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Vox by Christina Dalcher

"The world has changed, so much so that women fall under the category of "seen and not heard. Every woman, regardless of age, is limited to 100 words a day. They cannot work, read, write or express themselves in anyway shape or form. Their only job is to stay at home and raise the children. But Jean McLellan, once a thriving Neurolinguist, is offered an opportunity to drastically change things when the President's brother suffers an accident and she may be the only person who can help."

3 Stars

Pros: This is a startlingly frightening possibility/I could see something like The Pure Movement happening at any time and it's horrifying. 

Cons: The ending was all rather convenient for everyone, I must say. 

Full Review: 

Jean McLellan, once a renowned Neurolinguist with a thriving career, promising research into Wernicke's Syndrome and the affects it has on language, and a future of possibly changing the world, watches as it all comes crashing down. It all starts when a new President is sworn in and he starts the "Pure Movement", a strict, moral and ethical order, wherein things should be as they once were, basically, men go out and make a living while women stay home, cook, clean and raise the children. 

It moves through the Country like wildfire and soon, everyone who is a woman, regardless of age, is limited to only 100 words a day, which are tracked by an unmovable bracelet strapped to their wrists. If you go over your 100 word limit you receive a slight shock, and every word over that limit, the shock becomes more and more intense. 

Jean never thought it could happen. Her room mate during Graduate School, Jackie, a no-nonsense, say it like it is proponent of women's rights, told Jean that she was being naïve, that it's all going to come crashing down and that little bubble that she lives in will eventually burst. And it does. But Jean can do nothing. Even when the Presidents men come and fit her and her six year old daughter with trackers. She cannot resist. All who resist, all who do not bend to the rules, are either killed or sent to work the land in prison camps and have a word quota of 0 a day.

It isn't until the President's brother suffers a head injury during a skiing trip and the Presidents men approach Jean for help, that she has an opportunity to make a difference. The reason the Presidents men approach her is because her husband, conveniently enough, is the President's Scientific Advisor. And since she is one of the few doctors in the field who had had promising results when researching Wernicke's Syndrome; that her whole life changes. She is offered the chance to work again, her bracelet is removed and if she can give results, then they will do what they can to make things easier for her. But it's not as simple as all that, things never are. 

Though at the end things seemed terribly convenient for everyone, overall this book was really engrossing. It had me hooked from the very start and it left me with an unsettled feeling in my stomach. Basically, stand up for yourself and fight your rights and equality because God only knows what kind of maniacal idea someone in power will get into their heads one of these days.

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