>>28241
I hadn't thought about the Doclett utopia before until you mentioned it, but I agree. A lot of stories portray this world as either a perfect Utopia without crime or anything particularly negative or as a perfect dystopia where women are terrified for their lives. This might be the first story that I can recall that paints a more real world with both sides. Though we haven't heard much about the darker districts, it does mean something that it was mentioned at all. Personally, I hope the protagonists never end up there.

For your theory crafting, I think Number 2 is most likely. Stephanie is currently unable to fill her wifely duty of bearing children, and a potential new wife has already been introduced in the role of Carina.

However, I'm also really looking forward to seeing the role the father plays in the story. In a typical Dolcett story, Stephanie would have been discarded years ago. The fact that she's been happily married for at least 12 years (Natalie's age) and is a successful writer lends some merit to them sticking together. Oh, any while women might be excited about becoming meat, there's the possibility that the father might be disappointed in losing his only child. If this is the case, then Carina's role changes and theory 4 might seem more likely.

There's also the slight possibility that since the divorce ritual is a thing and marrying your offspring is not uncommon, that Dad and Natalie get together, especially if Natalie happens to get pregnant when Stephanie no longer seems able. Then that would probably be theory 3.

I think a lot hinges on the father here. But there are also several other characters we haven't even met yet, including the bride and groom so there's a lot of wriggle room on what might happen in the end and I'm ever so curious to see how it all turns out.