The Testament of Jessie Lamb, By Jane Rogers

Rogers's first foray into science fiction was the surprise winner of this year's Arthur C Clarke Award.

Set in the near future, the novel introduces us to a world in which a deadly virus, Maternal Death Syndrome, is wiping out all pregnant women. Sixteen-year-old Jessie is determined to save humanity by volunteering herself for the sinisterly named Sleeping Beauties programme, a step which might cost her life. This is an Atwoodian exploration of new technologies and implications for womankind.