When She Woke

By: Hillary Jordan

Narrated by: Heather Corrigan

Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Hannah Payne awakens to a nightmare. She is lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home. She is now a convicted criminal, and her skin color has been genetically altered. Her crime, according to the State of Texas: the murder of her unborn child, whose father she refuses to name. Her color: red. The color of newly shed blood.

In Hannah's America, sometime in the future, faith, love, and sexuality have fallen prey to politics. Convicted felons are no longer imprisoned and rehabilitated, but "chromed", forced to appear in a new and sinister form of reality TV, and released back into the population. Stigmatized in a hostile world, they must survive the best they can.

Until her arrest, Hannah had devoted her life to church and family. In seeking a path to safety, she is forced to question the values she once held true and the righteousness of a country that politicizes the personal.

©2011 Original material ©2011 Hillary Jordan. Recorded by arrangement with Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, a division of Workman Publishing Company, Inc. Excerpt from Sharon Morris's "Not Just an Image" from False Spring, © 2007 Sharon Morris, Enitharmon Press, London, UK. Excerpted by permission of the author. (P)2011 (p) 2011 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Jordan blends hot-button issues such as the separation of church and state, abortion, and criminal justice with an utterly engrossing story, driven by a heroine as layered and magnetic as Hester Prynne herself." ( Booklist [HC starred review])

What a ride!

This is a great book. The characters are well defined and easy to understand. I loved going through this journey with Hannah. This book made me question what I might do in her situation. It begs the question of what we are all capable of doing when put in extreme circumstances. The love story between the characters was well done and not overpowering. While there were moments that I didn't not agree with the Hannah's decisions I did understand why she made them. The ending has me torn. I'm not sure whether I liked it or not but the important thing is that it's going to keep me thinking about it for days. The books isn't overtly religious or hit over your head feminist. It makes you feel angry, scared, shocked, and anxious. It's a crazy great read!

WOW! I wish there was a Second book to this!

I am not into religion books and I would not say this is a "religious" book. There is a lot about religion but it is more about finding the right path for yourself. This has a great plot and story. I could not "put it down"! I have recommended it to my brother and nephew. I would say that you might find it offensive if you are a very religious person. For example, I would not suggest this to my mom as she would probably not like it. But if you like a good story, good characters and a good book, then READ THIS!

Sequel PLEASE!

Any additional comments?

This was a fantastic listen. Story was gripping and narration was superb. I would love a sequel to tie up the loose ends.

An uncomfortable vision of what could happen to America

America, after the Christian Taliban has taken over, and one woman's trek to find who she is
An amazing book

Interesting and Different

This is one of those books that is interesting and different.....but the last 45 minutes become nonsensical. I was asking myself if the author had taken a long sabbatical before writing the last few chapters....therefore creating some unbelievable scenes in relation to the rest of the story line. Weird! Performance was excellent . All in all, it’s worth a listen!

One of the best…

Books I have read in years. Perhaps a little too close to home, no? Mai, oui

Need a new read!!!!

Someone on Tic Tok I Recommended this book. Awesome story great read Love the heroine.

weird but original

It was an original story/ plot for me so I finished it. the narrator was fine, no complaints there. it's just that the story was somewhat religious/ cult-like. the ending was weak.

Not as feminist as expected

I found this book recommended on a list of feminist dystopian novels along with The Handmaid’s Tale, The Power, and Red Clocks. No spoilers all this is from the first 30min: Much more religious than I expected. Very heavily focuses on her abortion (contrastingly I was pleasantly surprised that Red Clocks also an abortion center narrative focused more on the women than just their reproductive choices). Disliked how it romanticized an inappropriate relationship between a man in power and one of his subordinates and then glossed over how he abandoned her with all the blame for the abortion.

Riveting ! I couldn't stop listening...

What did you love best about When She Woke?

I can honestly see our judicial system adopting the scenario that is unfolded in this novel. But more poignant is the character building and revealing that Hilary Jordan is capable of.