"When She Woke" is a dystopian novel by American author Hillary Jordan, published in 2011. The story is set in a near-future America where abortion has been criminalized, and women who have undergone the procedure are punished by having their skin color altered to reflect the nature of their crime. The protagonist, Hannah Payne, wakes up in a jail cell to find that she has been "chromed" red for having an abortion, and must live as a societal outcast. Hannah is eventually released and placed in the care of a religious group, where she struggles to come to terms with her new identity and find a place in the world. As she begins to question the rigid rules of her new community, she is forced to confront the harsh realities of a society where personal freedoms are curtailed and dissent is punished severely. With its powerful themes of individual rights, religious fundamentalism, and societal oppression, "When She Woke" is a thought-provoking and compelling novel that explores the consequences of extremism and intolerance.
0