About Obstetrix:
"From the Hugo award-winning author Naomi Kritzer comes a tense portrait of a future we desperately hope to escape.
O Lord, deliver us.
Doctor Liz has just been acquitted for performing the last abortion in North Dakota when she's kidnapped.
They're not just any kidnappers, but a fundamentalist cult, deep in the rural west, without respect for law or decency, and in desperate need of an OB/GYN.
Guarded, isolated, without access to the outside world, Liz nevertheless is treated with respect as the only doctor on the compound, but she is very aware of what happened to the last obstetrician they kidnapped.
She must escape, and bring help to the girls trapped at the compound, if it's the last thing she does."
O Lord, deliver us.
Doctor Liz has just been acquitted for performing the last abortion in North Dakota when she's kidnapped.
They're not just any kidnappers, but a fundamentalist cult, deep in the rural west, without respect for law or decency, and in desperate need of an OB/GYN.
Guarded, isolated, without access to the outside world, Liz nevertheless is treated with respect as the only doctor on the compound, but she is very aware of what happened to the last obstetrician they kidnapped.
She must escape, and bring help to the girls trapped at the compound, if it's the last thing she does."
I've been going back and forth on feeling I both do and don't have a lot to say about this one, which is a little surprising given how many topics it tackles. At its core, Obstetrix feels like a fairly straightforward thriller, but it also encompasses an exploration of present-day concerns surrounding abortion, healthcare, bodily autonomy, and the increasingly complex realities facing medical providers. And fortunately, I think it highlighted these issues clearly and effectively and didn't stray too far from it's overarching theme.
I'm not usually the biggest fan of storylines centered around pregnancy--and I'm honestly getting a bit burnt out on cults as well!--but I was intrigued enough to pick this one up, and I'm glad I did. It felt like much more than that and I think gave some thoughtful commentary on a number of compelling ethical and social questions.
The story follows Dr. Liz, an OB/GYN who was recently acquitted after being charged for performing what was deemed an illegal abortion, but that she performed under severe medical circumstances surrounding the mother's health. Although the entire ordeal upended her career and damaged her professional reputation, she really just wants to mov eon with her life and find a new job following her passion of providing medical care for women. Of course, that's the case until she ends up at a job interview that ends in her being kidnapped and transported to a religious cult compound where she is expected to serve as their new OB/GYN. You know, just usual job interview shenanigans.
I really appreciated how Liz handled the many different challenges that were thrown at her. She's surprisingly calm in her own way, thoughtful about her circumstances, and is exceedingly practical at so many different points. I was genuinely relived to see her avoid making reckless decisions that often drive me crazy by characters in thrillers or similar situations. She often considers taking more rash actions at times, but usually ends up talking herself through potential consequences and recognizes where those choices could either backfire on her or place innocent people at risk, such as children who have no say in their circumstance in being placed at this compound.
And with this idea, I really liked seeing how Liz wrestled with her position. She doesn't want to cooperate with the people who are holding her captive against her will, but she also recognizes her own responsibilities as both a physician and a human being who is compelled by her moral and ethical standards. The cult specifically wanted her because one of the women on the compound had a high-risk pregnancy that would likely required a C-section, and thus they wanted a qualified, competent doctor. But as one might expect, Liz is incredibly uncomfortable with this idea of performing such a procedure outside of a hospital, and thus we get to follow along with her experience and thought process of how she navigates this particularly difficult issue.
This is a fairly short book, and although the pacing is not particularly breakneck or anything, I finished it before I knew it. It moves very steadily and is one of those that just makes it exceedingly easy to want to just keep reading and seeing where things would go next. I struggle to really feel overly excited about this book because I left it feeling a bit average, and it almost felt like a book that has a good story and premise, but lacks a little something to make it feel really meaningful to me. I think this could just be a personal preference, but thought it was worth noting nonetheless.
I wouldn't call Obstetrix exceptional or groundbreaking, but as I've said before, a book doesn't need to be groundbreaking to be good, and this is a solid thriller with some dystopian undertones and strong social commentary. It tackles some important topics, asks complex, interesting questions, and presents it all in a premise that is undeniably intriguing. I can easily see many people enjoying this one, whether they are strictly thriller fans or more fans of books with social commentary and relevance. It's well-written and adequately compelling, so be sure to check it out if it's something that interests you!
*I received a copy of Obstetrix courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating or enjoyment.*
Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org
No comments:
Post a Comment