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| Author Sophia Alexander with 'The Seclusion' e-book by Jacqui Castle. |
I chose to listen to this book
because it won the Indie Author Project contest--and maybe because I was secluded at home due to a cold (and had already purchased it). The concept is fantastic and visionary. The warning is valid, and the writing is
good, but I do have some critiques.
For all that the author is
balking at propaganda, she follows the current trends in literature for young
adults by making the mother a traitor—not an inspirational traitor, but a
traitor-to-family-and-friends sort of traitor, a turn-you-in-to-the-Gestapo
sort of traitor. There are numerous gay individuals/couples, and Patricia
herself is soon called a rather gender-neutral ‘Patch’. It’s always a man who helps Patch, and she
only superficially interacts with any woman in the entire course of the
novel. I find this a deeply disturbing,
anti-feminist trend, and I’m particularly saddened that such a visionary author
would fall prey to it.
Perhaps my next critique is
really an extension of the previous one. Patch’s interpersonal skills are grating. She seems to have little-to-no
self-control in communicating with others, which does not seem to tally with
the Society described, where the least offense would have you disposed of. While I relished that the book began with
Patch smugly proud of her Society and the Board that protected them all, her
transition to awareness was less than convincing. I would have bought it better if she had had
more doubts/discomfort from the get-go about whole-heartedly condemning the
‘traitors to the Society’ that were once her friends and family. Patch not only condemns her dear friend (from
her past), particularly, but she holds a huge grudge at her for not being more
loyal to their Society. So not only was
Patch’s friend likely dead, but Patch, supposedly her lifelong best friend,
truly held her memory in contempt—with little apparent evidence/reason to, only
that the Society condemned her as a traitor and must be right. This sort of extreme loyalty to the Society
leaves me unconvinced when the slightest trouble for Patch herself results in
Patch reworking all her views, seeing through the propaganda, etc.
On the other hand, I suppose
there is a certain authenticity in Patch’s constant scrambling, in her
confrontational personality, in her gauche behavior. I found it strange and
uninspiring that her friends and family were so much nicer and savvier than her,
tolerating her behavior quite well… but I reserve judgment to a degree, as when
I occasionally revisit older movies, such as the first Star Wars or Labyrinth, Luke and
Sarah seem to be intolerable brats, whereas I admired them immensely as a girl!
I’m also left with a few
questions about logistics that might possibly be answered if I were to revisit
the book, I suppose. I just didn’t see
early-on how some of her plans could work, given the ever-present cameras and
monitoring. She was counting on the feeds being ignored at first, but after she
knew they were watching her more closely… well, I don’t know. I left feeling
that her escape strategy needed a bit more tweaking to be completely
convincing.
That said, when in the latter
part of the story the logic of another escape choice evaded me, it did backfire
on her. So unfortunate, but also
validating to know that the author recognized this error in judgment, at least.
I just didn’t see why Patch’s friend Rex went along with it so meekly. Choices
in a crisis, however, wouldn’t always be of the highest logic, though, would
they?
All that said, I immediately
downloaded the sequel, and I’m listening to that now. Jacqui Castle has created
a convincing dystopia… even if her protagonist does have the social grace of an
insufferable entitled brat. Just shaking my head…