Kristen Tsetsi’s the Age of the child is an all too possible dystopian nightmare. In a similar theme to Attwood’s ‘The handmaid’s tale,’ humanity (aka America) has taken leave of its collective senses and banned not only abortion but all forms of birth control. Rather than infertility, this society suffers from overpopulation. The world-building feels set in the past due to the reduction of technology but then is more futuristic in other places which leads to an interesting contrast for the reader.
The story follows two friends, Kathrine, and Margaret, throughout their lives and that of their children, through this perilous time in human history. We see Kathrine go from a vibrant and successful entrepreneur to a shell of her former self as the decision to abort an unwanted pregnancy is taken from her. We see the toll this lack of choice takes on her marriage, her friendships, and her self-worth. We see her final retreat from a full and fabulous life and from her child, Millie.
As someone who would abhor a pregnancy, I felt every single moment of this character’s development. I was furious at her plight, saddened by her husband’s choices, devastated by her deterioration, and empathised furiously for her at every single turn. As a childfree person (someone who has chosen to never have children), I cannot imagine anything more abhorrent than the withholding of abortion and the inability to get birth control.
My heart broke for that unwanted child, for all the unwanted children in Tsetsi’s awful future. As the plot progressed, we saw the resulting impact of the government’s interference in parenting, from different sides, that of the parents and of the children. One child who is clawing for any positive attention and the other confused with her friends’ actions as they are raised in a completely opposite environment.
As I read, I could see the exaggeration of issues that exist now in developed countries with regards to birth control, abortion, and parenting restriction, which have, in recent years, become ever more prominent in news cycles. She aptly addresses the topics of both under and over interference with women’s bodies specifically, with men being fleeting or having catalytic purpose as characters in her book until near the end.
I don’t want to give too much away, but as a childfree person, I felt both Kathrine and Lennies plights equally. These are not women who would be happy with motherhood, they would not simply shrug and accept their fate adapting to being nurturing mothers and that is conveyed very well. They are absolute and resolute which was refreshing and reflective of my own experiences.
Tsetsi touches on many poignant issues including some that seem to be overlooked by other reviews, things such as reproductive coercion, both through active tampering and also through emotional blackmail and deceit. She explores the effects of emotional neglect on a child and pulls you into a journey that concludes with empathy for a character who you otherwise wouldn’t empathise with at all. There are also themes of antinatalism, a little-known philosophy that focuses on birth as a negative action.
She highlights the consequences of unwanted pregnancy in a way that could I completely engage with, through the eyes of people who absolutely know they do not want children. Considering Tsetsi herself is childfree it seemed a poignant and deliberate theme. Additionally, having read not only several autobiographies of abused children but also reports in my work and engaged with the adults who result from it, I can say that she accurately captures the complexities of the emotional stunting and traumas which result from parental neglect. She demonstrates this sometimes graphically, but purposefully and highlights that the protection of children must happen in a way that doesn’t result in adoption being the only choice because the effects, on both parent and child, can be devastating.
Overall, the writing was succinct and well-executed. The only issue I had was with the reading of the audiobook which was inconsistent in places but thankfully didn’t harm the immersion aspect of this wonderful novel. I loved it, thank you Kristen for an interesting and compelling read.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FKVDHVT/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_glt_RM8S1P64BSFDZ2JG506P
The Age of the Child (Audio Download): Kristen Tsetsi, Nila Brereton Hagood, Kristen Tsetsi: Amazon.co.uk
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