Chloe is
seventeen and pregnant- even though she used protection the one and only time
she had sex. It’s 1971 and Roe v Wade is still two years in the future, and
abortion is only legal in California and New York. Chloe lives in Arizona. Lucky for her, she has an aunt who
lives in San Francisco and a friend willing to take a road trip with her over
winter break. So Chloe and MJ find themselves in ‘Frisco with no real idea
where aunt Kiki lives, unable to get hold of her by phone, and it’s getting
late. That pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the trip- nothing goes
easily or as planned. Abortion may be legal, but there are still hoops to jump
through to obtain one, especially for someone under 18. Add to this Chloe’s
occasional doubts about her proposed action, her feelings about her previous
relationship with MJ’s brother, and the fact that Kiki is a stoner performance
artist and you’ve got it.
The book is
very short, and I think because of this the characters aren’t developed very
well. MJ seems to serve as chauffer and conscience; Kiki is the cool adult;
Chloe’s mother is the feminist. MJ’s brother, Teddy, is the good guy Chloe
should have waited for- the perfect, understanding guy. Even Chloe’s portrayal
seems rather surface, which is odd, given that the book is from her POV. But
the author does get the feel of the time and place well. The characters all fit
that time and place, even if they aren’t deep. I knew people like Kiki and
Chloe’s mother! It’s a very quick read, and while not great, it’s not bad,
either, and would serve as a good book for a young teen to introduce them to
the issue of abortion.
I do have to say
that it was alarming to find an era I lived through listed as ‘historical
fiction’!
The above is an affiliate link. If you click through and buy the book, Amazon gives me a few cents. This in no way influences my review.
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