The US government has decreed that women can only speak 100 words per day. All women, even babies are fitted with a bracelet that counts their words. Exceeding the limit results in an electrical shock. Women are no longer allowed to hold jobs and young girls are only taught home making skills in school.

This is a very disturbing read. It made me angry in spots. The premise was interesting but in the end it felt more political to me. I can’t remember the last time I attended church but I have a problem with the whole idea of religion being portrayed as it was in this book. I still kept reading because I wanted to find out how it was resolved. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I was struck by the premise of this book as soon as I heard about it, and essentially did everything I could to acquire a copy (including the creation of my Net Galley account). It felt deeply relevant in today's world, where using our voices is necessary in order to fight against the current political landscape. How can we use our voices and make sure we are heard when we are stripped of the right to do so? What happens to the young girls raised in a world where they aren't encouraged to speak, and in fact actively discouraged from doing so? Will they retain language? How will young boys learn women are people if they never get to hear their perspectives? These questions are the ones that I was most excited to engage with in the text, because, in my opinion, they brought up the most problematic and the most fascinating answers.

I with the book had stayed in that area, rather than transforming into an action/adventure tale. There were so many themes and questions I wanted to explore further, and it felt like they instead became the background for an entirely new storyline (a very exciting, gripping one, mind you, but still). I wish there was more of a focus on exploring what it might be like to live in a world where your speech is severely limited, and what it means for future generations. I am also very frustrated by the ending, which I will not go into here (because spoilers), but know that I found it somewhat problematic.

Despite these criticisms, I did enjoy reading the book - it was gripping and had me at the edge of my seat for the majority of it. I was able to predict some things, but other twists were entirely surprising, and I like it when a book can both fulfill expectations and deviate from them. I found myself audibly gasping at particularly heartbreaking or horrifying scenes, and I was incredibly tense as I read some of the more action packed sequences. Overall, I enjoyed the book, it was a fun read, but I wish there was more character development and more of a look at the dystopian society, but it is nevertheless an incredibly entertaining and thought-provoking read. I definitely recommend reading it, but maybe don't go into it expecting a newer version of The Handmaid's Tale.

I was super excited for this only to be bewildered by the execution. I understand the concept behind this, but couldn't get past the author's soapbox rants against Christian beliefs. She seemingly lumps everyone into this writhing mass of ultra-conservative, close-minded group that supports the subjugation-and silencing- of women.

Vox is a not too distant future where women can only speak 100 words a day and the political party that rules the nation are known as being Pure, they are extremely conservative and religious. Jean is a linguistics doctor and is requested by the government to help the president's brother recover after a stroke that left him unable to understand language, in return she and her daughter will be allowed to speak without a limit while the cure is being found.I enjoyed the book and it kept my interest enough to want to know what happens. It's kind of like handmaids tale. but the writing style is more dystopian/thriller-esque. I felt the story really took off about half way through and then it just became too rushed. More details and story set in the last few chapters would of been preferred over the many chapters of build-up that the book started out with.

Vox is a must-read dystopian for grown-ups that combines page-turning appeal with thought-provoking what-ifs. In a not-so distant America, all females are only allowed 100 words per day; their words are tracked via a bracelet tracker that can also dole out punishment to the non-compliant. Jean is a mom and former scientist who will do anything to rescue her kids from the bleakness of this brave new world. Read this must-read new thriller to find out if she succeeds! Thanks to Netgalley and to Berkley for the preview copy.

This book sucked me in from page one. I couldn't put it down. I finished it in two days. I had to see what happened. The book terrified me. It felt so real and like it could actually happen. I would love another book about what comes next.

An absolutely riveting story. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and will be recommending it to customers in our store!

This is a COOL book. Very well-plotted and super edgy and interesting. I had NO idea what the book would really be about and, when I found out, I devoured it! The author states that she hopes the book will make me a bit mad and IT. ABSOLUTELY. DID!!! I mean, it pissed me off completely and I love that! The concepts in this book are so close to our reality that it makes me uncomfortable to think about that! President Myers is clearly Trump and so many of the other characters have counterparts in our world/country right now that it's eerie. I'm buying this book for me, though I just don't think it will circulate at my high school library. Great read!

Anyone who knows me knows I love a good dystopian story - short story, novel, movie - you name it. Fortunately for me, VOX really hit that dystopian sweet spot just when I needed to read it.

The novel starts about a year into the new chapter of America in which all females are limited to 100 spoken words a day. This barbaric rule is enforced by a “bracelet” which counts the words and delivers gradually increased electric shocks with each word over 100. As if this isn’t bad enough, females are also deprived of reading and writing - of any kind. For any reader, curious person, and any otherwise intelligent human being, this is exceedingly cruel. Girls are segregated into their own “schools” to learn homemaking skills - this is their only education. Jobs for women are out of the question, of course.

The descriptions of how this came about are told by Jean as flashbacks of regret for not taking things seriously or seeing the threats as real. Jean regrets that she viewed her friend Jackie as too extreme in her protest, too hysterical. That word is used a lot in referring to women - specifically how men view women’s reactions to things happening to them.

Anyway, Jean is an amazing cognitive linguist who had been on the verge of a major breakthrough right at the moment that women lost their right to speak. This is a huge point in the novel. Not only are human rights being violated at every turn, but there is a huge conspiracy as well. Without giving anything away, the story involves Jean being needed by her government for her particular skills and her response to this coercion.

The novel is fast paced, thought provoking, has some great heroic characters and really kept me emotionally invested in the story.

Once I started reading VOX, I couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. For anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction, read The Handmaiden’s Tale or enjoys feminist, activist fiction, definitely read VOX.

I loved the first half, then it kind of fell apart in my opinion. But it was still a fast-paced, thought provoking read that I couldn’t put down, so I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it!

Religious far-right takeovers of government leading to suppression of women’s rights is all the rage in fiction these days, so the premise of this wasn’t anything ground-breaking. Margaret Atwood broke that ground over 30 years ago. But Vox’s premise is still intriguing in it’s own way, and I really thought I was reading something special at the beginning. I found Jean to be an easy narrator to like - she has her faults, which she acknowledges, and the messiness of her life makes it easier for readers to relate to her (is anyone perfect, really? Even the “Pure”?). Her acknowledgements that she spent decades not bothering to engage in protests and vote (until it was too late) prompted me to get off my butt and go vote in MD’s primaries, so there’s that! And I loved all the connections to linguistics. I was curious to find out more about how this government came into power and how they so quickly suppressed the voices of women. How would a future world look without women’s voices?

As I said, things were off to a good start. But as the book wore on, the message felt heavier and heavier (take action, go vote, protest, etc), and the story turned from an unsettling imagined future to a cheap thriller. The writing fell apart, there were plot holes galore, and the ending was way too neat for my liking. Of course as I tore through the book I just wanted everything to turn out okay for the world, but then when it did, it felt...forced. Unrealistic. A missed opportunity.

Christine Dalcher’s debut succeeds in painting a terrifying look at what life in the United States becomes after women’s freedoms – including the freedom of speech – are torn away. This novel will not only appeal to readers of THE HANDMAID’S TALE and THE POWER but also fans of the tv show THE HANDMAID’S TALE who are looking to further explore the same topics in books.

The premise of Vox, a modern day twist of the Handmaid’s Tale, intrigued me immediately.
Men are the ones that work, speak and enjoy all of life’s normal offerings and women are fitted with electronically charged bracelets that only allow them to speak 100 words a day. Any more and they are shocked.

Patrick, a government employee and his wife Jean (who, before the government took away her voice, was a doctor, focusing on a cure for a brain condition) have four children and are suddenly thrust into complicated situation when Jean’s knowledge is required for the president.

It’s at that point, where a great plot idea, went a bit off the rails. I feel like there were huge holes in a lot of the rest of the book and it felt rushed. The ending didn’t make a lot of sense, particularly the last 2 chapters, especially since it was deemed impossible for the entire novel.

WOW! I can see why this book has been getting a lot of buzz. Set in a not so distant future, the US has become a Biblical, and its leaders have taken steps to silence opposition -- to silence women in particular. This is, in some ways, a story "ripped from the headlines" -- or more accurately a story that has some frightening possibilities.

Dalcher's writing is not particularly remarkable and there are times when the narrative is confusing since she makes use of frequent flashbacks, but this is a definite page-turner. I could not put it down. The science/technology is believable as are the characters' actions and reactions. Certainly a book that will provoke conversation. This would be a GREAT book club book!

Wow! What a nail biting read, outlining a dystopian view of the United States. The Fundamentalist Right has taken over, slapping wrist bands on all women, counters limiting females to 100words a day, electronic shocks ensuring adherence. Jean is a neurolinguist who had been working on a formula to reverse aphasia. She longs for days past, where the press is free, plays are not fundamentalist drivel, her daughter free to speak as her sons are, and all is not controlled by a so called Christian. In today’s world, this book is more important than ever. What happened developed as a result of apathy and inaction. A must read!

Vox by Christina Dalcher is a standalone novel. This story is set in future America, where women have lost the right to speak or hold jobs; all they could do was stay at home to take care of their husband and children. They were forced (including children who were girls) a bracelet that limits them to 100 words a day, or they will get shocked, with each violation becoming stronger. These women were also smart, successful women who could were forced into a world of silence; as only the men are able to talk, work, read, etc. The above description says it all.

I had mixed feelings about this book, since the treatment of women was not only appalling, but downright depressing. I know people compare this to Handmaiden’s Tale television show, which I have no plans to watch, and reading this confirms my decision.

Jean McClellan, our heroine, is a former neurologist, one of the best in her field and now she is just a homemaker, with little opinions. We get flashbacks to a few years past, when Jean saw signs from friends who warned them about this government, and an evil reverend. Her husband was a member of the government, but he was sympathetic to Jean and other women’s predicament, but was too afraid to do anything but follow the rules. We get to meet her children, and her bleak life.

When women or young girls are punished for continued violations, or promiscuity/adultery; they are sent away to a private institution where they can no longer speak, and are treated horribly. Fortunately, when things are at the worst, Jean is called to help a brother of the leader of the government who has a brain injury. She holds out until they give her what she wants, the bracelet off for her, her daughter, and a co-worker, that she requires to help. Once given approval, Jean can speak and go to work again. She works with her cohorts (one a sympathetic former lover) to come up with a serum, and at the same time try to find a way to escape.
What follows is an exciting last ¼ of the book, where others sympathetic to the women’s cause will form a resistance, which will help Jean and her lover release some other women. The ending was decent, though a little fast. Jean was a good heroine, and we did root hard for her. I did think Dalcher’s writing was very well done, but it was hard to keep reading, as it caused anger many times; even to the point at times I wanted to throw the book away. Vox was a very thought provoking story.

The premise of a government removing the power of speech from the entire female population seems frighteningly plausible. Vox at once terrified me and gave me hope that there is always a power to fight evil.

Modern day Handmaid's Tale? Lots of things I liked about this book, specifically the characters, but would have preferred it to not be so on the mark with current politics. Would have loved more of Sharon & Del's story. Ending was fairly predictable.

this is both really good and REALLY REALLY too close to home. what would you do if your government took away your voice? if your freedom was squashed and misogynistic practices were the norm and given free rein. ugh. i mean, it's already happening here in America (which is nothing on how it's always been happening in some other countries) but what i used to take for granted - that we would all have a future - is disappearing on the daily and this future is becoming more possible. this book is upsetting. but it's upsetting in a the right way at the right time and man i really hope this doesn't become our future. i'm pretty sure it can't because some of the things that happen i honestly don't think COULD happen based on our current political set up but then again, anything could happen so that's no guarantee.

Wow. What an incredible book. I loved it and it scared me. Definitely reminded me of The Handmaiden's Tale.
Thank you for a first look. I am sure it will make waves.

Imagine living in a world where women (even female children) are limited to 100 words a day and if they go over that limit they are given electric shots via a wristband they are all forced to wear. Women aren't allowed to work, read or write. They go to school to learn homemaking skills. But wait! There's more. Apparently some people are suffering from Wernicke's aphasia. And yes, apparently this is a real thing (In this form of aphasia the ability to grasp the meaning of spoken words and sentences is impaired, while the ease of producing connected speech is not very affected.). In the beginning we see that Dr. Jean McClellan has been reduced to a stay at home mom, her Dr. title stripped from her. She can't even have a cookbook in her home. Then, it progresses to where she and her original team that were working on a cure for Wernicke's aphasia is called together to finish it. They figure out that the government is reverse engineering the cure to learn how to cause Wernicke's aphasia because they want to silence women even more (?). Mixed in is some drama with Jean's family, her martial life, her kids... and the ending gives hope... but the story over all felt like it was trying too hard, had too many things going on, and no real good explanations or details.

Long book, or at least felt like it. Interesting story but at times I felt lost and wished I had more history about what led up to all of this and such. Very. Slow. Read. Cross between Fahrenheit 451 and Handmaid’s Tale. I get what the author was trying to do and say with this story, but it was so long.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2417962958?book_show_action=false