What do you think?
Rate this book
What to Wear to The Revolution
What to Wear to The Revolution is Feminist Science Fiction, set in the near future in the Pacific Northwest after the perfect storm of economic and environmental disaster and a short earth-shattering war.
In parts of the world it is dangerous to be female and crazy dangerous to be a feminist. Supporters of gender equality are being shot, beheaded and stoned to death. 63 countries are at war, 540 armed factions, 15 species will go extinct each and every day. The polar ice caps are melting. Governments are collapsing.
Imagine a world united, one with no more war, where we begin to repair the damage we have done to the planet, where cancer and altzeimers can be cured, where woman are equal and girls can safely walk the street. Now imagine what would really happen.
Welcome to Sarah Rosen’s world. After the apocalypse, how will a girl survive?
In parts of the world it is dangerous to be female and crazy dangerous to be a feminist. Supporters of gender equality are being shot, beheaded and stoned to death. 63 countries are at war, 540 armed factions, 15 species will go extinct each and every day. The polar ice caps are melting. Governments are collapsing.
Imagine a world united, one with no more war, where we begin to repair the damage we have done to the planet, where cancer and altzeimers can be cured, where woman are equal and girls can safely walk the street. Now imagine what would really happen.
Welcome to Sarah Rosen’s world. After the apocalypse, how will a girl survive?
350 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2014
2 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 14, 2015
"What to Wear to the Revolution" is a novel written in three parts, each part focusing on a different female protagonist, the narratives of each coalescing at the end bringing unity to the story as a whole.
Clothing serves as the major symbol throughout. Each of the female protagonists defines herself through the clothing she wears, defining disparate roles within society. Within this dystopian world, mainstream society prescribes specific gender based expectations on women and it's only the women living outside of civilization who are able to define themselves. In a way it's comparable to our world today. But it's in reverse. Women in developed nations have gained freedoms that no women in history have ever attained. While women in some developing or regressing nations, still find themselves subject to strict normative rules mandating their dress and conduct. So, just picture the opposite of our world and that's the zeitgeist of the novel. It's also comparable to Victorian England. And I can see parallels to the relative freedom of the Proles in Orwell's novel 1984 compared to the strict rules placed on party members.
The strengths of this novel come from Curtiss' ability to characterize her protagonists. She does this through a command in language uncommon in new authors. Through dialogue, digression, and internal monologue, each character comes to life with a unique voice and perspective.
As one final note, I'd like to comment on Curtiss' warning about this being feminist fiction. Although it's feminist, it doesn't have any of the man-hating that that warning might imply. I would classify this as third-wave feminist. This is about women having the freedom to define themselves, not relative to men, not as some backlash to previous culture norms, but for themselves and their personal happiness.
Clothing serves as the major symbol throughout. Each of the female protagonists defines herself through the clothing she wears, defining disparate roles within society. Within this dystopian world, mainstream society prescribes specific gender based expectations on women and it's only the women living outside of civilization who are able to define themselves. In a way it's comparable to our world today. But it's in reverse. Women in developed nations have gained freedoms that no women in history have ever attained. While women in some developing or regressing nations, still find themselves subject to strict normative rules mandating their dress and conduct. So, just picture the opposite of our world and that's the zeitgeist of the novel. It's also comparable to Victorian England. And I can see parallels to the relative freedom of the Proles in Orwell's novel 1984 compared to the strict rules placed on party members.
The strengths of this novel come from Curtiss' ability to characterize her protagonists. She does this through a command in language uncommon in new authors. Through dialogue, digression, and internal monologue, each character comes to life with a unique voice and perspective.
As one final note, I'd like to comment on Curtiss' warning about this being feminist fiction. Although it's feminist, it doesn't have any of the man-hating that that warning might imply. I would classify this as third-wave feminist. This is about women having the freedom to define themselves, not relative to men, not as some backlash to previous culture norms, but for themselves and their personal happiness.
October 2, 2014
My first impressions of the main characters were mixed. I questioned a protagonist that as a reader as hard as I tried - didn't make me love her. But, I kept reading. And found my loving her became second nature. The relationships I developed with the characters seems true to the relationships we create in our life. The authenticity of both grimacing and cheering on the people we have in our lives - asking them to be more, disappointed when they are only human - and loving it when they discover for themselves how beautiful and powerful they can be. This is an empowered message of understanding and growth. I recommend this book for its view into the lives of women who are flawed to perfection.
December 29, 2014
The world Melody Curtiss imagined for the setting of this book is unique. The story is post-apocalyptic, yet unlike many books with that premise, the world isn’t lacking in technology or modern conveniences. At least not completely. Instead the area where the story takes place (what was formerly the North Western US) has areas that are settled, with all the things we have today and then some, and unsettled areas that don’t. The problem is, those more appealing areas also have laws that limit freedom, especially for women. It is essentially a dystopian world. Fighting against this system can have severe repercussions.
The author describes the book as “feminist science fiction,” which is also an applicable label, as most of the significant characters are females, fighting to increase their rights in various ways. The protagonist is Sarah Rosen, a young feisty rebel. Will she be able to make a difference? I enjoyed finding the answer to that question, never sure how it was going to work out, but eager to see.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
The author describes the book as “feminist science fiction,” which is also an applicable label, as most of the significant characters are females, fighting to increase their rights in various ways. The protagonist is Sarah Rosen, a young feisty rebel. Will she be able to make a difference? I enjoyed finding the answer to that question, never sure how it was going to work out, but eager to see.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
March 16, 2015
I won a free copy from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program and think that it interesting. I would recommend it to everyone.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews