Blue Ticket: A Novel

In a dystopian world, women go through a lottery to determine their fate: randomly select a blue ticket and you receive a career and freedom, or choose a white ticket and become a wife and mother. Once you take your ticket, there’s no going back. When her time comes, Calla gets a blue ticket, much to her relief. But years later, she accidentally becomes pregnant and realizes that she wants to make her own choice. Her fight for survival––and her baby’s survival––will cause her to question everything she knows.

Sophie Mackintosh proved herself to be a master of feminist literature with The Water Cure, and she cements that reputation with Blue Ticket. The novel’s haunting tone drives home questions about choice, femininity, and autonomy, while also crafting a complex plot. Calla herself feels one-dimensional at times, but as we follow along on her journey, she becomes more alive. Blue Ticket is a heavy read despite its short length, and while I think The Water Cure remains Mackintosh’s best work, I am excited to read the stories that come next.