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Out of Line
Halfway to Free
Audible narration by Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Raising a family is the ultimate luxury as the human race teeters on the brink of extinction in this visionary short story by Emma Donoghue, the bestselling author of Room.
Miriam was raised in a society without children. To offset the devastation of climate change, state-of-the-art birth control has made daycares and playgrounds things of the past. As tempting as the government inducements are to remain child-free, Miriam’s curiosity about the people who “drop out” of society to become parents grows. When she finds a like-minded partner, she must choose between the rewarding comforts she knows and the unknowable mysteries of being a mother.
Emma Donoghue’s Halfway to Free is part of Out of Line, an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single thought-provoking sitting.
Raising a family is the ultimate luxury as the human race teeters on the brink of extinction in this visionary short story by Emma Donoghue, the bestselling author of Room.
Miriam was raised in a society without children. To offset the devastation of climate change, state-of-the-art birth control has made daycares and playgrounds things of the past. As tempting as the government inducements are to remain child-free, Miriam’s curiosity about the people who “drop out” of society to become parents grows. When she finds a like-minded partner, she must choose between the rewarding comforts she knows and the unknowable mysteries of being a mother.
Emma Donoghue’s Halfway to Free is part of Out of Line, an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single thought-provoking sitting.
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2020
545 people are currently reading
1422 people want to read
About the author
Emma Donoghue
80 books13.3k followersGrew up in Ireland, 20s in England doing a PhD in eighteenth-century literature, since then in Canada. Best known for my novel, film and play ROOM, also other contemporary and historical novels and short stories, non-fiction, theatre and middle-grade novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
October 27, 2020
A short story, Halfway to Free, by Emma Donoghue
It's 2060 and the world has been up to 9 million people but with radical changes, it's heading back down to 6 million, although some think that a better goal would be 3 million people. Even though it's not illegal to have a child, doing so is made almost impossible due to housing, employment, healthcare and social acceptance being removed from those who might do so. Children only happen to billionaires, who can afford to live without government incentives and support, or to radical people who leave "normal" society, to live away from all the "good" things the government provides, independently providing for themselves and their like minded community.
There is a lot packed in this little story and I'd love for it to become a full length novel, so we could follow Miriam and her friend, as they explore an option that most people would never consider. Poor Miriam does get an earful from her personal IA device, when she searches for information about pregnancy and childbirth. When it's all regurgitated the way the IA puts it, I'm surprised anyone would voluntarily get pregnant.
Emma Donoghue’s Halfway to Free is part of Out of Line, an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape.
This is a Kindle Unlimited selection.
It's 2060 and the world has been up to 9 million people but with radical changes, it's heading back down to 6 million, although some think that a better goal would be 3 million people. Even though it's not illegal to have a child, doing so is made almost impossible due to housing, employment, healthcare and social acceptance being removed from those who might do so. Children only happen to billionaires, who can afford to live without government incentives and support, or to radical people who leave "normal" society, to live away from all the "good" things the government provides, independently providing for themselves and their like minded community.
There is a lot packed in this little story and I'd love for it to become a full length novel, so we could follow Miriam and her friend, as they explore an option that most people would never consider. Poor Miriam does get an earful from her personal IA device, when she searches for information about pregnancy and childbirth. When it's all regurgitated the way the IA puts it, I'm surprised anyone would voluntarily get pregnant.
Emma Donoghue’s Halfway to Free is part of Out of Line, an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape.
This is a Kindle Unlimited selection.
October 10, 2023
In a Nutshell: A short story that is futuristic in its time but relevant even today in its content. Might have worked better if slightly lengthier, but it was still a good, thought-provoking read.
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Story Synopsis:
This is one of the standalone short stories in the ‘Out of Line’ collection, described on Amazon as “an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape.”
The premise of this story is such that it would have made a brilliant novella, if not a novel. The futuristic setting feels dystopian, though the citizens have only one main restriction – they can’t have children. The rationale for this comes out well through the limited content, and also raises questions about whether such drastic measures might be needed in our world, where we are already struggling with overpopulation, limited resources, and an out-of-control climate.
The limited page count (the story is just 31 pages long) means that we don’t really get to know how old Miriam is, or why Miriam starts thinking obsessively about babies almost all of a sudden, or what her typical day as a bot design engineer is like. I’d have loved her personality to be explored more, as a story so centred around an individual’s thoughts and emotions should have allowed us to know the individual better.
Despite this issue, I still liked reading this little tale. It throws up plenty of points to ponder upon. Though it is set in the near future, the trigger for the government ban on childbirth is set in our contemporary era. So it’s tough to disagree with that extreme policy, though we can clearly see how dictatorial it is. Some part of the content seems too real for comfort.
I always enjoy stories that make me wonder what I would do in that character’s situation, though in this case, I have no clear answer to that hypothetical query.
I also liked the structuring of the narrative. The story doesn’t begin with any background detailing but dives straight into the pivotal scene that influences Miriam’s thinking. It is a bit confusing at the start, but Miriam’s ponderings soon update us of the status quo.
The ending is perfect for the story, though it might not satisfy readers looking for a concrete answer.
This tale won’t ever be a favourite of mine, nor will I ever reread it. But it did offer me some good points to think about. Moreover, with its strong focus on the environmental damage wreaked by humans, it ended up on the positive side rather than the ‘halfway’ mark, for which I will round up my rating.
3.5 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the “Out Of Line” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
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Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
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Story Synopsis:
2060. Miriam lives in a world where only the uber-elite such as royals are allowed to have children. Ordinary citizens are restricted by a technological birth control method in order to mitigate the devastation caused by climate change and reduce the population load on the planet. Most citizens don’t mind, as they get more time for themselves, and they don’t even need to compromise on their lifestyle. However, after hearing about the latest royal pregnancy, Miriam is curious to know more about what it takes to become a parent. When she discovers one of her colleagues also shares the same desire, the two need to take some tough decisions.
The story comes to us in Miriam’s first person perspective.
This is one of the standalone short stories in the ‘Out of Line’ collection, described on Amazon as “an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape.”
The premise of this story is such that it would have made a brilliant novella, if not a novel. The futuristic setting feels dystopian, though the citizens have only one main restriction – they can’t have children. The rationale for this comes out well through the limited content, and also raises questions about whether such drastic measures might be needed in our world, where we are already struggling with overpopulation, limited resources, and an out-of-control climate.
The limited page count (the story is just 31 pages long) means that we don’t really get to know how old Miriam is, or why Miriam starts thinking obsessively about babies almost all of a sudden, or what her typical day as a bot design engineer is like. I’d have loved her personality to be explored more, as a story so centred around an individual’s thoughts and emotions should have allowed us to know the individual better.
Despite this issue, I still liked reading this little tale. It throws up plenty of points to ponder upon. Though it is set in the near future, the trigger for the government ban on childbirth is set in our contemporary era. So it’s tough to disagree with that extreme policy, though we can clearly see how dictatorial it is. Some part of the content seems too real for comfort.
I always enjoy stories that make me wonder what I would do in that character’s situation, though in this case, I have no clear answer to that hypothetical query.
I also liked the structuring of the narrative. The story doesn’t begin with any background detailing but dives straight into the pivotal scene that influences Miriam’s thinking. It is a bit confusing at the start, but Miriam’s ponderings soon update us of the status quo.
The ending is perfect for the story, though it might not satisfy readers looking for a concrete answer.
This tale won’t ever be a favourite of mine, nor will I ever reread it. But it did offer me some good points to think about. Moreover, with its strong focus on the environmental damage wreaked by humans, it ended up on the positive side rather than the ‘halfway’ mark, for which I will round up my rating.
3.5 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the “Out Of Line” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
November 27, 2020
More insomnia reviews (please don't let this become a series, my sleep deprived brain can't handle 2 hours sleep a night). It was alright. The story addresses women's choice to claim motherhood following the discovery of an implant which prevents conception and is proudly displayed in the ear. It's a world where those who choose to become parents are shunned from the rest of society, who denounce them for their selfishness in overpopulating the world, and the story draws parallels with the women of today who choose not to procreate.
These are pretty good short stories addressing very relevant, very female centric issues. I know others in the series look at older women's lives, so I might take a look at those.
These are pretty good short stories addressing very relevant, very female centric issues. I know others in the series look at older women's lives, so I might take a look at those.
April 29, 2021
This 27 page short story is part of the Out of Line Collection which is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
What happens when women step out of line and take control of their own lives?
It's 2060 and the world is in the middle of a depopulation strategy to bring the total world citizens down to 3 million. Governments give their people money for not reproducing and for keeping their emissions low. The world is cleaner, vegan, more organised and there's not a child in sight.
Miriam is broody and when she meets a man who is also experiencing the same feelings, conversations and research start to take place.
This is my favorite of the collection so far. It's left me feeling really confused on how I feel about it. The world's population is massively out of hand but the measures to bring the figures down made me feel uncomfortable. Basically I need more to clarify my feelings, I could read a full sized novel set in this world.
I also really enjoyed the propaganda around being pregnant, giving birth etc etc. I found the whole thing really interesting.
From the same author as Room, which I also enjoyed, she is now going to be an auto buy author for me. Fantastic.
This 7 book collection is exclusive to Amazon and a great way to try out some new authors.
What happens when women step out of line and take control of their own lives?
It's 2060 and the world is in the middle of a depopulation strategy to bring the total world citizens down to 3 million. Governments give their people money for not reproducing and for keeping their emissions low. The world is cleaner, vegan, more organised and there's not a child in sight.
Miriam is broody and when she meets a man who is also experiencing the same feelings, conversations and research start to take place.
This is my favorite of the collection so far. It's left me feeling really confused on how I feel about it. The world's population is massively out of hand but the measures to bring the figures down made me feel uncomfortable. Basically I need more to clarify my feelings, I could read a full sized novel set in this world.
I also really enjoyed the propaganda around being pregnant, giving birth etc etc. I found the whole thing really interesting.
From the same author as Room, which I also enjoyed, she is now going to be an auto buy author for me. Fantastic.
This 7 book collection is exclusive to Amazon and a great way to try out some new authors.
October 2, 2020
3 stars = Good and worthwhile but something held it back from being great..
I’ve always thought it odd that despite our planet being overpopulated with over twice as many people as is ideal for the health of Earth, that governments do not offer any incentive to their citizens to encourage them to choose not to have children. Of course, that pesky dollar often gets in the way of doing what is right…
This is the first book I have read that actually did have this type of world and the author did a great job of explaining how it would work logically, and based off of current scientific data. I enjoyed spending an hour in this story and watching the heroine work through her own priorities and desires. Even though she chose the opposite path that I would have, it was still interesting and enjoyable to follow along.
It’s short length held it back, as it feels mildly rushed and obviously cannot reach the depths of a fully fleshed out story that a novel or even novella would offer. I’d love to hear about other books if you know of any, that are based in similar worlds where most people choose to not have children due to overpopulation and government incentives.
-------------------------------------------
First Sentence: A few of us from Global Care were lunching out to celebrate our Spring Dividend.
Favorite Quote: “You’d become pregnant.” “Got it.” (Dry-mouthed.) “This would likely lead to a cascade of physical, emotional, and mental changes over the next approximately forty weeks. Normal symptoms of pregnancy include fatigue, breast tenderness, nausea, excess saliva, increased urination, bloating, mood swings, cramping, hunger, constipation, food aversions and cravings, indigestion, heartburn, flatulence, lines on skin—” The list was filling me with rising panic. “—nasal congestion, extreme weight gain, swelling of hands and feet, vaginal discharge, faintness, energy fluctuations, varicose veins, cysts, urinary blockage, alterations in sex drive, back pain, shortness of breath, and trouble sleeping.” “Jesus!” How had any woman ever gone through this? But I reminded myself that it was like the list of possible side effects on every medication package; they wouldn’t all happen every time. The Headpiece rolled on: “Then there are complications, which can include anemia, nutritional deficiency, urinary tract infections, depression, blood clots, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stroke, and death in labor.” That left me speechless. “After birth, you might continue to suffer long-term or permanent pelvic widening, flattened and enlarged feet, skin striations and scarring, labial deformation, stress incontinence, increased risk of heart failure, and changes to brain structure.” “Brain structure?” I repeated, incredulous. She answered: “Shrinkage of gray matter associated with social activities such as conversation. These phenomena may be caused or worsened by the stresses of caring for an infant, which include sleep deprivation, social isolation, loss of partner intimacy, and logistical and financial burdens.”
I’ve always thought it odd that despite our planet being overpopulated with over twice as many people as is ideal for the health of Earth, that governments do not offer any incentive to their citizens to encourage them to choose not to have children. Of course, that pesky dollar often gets in the way of doing what is right…
This is the first book I have read that actually did have this type of world and the author did a great job of explaining how it would work logically, and based off of current scientific data. I enjoyed spending an hour in this story and watching the heroine work through her own priorities and desires. Even though she chose the opposite path that I would have, it was still interesting and enjoyable to follow along.
It’s short length held it back, as it feels mildly rushed and obviously cannot reach the depths of a fully fleshed out story that a novel or even novella would offer. I’d love to hear about other books if you know of any, that are based in similar worlds where most people choose to not have children due to overpopulation and government incentives.
-------------------------------------------
First Sentence: A few of us from Global Care were lunching out to celebrate our Spring Dividend.
Favorite Quote: “You’d become pregnant.” “Got it.” (Dry-mouthed.) “This would likely lead to a cascade of physical, emotional, and mental changes over the next approximately forty weeks. Normal symptoms of pregnancy include fatigue, breast tenderness, nausea, excess saliva, increased urination, bloating, mood swings, cramping, hunger, constipation, food aversions and cravings, indigestion, heartburn, flatulence, lines on skin—” The list was filling me with rising panic. “—nasal congestion, extreme weight gain, swelling of hands and feet, vaginal discharge, faintness, energy fluctuations, varicose veins, cysts, urinary blockage, alterations in sex drive, back pain, shortness of breath, and trouble sleeping.” “Jesus!” How had any woman ever gone through this? But I reminded myself that it was like the list of possible side effects on every medication package; they wouldn’t all happen every time. The Headpiece rolled on: “Then there are complications, which can include anemia, nutritional deficiency, urinary tract infections, depression, blood clots, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stroke, and death in labor.” That left me speechless. “After birth, you might continue to suffer long-term or permanent pelvic widening, flattened and enlarged feet, skin striations and scarring, labial deformation, stress incontinence, increased risk of heart failure, and changes to brain structure.” “Brain structure?” I repeated, incredulous. She answered: “Shrinkage of gray matter associated with social activities such as conversation. These phenomena may be caused or worsened by the stresses of caring for an infant, which include sleep deprivation, social isolation, loss of partner intimacy, and logistical and financial burdens.”
December 11, 2022
There are two sides to every coin. The previous sentence is a saying meaning there are two sides to every viewpoint, for those of you who are unfamiliar with American aphorisms.
The having of a baby has two sides: those who want a baby, and those who don’t. The current debate over abortion is about taking away the rights of women who do not want a baby, whatever their reasons, forcing women who do not want a baby to have it anyway if she accidentally becomes pregnant. Today, unfairly, most women who want a baby find society in most countries considerably more accepting of their desire, and their desire for a child is made legally unassailable, even if many governments do nothing to help the woman financially in having and raising a child.
‘Halfway to Free’, a novella by Emma Donoghue is all about the two sides of the viewpoint on the choice of having a baby; however, the survival of the human race is the Big Picture which has changed the weighing of the sides of the question considerably. In her short novella, it is the year 2050. Society has become antithetical towards having a baby because of human survival issues caused by overpopulation. The Earth, and human societies, cannot support a too-large population of humans. The coin’s face regarding the full-throated acceptance of having a child has been flipped downward. Society now disapproves of women who want a child in 2050 and laws have been passed to make the choice of motherhood extremely difficult. She will lose health benefits, her job, her housing, and her universal dividend.
I have copied the book blurb because it is accurate:
”Raising a family is the ultimate luxury as the human race teeters on the brink of extinction in this visionary short story by Emma Donoghue, the bestselling author of Room.
Miriam was raised in a society without children. To offset the devastation of climate change, state-of-the-art birth control has made daycares and playgrounds things of the past. As tempting as the government inducements are to remain child-free, Miriam’s curiosity about the people who “drop out” of society to become parents grows. When she finds a like-minded partner, she must choose between the rewarding comforts she knows and the unknowable mysteries of being a mother.
Emma Donoghue’s Halfway to Free is part of Out of Line, an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single thought-provoking sitting.”
For many of us today in Western countries, not having a child until it can be financially supported is doable and desirable. But putting off into the future the having of a child is not the same thing as never having a child. Many people WANT a child, but they want a planned child, when financial conditions are good for the family. However, what happens when having a child means the Earth’s resources for maintenance of human life falls to an unsustainable level so that the human race will not being able to continue at all? What is a sustainable population of humans? Should governments respond? What do people do who feel a biological imperative, or something, a force within, to have a child anyway, no matter the cost? Will societies under existential threat allow a place for such people who simply feel they must have a child?
This is a terrific story for book clubs!
The having of a baby has two sides: those who want a baby, and those who don’t. The current debate over abortion is about taking away the rights of women who do not want a baby, whatever their reasons, forcing women who do not want a baby to have it anyway if she accidentally becomes pregnant. Today, unfairly, most women who want a baby find society in most countries considerably more accepting of their desire, and their desire for a child is made legally unassailable, even if many governments do nothing to help the woman financially in having and raising a child.
‘Halfway to Free’, a novella by Emma Donoghue is all about the two sides of the viewpoint on the choice of having a baby; however, the survival of the human race is the Big Picture which has changed the weighing of the sides of the question considerably. In her short novella, it is the year 2050. Society has become antithetical towards having a baby because of human survival issues caused by overpopulation. The Earth, and human societies, cannot support a too-large population of humans. The coin’s face regarding the full-throated acceptance of having a child has been flipped downward. Society now disapproves of women who want a child in 2050 and laws have been passed to make the choice of motherhood extremely difficult. She will lose health benefits, her job, her housing, and her universal dividend.
I have copied the book blurb because it is accurate:
”Raising a family is the ultimate luxury as the human race teeters on the brink of extinction in this visionary short story by Emma Donoghue, the bestselling author of Room.
Miriam was raised in a society without children. To offset the devastation of climate change, state-of-the-art birth control has made daycares and playgrounds things of the past. As tempting as the government inducements are to remain child-free, Miriam’s curiosity about the people who “drop out” of society to become parents grows. When she finds a like-minded partner, she must choose between the rewarding comforts she knows and the unknowable mysteries of being a mother.
Emma Donoghue’s Halfway to Free is part of Out of Line, an incisive collection of funny, enraging, and hopeful stories of women’s empowerment and escape. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single thought-provoking sitting.”
For many of us today in Western countries, not having a child until it can be financially supported is doable and desirable. But putting off into the future the having of a child is not the same thing as never having a child. Many people WANT a child, but they want a planned child, when financial conditions are good for the family. However, what happens when having a child means the Earth’s resources for maintenance of human life falls to an unsustainable level so that the human race will not being able to continue at all? What is a sustainable population of humans? Should governments respond? What do people do who feel a biological imperative, or something, a force within, to have a child anyway, no matter the cost? Will societies under existential threat allow a place for such people who simply feel they must have a child?
This is a terrific story for book clubs!
October 16, 2020
This is book 5 out of 7 in Amazon Original Out of Line collection, which I hadn’t realized was part of a collection until I went to check out this on Amazon after listening to this 27 page story. I
I read the first in the collection recently, as well, Cheryl Strayed’s This Telling. Both of these stories are semi-linked by the idea of babies and birth, but in this story having children is no longer welcomed, and restrictions have been put in place to reduce the world population. At the center of this story is a young woman, Miriam, who dares to even think about wanting to have a child, as it is so against what is then the “norm.” Restrictions against childbirth, birth control measures are physically monitored by the government, and there are repercussions for those who fail to comply. Of course, while the world, in general, is no longer allowed to reproduce, the royals offspring are welcomed into the world, a small segment to whom the rules do not apply - so some things remain the same.
This was a thought-provoking read, even if I didn’t love it.
May 28, 2021
This was an interesting story, a future version of our world, where the population must be controlled so only the rich can afford babies. The usual dystopian set up in many ways, with the usual brainwashing control but I enjoyed this nonetheless. It brought up some really interesting ideas about population and freedom and selfishness! It helped that I also really liked the two protagonists. My favourite of this series so far.
The problem with these short stories is I am always left wanting more (I don't’ know why I still read them!)
3.5 but rounding up to 4*/5
The problem with these short stories is I am always left wanting more (I don't’ know why I still read them!)
3.5 but rounding up to 4*/5
November 23, 2020
I thought this was a great story and seems to be more aligned with "Graceful Burdens". We have another society that does not just allow people to have children. However, in this story, due to overpopulation and the impact that climate change has had on the Earth, the United States and some other countries have used technology to restrict people from having babies.
This story is set in 2060 so it's been decades since the whole restriction has been put in force and the population has dropped. However, a woman named Miriam is now thinking about the risks/rewards of deciding to have a child. She was raised in a world without children so it's unreal to her to think about having babies, but part of her still wants to have a child.
I do have to say though I do love it when Miriam researches pregnancy and thinks why would anyone want to even deal with this LOL. It was a funny moment in a story that definitely is asking I think all of us, what would you do in her situation.
This story is set in 2060 so it's been decades since the whole restriction has been put in force and the population has dropped. However, a woman named Miriam is now thinking about the risks/rewards of deciding to have a child. She was raised in a world without children so it's unreal to her to think about having babies, but part of her still wants to have a child.
I do have to say though I do love it when Miriam researches pregnancy and thinks why would anyone want to even deal with this LOL. It was a funny moment in a story that definitely is asking I think all of us, what would you do in her situation.
November 25, 2020
A thought-provoking science-fiction short story about a couple whose wish to want a baby goes against society's ethos and the idea that all aspects of child bearing go against a woman's freedom. I really enjoyed it!
April 10, 2024
Dystopia or nascent utopia? You decide.
November 20, 2020
Well, this short story has the potential of a full-fledged novel. In just 27 pages, it realistically creates a world that is our idea of both horror and awe.
It is the year 2060 and people can't have children anymore.
They technically can, but the policies, costs, restrictions, and laws make it impossible. Can you imagine a world like that?
Crisp and well written, the only thing that I was left wanting for was more pages. I would really love to see the story of Miriam and Ned fleshed out in some additional 250 pages.
It is the year 2060 and people can't have children anymore.
They technically can, but the policies, costs, restrictions, and laws make it impossible. Can you imagine a world like that?
Crisp and well written, the only thing that I was left wanting for was more pages. I would really love to see the story of Miriam and Ned fleshed out in some additional 250 pages.
Read
June 1, 2021I went into this not knowing what it was about -- but seeing Emma Donoghue's name -- and giving it a go. This short story is frighteningly realistic re: a future with continued global overpopulation and the ways in which we - as humans - might respond. A fun and quick little filler read while I pick my next e-book for the treadmill!
November 23, 2021
A well-constructed story for a rather believable entry in this Amazon originals series.
Questions of how humanity will survive in the future and what being human will even mean.
Samira Wiley's narration is perfect.
Questions of how humanity will survive in the future and what being human will even mean.
Samira Wiley's narration is perfect.
May 16, 2023
This is a sobering read. It is set in the future, and the warnings about climate change have come to fruition. Only the super rich can afford to have children, which has drastically reduced the population, but not enough as yet. Truth may reflect fiction...
October 3, 2020
I am a huge fan of Donoghue's style and nothing I have read by her prepared me for this little dys/utopian short. Set 40 years in the future, the residents of Earth have decided to do their part to make sure our population gets back to a manageable level. 3 billion souls or so. Think about how many people have to die for us to get there. And how many can't be born in the meantime.
This was very short, but very impactful. We aren't given enough to really grow attached to these characters, but being a mother myself I can sympathize and that was enough to let me really enjoy the read.
Donoghue's description of pregnancy and it's after effects was priceless!
This was very short, but very impactful. We aren't given enough to really grow attached to these characters, but being a mother myself I can sympathize and that was enough to let me really enjoy the read.
Donoghue's description of pregnancy and it's after effects was priceless!
June 19, 2021
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This short story paints a picture of a not-so-distant future where the planet is in ruins and humans are on the brink of extinction. In this future, having a kid is a thing of the past. Having one is taboo. The system is built to discourage people from procreating.
It's a very interesting read as we're thrown to a narrator who was born in this childless society but is dreaming of having a baby to raise.
Halfway to Free is part of Amazon's Out of Line series.
This short story paints a picture of a not-so-distant future where the planet is in ruins and humans are on the brink of extinction. In this future, having a kid is a thing of the past. Having one is taboo. The system is built to discourage people from procreating.
It's a very interesting read as we're thrown to a narrator who was born in this childless society but is dreaming of having a baby to raise.
Halfway to Free is part of Amazon's Out of Line series.
October 28, 2020
*Read for free with Kindle Unlimited *
2.5 stars
would have loved to see what happened after the story left off. It was building to be more interesting when the story finished.
I wasn't really attached to the characters and parts of the story felt rushed. I did like the idea, just not the way it was done in this case mostly. It does send chills up your spine though to think of it.
2.5 stars
would have loved to see what happened after the story left off. It was building to be more interesting when the story finished.
I wasn't really attached to the characters and parts of the story felt rushed. I did like the idea, just not the way it was done in this case mostly. It does send chills up your spine though to think of it.
April 19, 2022
In a childless society, the question becomes, do I risk everything to bring life into the world? Great question. Emma Donoghue offers her opinion through a charming story of questioning and answering. I love it five stars worth. It is worth the read or listen.
October 5, 2020
Birth control to the extreme where there now is a shortage of babies. Questions of maternal/paternal urges or conditioning, this would have worked well as a full length novel.
April 3, 2021
very interesting little story about a point in humanity where having children is seen as something bad and against not kinky humanity itself but as purposefully hurting the environment.
it has a lot of great point of how extreme humanity can react to situations - from not at all to overboard.
especially if both extremst could be avoided simply by reaction more actively and faster.
i do love that this book focuses heavily on environmental issues and repairs and how all those issues with humanity created and made by humans.
i just found this very well written and interestingly done with great spin and hopefully a dystoian idea of an unrealistic future.
it has a lot of great point of how extreme humanity can react to situations - from not at all to overboard.
especially if both extremst could be avoided simply by reaction more actively and faster.
i do love that this book focuses heavily on environmental issues and repairs and how all those issues with humanity created and made by humans.
i just found this very well written and interestingly done with great spin and hopefully a dystoian idea of an unrealistic future.
September 4, 2020
To populate or not, that is the question.
I'm a mother, but after reading the description of pregnancy, it makes me wonder how we are all here at all! Who would put themselves through all that? Luckily, for the human race, the stronger sex keeps the population going! Kind of scary what our future may hold.
I'm a mother, but after reading the description of pregnancy, it makes me wonder how we are all here at all! Who would put themselves through all that? Luckily, for the human race, the stronger sex keeps the population going! Kind of scary what our future may hold.
April 9, 2021
A chilling look into an imagined future........
In a world where there are too many people, society favours those who are persuaded to choose an easy, carefree, childless life, but Miriam knows that it isn’t enough for her.
Then she meets a man who shares her feelings.....
A very thought provoking short story.
In a world where there are too many people, society favours those who are persuaded to choose an easy, carefree, childless life, but Miriam knows that it isn’t enough for her.
Then she meets a man who shares her feelings.....
A very thought provoking short story.
October 24, 2020
This Brave New World is set in the year 2060. I'm not sure I believe such a radical change could happen in just 40 years. Maybe in 140 years...
February 14, 2026
3⭐️
A novella with a very interesting premise, I do wish we got to learn more about the world it takes place in. It was a fast and loose with the details in terms of years and numbers, so I found it a little hard to follow. Like, this takes place in the year 2060 (I think?) and the world has managed to reduce the population by like a third, without really telling us how. Our main characters have never even seen babies and think things like maternal instinct and wanting children are myths? In only thirty years...
A novella with a very interesting premise, I do wish we got to learn more about the world it takes place in. It was a fast and loose with the details in terms of years and numbers, so I found it a little hard to follow. Like, this takes place in the year 2060 (I think?) and the world has managed to reduce the population by like a third, without really telling us how. Our main characters have never even seen babies and think things like maternal instinct and wanting children are myths? In only thirty years...
December 15, 2020
Halfway to Free by Emma Donoghue is a short story available on Kindle Unlimited (free). One of seven stories in the Amazon Original Out of Line Collection.
A thought-provoking look at what it might look like if the world's collective governments decided to offer incentives for choosing not to have children. Incentives so successful that the world population, having peaked at about 9 billion, is already back to 6 billion and well on its way to "Optimum" or about 3 Billion (the same population level that the world held in 1960). It is 2060 in the story, and incentives began in about 2030.
The main character, Miriam, is feeling an inexplicable pull to be pregnant. This short story does a nice job laying out the world that Miriam currently lives in, how it works, what society's attitudes towards procreation are, and what happens to those who skirt the expectations to remain childless, and become pregnant. 27 pages long, this is a quick, yet contemplative read for those wanting to finish their book challenge, or for those who simply enjoy short stories!
A thought-provoking look at what it might look like if the world's collective governments decided to offer incentives for choosing not to have children. Incentives so successful that the world population, having peaked at about 9 billion, is already back to 6 billion and well on its way to "Optimum" or about 3 Billion (the same population level that the world held in 1960). It is 2060 in the story, and incentives began in about 2030.
The main character, Miriam, is feeling an inexplicable pull to be pregnant. This short story does a nice job laying out the world that Miriam currently lives in, how it works, what society's attitudes towards procreation are, and what happens to those who skirt the expectations to remain childless, and become pregnant. 27 pages long, this is a quick, yet contemplative read for those wanting to finish their book challenge, or for those who simply enjoy short stories!
October 10, 2020
I really liked this. It was so interesting to read about a world where a woman wanting a child is the oddity compared to ours now where you are endlessly - and sometimes severely - questioned if you don’t. It made me think about choice and freedom and how good intentions can snowball. The world was also developed quite well for a short story. I kind of really want a full novel… Emma?
December 2, 2024
Climate Change Hysteria
What an interesting story this was! I don’t want to give it away, but what would the repercussions be if we went all out against Climate change. This story was definitely food for thought, though is occasionally confusing with too many invented words.
Four stars for great imagination and good writing.
What an interesting story this was! I don’t want to give it away, but what would the repercussions be if we went all out against Climate change. This story was definitely food for thought, though is occasionally confusing with too many invented words.
Four stars for great imagination and good writing.
August 11, 2023
This was an interesting short story about a time in the future where children are a rarity due to overpopulation, climate change, and other world problems. There are major incentives to live a life child-free and only the very rich can afford it.
July 25, 2022
Halfway to Free is a short story written by the author of ROOM, a part of Out Of Line collection. Going by this one power packed story, the collection seems to be a promising one.
It's 2060 and the world is slowly limping back from the edge of extinction. The caveat ‐ the optimum population has been fixed at the level of three billion, the level the whole world has pledged to reach. They have achieved the figure of six billion but at what cost?
The society that Miriam lives in, in 2060, frowns down on those willing to have a child and subjecting a woman to such gross torture. The way her AI headpiece reads the cons of pregnancy, it is a wonder any of them do.
But Miriam has a deep seated longing to do what all animals have always done, produce a young one. So much so that she almost gets sick at the sight of a baby. But in a society where kids are considered a messy burden, excluded from malls, buildings, all means of transport, not to mention no schools, no pediatrics, no support for the parents willing to commit this almost crime, what would those who want a reminder of their humanity do? Follow society or their own desire?
The story is small but throws interesting questions for pondering. What is this instinct that compels humans to recreate? Why do humans do it even when they are aware that the earth is being burdened beyond its capacity? How much does the approval of society have a bearing on our decisions? Even on something as personal and as elemental as having a child.
This is the best kind of short story. It drops you in the middle of things, with just enough glimpse of the world to understand what is happening, and once it is over, to keep wondering what happened ahead on the journey of the characters with whom we walked a few short steps. And somewhere, even in our brief acquaintance we root for them to find what they are yearning for.
Much recommended.
It's 2060 and the world is slowly limping back from the edge of extinction. The caveat ‐ the optimum population has been fixed at the level of three billion, the level the whole world has pledged to reach. They have achieved the figure of six billion but at what cost?
The society that Miriam lives in, in 2060, frowns down on those willing to have a child and subjecting a woman to such gross torture. The way her AI headpiece reads the cons of pregnancy, it is a wonder any of them do.
But Miriam has a deep seated longing to do what all animals have always done, produce a young one. So much so that she almost gets sick at the sight of a baby. But in a society where kids are considered a messy burden, excluded from malls, buildings, all means of transport, not to mention no schools, no pediatrics, no support for the parents willing to commit this almost crime, what would those who want a reminder of their humanity do? Follow society or their own desire?
The story is small but throws interesting questions for pondering. What is this instinct that compels humans to recreate? Why do humans do it even when they are aware that the earth is being burdened beyond its capacity? How much does the approval of society have a bearing on our decisions? Even on something as personal and as elemental as having a child.
This is the best kind of short story. It drops you in the middle of things, with just enough glimpse of the world to understand what is happening, and once it is over, to keep wondering what happened ahead on the journey of the characters with whom we walked a few short steps. And somewhere, even in our brief acquaintance we root for them to find what they are yearning for.
Much recommended.
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