Hannah Payne's life has been devoted to church and family. But after she's convicted of murder, she awakens in a new body to a nightmarish new life. She finds herself lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home, for whom observing new Chromes--criminals whose skin color has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime--is a sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red for the crime of murder. The victim, says the State of Texas, was her unborn child, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father, a public figure with whom she shared a fierce and forbidden love.A powerful reimagining of "The Scarlet Letter," "When She Woke" is a timely fable about a stigmatized woman struggling to navigate an America of the not-too-distant future, where the line between church and state has been eradicated, and convicted felons are no longer imprisoned and rehabilitated but chromed and released back into the population to survive as best they can. In seeking a path to safety in an alien and hostile world, Hannah unknowingly embarks on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to question the values she once held true and the righteousness of a country that politicizes faith and love.
Industry Reviews
""The Scarlet Letter "could unfurl from no better a speculative pen than that held by Hillary Jordan. She takes the seeds of that story and roots them in a world where 'right to life' is the law of the land . . . The result . . . is as compulsively readable as it is thought-provoking." --"The Denver Post" "The Scarlet Letter "could unfurl from no better a speculative pen than that held by Hillary Jordan. She takes the seeds of that story and roots them in a world where right to life is the law of the land . . . The result . . . is as compulsively readable as it is thought-provoking. "The Denver Post"" -Will spark many an intriguing book club discussion.- --The Cleveland Plain Dealer -[A] provocative, politically charged novel . . . [Hannah's] journey to reclaim herself is equally chilling and riveting.- --Family Circle -An inventive tale about a new America that has lost its way . . . When She Woke is, at its heart, a tense, energetic and lively paced story about self-discovery and reclamation in the wake of enormous shame. It is a story about the price of love.-
--Minneapolis Star Tribune -Jordan's take on the hot button issues of our time--separation of church and state, abortion, an imperfect criminal justice system--is compelling.-
--San Antonio Express-News -Hannah's fight for freedom is both a sober warning and a gripping page-turner. Already it reads like a classic.- --AARP -In the chillingly credible tomorrowland of Jordan's second novel, Roe v. Wade has been overturned, abortion has been criminalized in 42 states and a vigilante group known as the Fist of Christ brutalizes violators . . . Jordan's feverishly conceived dystopia holds its own alongside the dark inventions of Margaret Atwood and Ray Bradbury.-
--The New York Times Book Review -The Scarlet Letter could unfurl from no better a speculative pen than that held by Hillary Jordan. She takes the seeds of that story and roots them in a world where 'right to life' is the law of the land . . . The result . . . is as compulsively readable as it is thought-provoking.-
--The Denver Post -An utterly engrossing story, driven by a heroine as layered and magnetic as Hester Prynne herself, and reminiscent, too, of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. Absolutely a must-read.-
--Booklist, starred review -It reads like a thriller, and one that makes you think hard, to boot. I've already placed this one on my favorite-books-for-book-clubs list.---The Book Case "Will spark many an intriguing book club discussion." --The Cleveland Plain Dealer "[A] provocative, politically charged novel . . . [Hannah's] journey to reclaim herself is equally chilling and riveting." --Family Circle "An inventive tale about a new America that has lost its way . . . When She Woke is, at its heart, a tense, energetic and lively paced story about self-discovery and reclamation in the wake of enormous shame. It is a story about the price of love."
--Minneapolis Star Tribune "Jordan's take on the hot button issues of our time--separation of church and state, abortion, an imperfect criminal justice system--is compelling."
--San Antonio Express-News "Hannah's fight for freedom is both a sober warning and a gripping page-turner. Already it reads like a classic." --AARP "In the chillingly credible tomorrowland of Jordan's second novel, Roe v. Wade has been overturned, abortion has been criminalized in 42 states and a vigilante group known as the Fist of Christ brutalizes violators . . . Jordan's feverishly conceived dystopia holds its own alongside the dark inventions of Margaret Atwood and Ray Bradbury."
--The New York Times Book Review "The Scarlet Letter could unfurl from no better a speculative pen than that held by Hillary Jordan. She takes the seeds of that story and roots them in a world where 'right to life' is the law of the land . . . The result . . . is as compulsively readable as it is thought-provoking."
--The Denver Post "An utterly engrossing story, driven by a heroine as layered and magnetic as Hester Prynne herself, and reminiscent, too, of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. Absolutely a must-read."
--Booklist, starred review "It reads like a thriller, and one that makes you think hard, to boot. I've already placed this one on my favorite-books-for-book-clubs list."--The Book Case Will spark many an intriguing book club discussion. The Cleveland Plain Dealer" [A] provocative, politically charged novel . . . [Hannah s] journey to reclaim herself is equally chilling and riveting. Family Circle" An inventive tale about a new America that has lost its way . . . When She Woke is, at its heart, a tense, energetic and lively paced story about self-discovery and reclamation in the wake of enormous shame. It is a story about the price of love.
Minneapolis Star Tribune" Jordan s take on the hot button issues of our time separation of church and state, abortion, an imperfect criminal justice system is compelling.
San Antonio Express-News" Hannah s fight for freedom is both a sober warning and a gripping page-turner. Already it reads like a classic. AARP" In the chillingly credible tomorrowland of Jordan s second novel, Roe v. Wade has been overturned, abortion has been criminalized in 42 states and a vigilante group known as the Fist of Christ brutalizes violators . . . Jordan s feverishly conceived dystopia holds its own alongside the dark inventions of Margaret Atwood and Ray Bradbury.
The New York Times Book Review" The Scarlet Letter could unfurl from no better a speculative pen than that held by Hillary Jordan. She takes the seeds of that story and roots them in a world where right to life is the law of the land . . . The result . . . is as compulsively readable as it is thought-provoking.
The Denver Post" An utterly engrossing story, driven by a heroine as layered and magnetic as Hester Prynne herself, and reminiscent, too, of Margaret Atwood s The Handmaid s Tale. Absolutely a must-read.
Booklist, starred review" It reads like a thriller, and one that makes you think hard, to boot. I ve already placed this one on my favorite-books-for-book-clubs list. The Book Case"
