystopian novels then you will enjoy this book.