Kate's Reviews > The Chaperone

Stella lives in New America, where young girls must have chaperones to ensure that they follow the rules: no speaking to men or boys outside of Visitations, following curfew, reading only approved books. When Stella's chaperone, Sister Helen, dies suddenly, Stella begins to question if she was murdered, especially when Stella's new chaperone, Sister Laura, allows Stella to break the rules. Stella is enjoying her newfound freedom when her father informs her that she'll need to marry - and Stella begins to plot her escape.

This reminded me a lot of The Handmaid’s Tale, where women are forced into very specific roles in a religious society. Even though there is a threat of rape, none is shown, but even going to a "Hush Hush" party can lead to being called a "slut." The narrative moves along quickly with plenty of tension as Stella tries to hide her illicit activities and also try to figure out if Sister Helen's death was a murder and learn about the "real world" Sister Laura speaks of. While the premise feels a bit familiar and overly simplistic, it was an exciting dystopian read.