Review of The Shutouts: A Novel by Gabrielle Korn
From the very moment I stumbled upon Gabrielle Korn’s The Shutouts, I felt a magnetic pull. The blend of a queer dystopian landscape with the high-stakes adventure of women navigating a perilous society felt both timely and necessary. In a world where climate change is omnipresent and political tensions simmer, I was eager to dive into this poignant tale that promises to interrogate the very fabric of our evolving world.
Set against the increasingly unforgiving backdrop of 2041—marked by storms and wildfires—Korn’s narrative follows two mothers, Kelly and Ava, each grappling with their own haunting regrets and desperate hopes. Kelly’s perilous journey to reunite with her daughter whom she left seven years ago for a cause now shrouded in doubt is emotional enough to draw tears, highlighting the sacrifices women make. Meanwhile, Ava and her daughter Brook’s frantic escape from the clutches of a forsaken "climate change relief program" reveals a chilling glimpse into what happens when survival becomes commodified. The stark juxtaposition of their stories offers a rich tapestry of interconnected tales—a hallmark of Korn’s storytelling.
What struck me most were the intricate character relationships and their shared sense of resilience. Ava and Brook’s dynamic, rooted in love but marred by their traumatic past, resonated like a mirror reflecting our contemporary struggles for connection amidst chaos. The novel reminds us that in a world seeking to shut us out, our families and the communities we create become our lifeline.
Korn’s writing style kept me engaged, effortlessly weaving back and forth through timelines while introducing various narrative techniques, including letters—an element that I initially found peculiar but grew to appreciate. It added depth and emotional resonance, allowing me to feel as if I were inside the characters’ minds, experiencing their inner turmoil directly. Each letter was like a heartbeat, connecting past and present, pulling on the reader’s heartstrings.
A memorable passage that encapsulates the novel’s heartbeat for me was when one character mused, "What if being ‘inside’ was never the answer?" It made me reflect not only on the world Korn has constructed but on the barriers we often erect around ourselves. The notion that intimacy and community can flourish in harsh conditions left me with a bittersweet hope.
As I turned the final pages—each filled with intrigue and unexpected twists—I felt a profound sense of reflection. The Shutouts holds a mirror to our current trajectory, prompting readers to question not only how we deal with societal collapse but also our roles within it. As noted by a fellow reader, the book goes beyond being merely dystopian; it engages with the delicate threads of feminism, community, and survival.
I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking dystopian fiction, particularly readers intrigued by themes of queerness, climate change, and the complexities of motherhood and resilience. There’s a certain type of magic in Korn’s world that prompts one to ponder the strength of connection—even when faced with the bleakest realities. At its core, The Shutouts is a reminder that hope can flicker brightly against even the darkest of backdrops, and I, for one, am grateful to have journeyed through its pages.
You can find The Shutouts: A Novel here >>