🧡 There’s a lot that’s believable and chilling about the world Dalcher’s built here, which shows an America on a slide into eugenics under a totalitarian regime. In that way, and in the dynamic of following the wife of a high ranking member of the government, it’s reminiscent of Handmaid’s tale.

💚 I found the story compelling, but that certain elements were unclear. I wasn’t sure where real history left off and the alternative reality set in. For example, I find it hard to understand how a science teacher is unaware of the history of eugenics. Nor why everyone finds it so hard to draw parallels with the events of World War II. I get that not everyone will know about Operation Paperclip, but she’s a scientist. And it doesn’t seem like enough time has passed for generational memory loss. I may well be missing something. In any event, I was content to suspend belief.