Interesting dystopian take on what things could look like if fully run by all females. I interpreted it both from the pov of it being a portrayal of patriarchy, just as a matriarchy, but also as an exploration of whether women being fully in charge would actually be a good idea, as opposed to equality.

This was a really original and engaging read. It is clear that I am becoming a huge fan of dystopian fiction and this book is a great example of that. I loved the premise of a world in which women ruled, but obviously felt quite uncomfortable with the world Riley so brilliantly creates. Told through the perspective of a few key characters, you really get to experience and immerse yourself in this fictional yet somehow believable world. Set post pandemic, the need for change is something which I think is felt very seriously in society and is reflected well in this book.
A harsh world, full of selfish people who thrive on power and brutality, it sends a very clear picture of what the world could be liked if women ruled it, and a clear message that more needs to be done to address inequality before a 21st century uprising is a very real threat.

I loved it!

This was quite an intriguing dystopian novel and I was quite engaged, I did feel like there was something missing but it was an ok read overall

The Quickening is a dystopian read which leaves you questioning our own society, how we got here and how it could have all been so different.

The novel imagines the re-building of society after a lot of unrest (pandemic, nuclear war, anything sound familiar to you here?!) and a particular group of women who step up to lead the new society.

Two main voices narrate the plot which allows us to get a wider view of what's going on, good and bad.

Of course in a dystopian novel we don't expect perfect worlds, moral exemplars or anything of the sort, so brace yourself for an extremist take on a potential future which isn't the feminism many of us are striving for in the real 2022, and I feel the author's intent to shock was pretty clear although I read some reviews expecting a feminist ideal.
Instead, it's pretty scary, but addictive reading all the same, especially if you like your novels dark, thought-provoking and with a certain shock factor.

Well-written and relatively intriguing, but derivative. It’s hard to say if I truly enjoyed this one, I did find myself coming back to it but as I reached the end, I’m not sure it brought anything new or interesting to the genre. An inverted Handmaid’s Tale but less menacing and compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Talulah Riley for this advanced copy!

The Quickening; if The Handmaid's Tale and 1984 had a book baby with the gender roles reversed. Sounds fantastic but unfortunately, this one just didn't deliver. In terms of a dystopian fiction, it wasn't a terrible read but I did have a few issues with it.

At times, this book was hard to stomach. I'm not squeamish usually but parts of this just didn't sit with me right. If there's a scene or actions within a book that are uncomfortable but fit in with the narrative smoothly, I have no issue. But, some of the things I read in this felt like they were thrown in purely for shock value rather than being an organic part of the story.

I did find it interesting to read about this world. Women are in control, completely and utterly. It should be a utopia but I found it to be a scary place. It's not just men that are affected either; young women, children, teenagers are all heavily impacted. Supposedly, the world would be a better place but I think when there is complete control by one group, that will never be the case.

Personally, it was a hard book to get into but it definitely picked up and I found it a quick, somewhat enjoyable read in the end. Not a bad book, but not a great one either I'm afraid!

*Please research any trigger warnings before reading *

The premise of this book seemed as if it would be perfect for me having loved The Handmaid's Tale and feminist writing, but I had to give up around 35% because I just couldn't get on with the writing style here. It seemed to lack subtlety and substance and I just didn't care enough to continue.

A really intriguing premise, especially in current times. I’m not sure I’m supposed to but I kind of loved Dana, though I wouldn’t want to cross her! Some really intriguing and innovative touches, especially the wetwombs, and the many other creative ways the patriarchal world has been so utterly turned upside. Definitely not a comforting read, perhaps because it’s all strangely a little close to home, but The Quickening fits well into the ever growing speculative fiction of the post Me Too world.

I was offered this book as an ARC via NetGalley and was intrigued by the premise. I am a fan of dystopian fiction when it is done well and I think I have been spoilt by gems such as The Handmaid's Tale. Margaret Atwood clearly influenced Riley as the eunuchs are dressed in similar headgear to the handmaids in Atwood's world. The difficulty I have with this is that it leads one to draw direct comparisons and compared to Atwood's subtle creeping fear, Riley's book felt as though I was being bludgeoned by rhetoric for example on p72 Dana says "But let us not forget, that pre-Change, a woman was killed every three days". Although written from two perspectives, for me, the characters did not always have distinctive enough voices. There were points where if I hadn't taken note of the change in perspective indicated by the name at the beginning of the chapter it wasn't immediately obvious whose point of view I was reading.

For a book who's premise was based on Dana Mayer's "vision of a better world: one where women are in charge" there were premises that I found hard to stomach. For example, the idea that women shouldn't (can't?) work when they are menstruating was rather baffling and this feeling was exacerbated by the comment made by Dana that having a period was your "body punishing you for not being pregnant". Wow! That certainly is not my idea of feminism (or feminism +). As a woman, I do not feel like my entire being is encapsulated by my ability to procreate. Riley then takes this further with the concept of the "wet womb" where women congregate to "free bleed" (p52), I cannot think that many women would feel at all comfortable with that. This isn't about not feeling comfortable with my own body; I also choose not to urinate or defecate in public! Equally bizarre was the idea that all women could be categorised with labels such as "Earth Mother" which dictates not only personality/jobs but modes of dress. Personally, I like the freedom to choose what I want to wear and would not be happy for anyone to dictate to me what to put on. Would all women truly be willing to submit to that level of control just because it was being wielded by female hands? On page 210, Dana says "Women are nature's anarchists. We are born to create chaos." This seems totally at odds with the submissive population that Riley has created.

The fact that the name of the resistance movement is "The Strife" only made me think of it being cockney rhyming slang for wife (Trouble and Strife). Potentially this was intentional but it seemed an odd choice. The scene of Arthur being sexually harassed around p273 just felt cringeworthy. Again, it felt like Riley was beating us over the head from her moral high horse. Similarly on p 276, the slogan following "Women and Children First!" was "Know your place. Prioritise those with greater biological value". By this point, I was not sure whether the author was taking everything to the point of absurdity but any strength in arguing female superiority had leaked away.

Victoria's viewpoint was the one that I found pretty problematic. The only main character who was not part of the group of Oxford graduate circle, you would hope that maybe there would be some variety of perspective. Many of her sections were coloured by the fact that she had had a violent ex-partner. This could have made an interesting character however somehow Riley ended up in the trap of the abused person wanting to perpetuate the abuse. When Victoria meets up with Geoff again she says things like "it's a social taboo for a gentleman to be condescending to a woman - but I like it. I want more. I want him to hurt me. I deserve to be hurt." (p290) These attitudes are so damaging to women who have or are victims of domestic violence. Yes, often the perpetrator will convince their victim that these things are true however most people will regain their sense of worth with time. It is too easy to blame the victim or assume that they somehow like the behaviour rather than challenge it. Where was the personal growth of moving from a young victim to an empowered woman? For that matter, where were the viewpoints of the poorer women in this supposedly enlightened future?

I did finish the book to be able to write a review however it was not my cup of tea.

Years ago, Dana Mayer had a vision of a better world: one where women are in charge. Now her manifesto, The Quickening, has established the rules for a new order, designed to elevate and protect women. A genteel and peaceful society that prioritises nature, good manners and aesthetics. Of course, in order for women to maintain control, the freedoms of men have been necessarily limited.
Arthur Alden loves Dana Mayer but hates the world she has created. But can he find a way to resist, without losing everything? And with Dana intent on making men pay reparations for their past crimes, can Arthur be allowed to live without punishment?
Remarkable characters, who will stay with you for a long time.

I loved this book. I always enjoy stories with alternating perspectives and this worked so well for this one. The character development was brilliant and the use of irony throughout was subtle but effective. Really cool concept for a plot and it just worked so well I couldn't put it down!

Unexpected Dystopian Vision..
A thought provoking tale of an unexpected dystopian vision. The Quickening has established a new regime, an order designed not just to protect but to elevate women. Men are necessarily limited, as are their freedoms, There’s a rage in this machine. Interesting and mainly intriguing although, at times, becomes confused and disjointed.

The premise of this book sounded so interesting, especially as I had just finsihed The Handmaids Tale for a course with University this semester. It was interesting bring comparisons to that novel and that genre in particular and it made me aso excited for the premise of the book.
The book itself had good writing and engaging characters and an interesting storyline but something just fell flat for me, it just felt needlessly angry at times and like it was more about humiliation than anything else, which is a shame because it had the potential to be amazing.

DNF, not for me. Just seemed like a hate filled story trying to push an agenda. I like stories with strong female leads, but this took it too far to be a female dictatorship and wasn’t appealing

Years ago, Art loved a woman named Dana. A vibrant, chaotic woman who made him question everything. But that woman is gone now, he thinks.

The Dana now is untouchable - since she published her manifesto, The Quickening, and created a new world order that strives to protect and prioritise women, one with no war or violence, one where women finally take control. But to do that, the men of the world have been stripped of their rights, their identities, their very selves.

Dana has achieved everything she's ever dreamed of, by any means necessary. So how can Art ever really love her, when she has vowed to destroy everything that he is?

"It starts like a love story, but don't be fooled."

The Quickening is a startling warning about the danger of feminine rage and the power of an idea. Hearing from Art gave this story a side that most matriarchal dystopian fiction just lacks, a perspective from a male living through the persecution and pain that women have historically experienced to an extreme - and trying to make sense of the woman who is supposed to love him who has taken everything from him. We don't hear from Dana until quite late in the story, wrapping her in a shroud of mystery, making her untouchable and ethereal like a Goddess.

There was a hidden softness amid the bloodshed and hatred, when we see that Dana still cares for Art, and see some women can still feel empathy about the divide between them which will lead the reader to question, how far is too far? And what would we be willing to do for radical change?

Now, I will always push for a matriarchal society - I love feminist fiction and honestly, it's cathartic sometimes to indulge in a speculative revenge fantasy where women finally seek retribution and reparation from their male counterparts.

That being said, Dana is shown not as a feminist revolutionary, but a hateful dictator who seems to care more about punishing men than elevating women and for me, she didn't translate into a whole character. I just wish for once I could read a speculative novel about female empowerment that shows the leader in a positive light. Now, while her actions are a statement on the treatment women have historically received, comes across sometimes as a power play and showing the concept of matriarchy as something undesirable for all involved.

Get ready for some brutal truths about bodily autonomy, power, politics and role reversal in ways that will make you see our world in a new light and masterful manipulation. The Quickening is full of disquiet horror and violence and will stay with you long after the final page

This is a stunner of a book, just pitched perfectly and compelling read in these current times. Bravo!

This sounded really intriguing, from the description. A world with women in charge! Can't be much worse than what we've got now, right?

Turns out it's a reverse Handmaid's Tale, with men as the subjugated gender (as in Handmaid's, there's no mention of trans people of any kind.) It's also rather confused; we have two points of view, and each of them bounces back and forth in time, from before the Quickening, to just after, to several years after, and any point inbetween, with no warning or signposting. It's tricky to follow. And having read the whole thing, I'm still not sure how the Quickening came about; there is vague reference to a plague that killed mostly men, and a war that doesn't seem to have affected Britain except that it doesn't trade anything but men away now, but nothing about how it was actually brought into being and enforced. It seems unlikely that men just went along with it.

For those readers who enjoy puzzling out a timeline, this will be a good read. I found it tough to get through in some spots, but overall I enjoyed it well enough. It's an interesting thought exercise, at least - and I did not hate the new laws freeing women from working during their periods!