Amy Ewing’s, The Jewel is a novel that incorporates the pregnancy epidemic in The Handmaid’s Tale with the extraordinary abilities from those gifted in the infamously dystopian world of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. As dark as it is to say, I liked the concept, first proposed in Margaret Atwood’s novel, it was interesting and dark and somehow riveting. So when I saw this book, I knew I had to have it. And I really liked this one.
This is a world that oppresses its women. There’s even a part where the highest ranking lady, The Electress mentions that there are different ways to make her change her husband’s mind, clearly referencing her body as a currency. So even the most highly respected woman has to stoop low and demean herself to get anywhere in this world. But again this intrigued me more because this makes rebellion and war even more likely to happen. More growth and empowerment should be abound!! And that’s what this book is all about. The main character (MC) Violet Lasting is done with this arbitrary and patriarchal system. At every turn she tries to rebel, even if it’s slight, she knows that she’s doing everything she can to stop it. And I liked that. Her character is exactly what you expect.
“Slowly, I straighten up, square my shoulders, and glare at her. I hardly feel the pain. It doesn’t matter. I will take the duchess hitting me a thousand times. Because she can’t truly hurt me anymore.”
She is a girl who dreams of more and knows that the world is not right. She is not blinded by the silk or the luxury that surrounds her new home, The Jewel. The point is that this is a MC that I can get behind. She’s not dumb or blinded by the blatant lie that she has been told.
The Smoke, The Marsh and The Bank all have no idea that all the Jewel is, is leashes and collars, slaps and shouts, silks and gowns. There are cracks in any network and in this one its Lucien and his newest recruit is no other than Violet herself. To many she is known as Lot 197, no longer Violet and told not to acknowledge her past, she is saved by Lucien because of her likeness to his sister. This leads me to my next point.
There is so much backstory in this book and it’s incredible. Not many books, and especially dystopians cover much of the past as they are too busy trying to change the future. But here we see the immensely thought out pasts of the main players and I really liked that. I appreciated the care in which their stories were crafted and how much they mattered to their motives in the present. It helped get into their minds without having to read in their perspective. It was clever.
“I look up and meet a pair of gray-green eyes, no longer soft but blazing. Ash doesn’t look away, and neither do I. His gaze is fierce, and open, and it makes me feel alive. He isn’t looking at a surrogate—he’s looking at me.”
Now let’s move on to the romance because there are tons and I promise you this love story is a sweet one.
Although there is a case of mistaken identity when they meet, it fades immediately after the mistake is realized. Ash looks at Violet like she’s a human being even despite everything telling him not to, he can’t help it. He’s the male equivalent of a surrogate, a companion. He helps train young ladies looking for marriage, helping them get suitable offers from respectable suitors and eases them into the new dynamic. He’s perfect for Violet because they can bond on a high emotional level that draws from their similar lives. He’s just as trapped. I really liked this relationship despite it being a case of insta-love. They also bonded over their mutual love of music.
“Violet, if you had webbed feet and a third eye, I’d still want to be with you. And it’s not as if I’m unaware of your…position in this house.’ I roll my eyes. ‘Did they teach you how to be euphemistic in companion school, or is it a natural ability?”
Despite their horrible situations they can still laugh and make light-hearted jokes together. These two are meant for each other. They are adorable!
This book had a lot of zingers in it too. First being Ash’s unfortunate secret where the ladies of the daughters he’s helping take a “special interest” in him, the second being that childbirth kills the surrogate, thirdly and what I found most shocking was Garnet’s involvement in Lucien’s organization against the Jewel.
A lot was not what it seemed and that just made this book even better than first proposed. I’m still reeling from that ending which was both shocking as it was awkward. Having someone walk in while you’re ‘indisposed’ is probably one of the worst endings, especially when it’s forbidden (which this one was!). Multiple lives hang in the balance after this book and it definitely leaves you wanting the next one!