Jean McClellan spends her time in almost complete silence, limited to just one hundred words a day. Any more, and a thousand volts of electricity will course through her veins.

Now the new government is in power, everything has changed. But only if you’re a woman.

Almost overnight, bank accounts are frozen, passports are taken away and seventy million women lose their jobs. Even more terrifyingly, young girls are no longer taught to read or write.

For herself, her daughter, and for every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice. This is only the beginning…

[100 WORD LIMIT REACHED]

Picked up in the Oxfam bookshop in Market Harborough.

Releasing at the 2022 Unconvention!

Thank you very much for this wishlist book!

This is a terrifying story, similar in a way to 'The Handmaid's Tale'. In this case women have their speech limited to a hundred words a day, with thousands of volts of electricity hitting them if they go over the maximum. And they are relegated to the role of dutiful housewife.
It's a horrible but interesting premise, and it was fleshed out quite well I thought. The last section felt a little rushed but the overall pace was good. The author definitely practises 'write what you know', in her case that's linguistics, Italy/Italians. Oh, and coffee, there's a lot of coffee going on. :-)
I enjoyed this very much, thanks for sharing!

Taking it to MBC Paris 2023.