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A review by taliahsbookshelf
The Auction by Elci North

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 Wow. If you’re looking for a book that hits a little too close to home, but still with an element of “what if,” this is the one I’ll be recommending from here on out. With elements of the Handmaid’s Tale and 1984, The Auction is a deeply thought-provoking novel with dark themes and difficult stories. PLEASE check your content warnings before reading this book, as some themes may be triggering to readers. 

Set approximately 150 years into the future of the United States, the government has lost control of its finances, and in a frantic attempt to regain monetary power, it introduces the Auction. This system makes birth control illegal, abortion impossible, and punishments severe. Women become the ultimate baby incubators. Pregnant women are forced to marry the father of their child, regardless of how old they are or in cases of rape. This is the situation of 15-year-old Wendy, one of the main protagonists. 

“He raped me.” Ralph leaned forward and gazed into her eyes. “Then you should be arrested. Rape is an antique concept that multiple research studies debunked seventy-three years ago. Nonconsensual sex does not exist. The law recognizes that in all cases of sexual intercourse, the woman bears the responsibility of initiating the act by enticing a man to engage in the activity, either through words, actions, dress, demeanor, behavior, or proximity. Female behavior that pushes a man beyond his capacity to control himself makes him the victim, not a criminal.” (65)

When I was in school, I believed what the teachers taught us. ‘It’s the woman’s fault in all cases.’ Until it happened to me. I did nothing to lure this guy. I didn’t entice anyone. If he stole my purse, it would have been a crime. But raping me was my fault. (200)

Women are blamed for all sexual encounters, and are forced to pay the ultimate price for everything. Sometimes, the women wanted a child, as is the case of Millie, another one of the main protagonists. Millie and her husband have wanted a baby for 13 years, but she still ends up in the “pregnancy prisons” when her husband is in a severe car accident. Why? The government believes that disabled women (Millie is blind) have no capabilities to care for themselves, and even so, perpetuates the idea that women, even able-bodied women, are far inferior to men.

When babies are born, they’re torn from their mothers and put into the Auction, where couples are forced to bid at a minimum of $5,000 for a newborn baby. After becoming pregnant, women are forced to stop working until their last child turns 18, creating a circular system in which women are imprisoned. Even now, in cases of pregnancy, women in lower socioeconomic brackets and members of minority groups face a severe disadvantage to receiving healthcare, funding, and support. But the Auction takes this to an extreme.

I will say that at times, the writing style felt a bit off. There were certain chapters where the author’s voice didn’t feel as realistic as the rest of the book, but it didn’t distract enough from the overall story to be frustrating to read. This was a five-star read, through and through. But saying this was a good book? It’s difficult. This book is dark. It is hard. The material is rough. But it’s important. And important things are so very rarely easy.
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