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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
As someone who has had VOX sat on her kindle for too long, when I saw Femlandia on Borrow Box, it was a no brainer to give it a go.
Oh boy, was I wrong.
This book completely missed the mark for me, I wasn't into it at all, and I pushed through thinking this has to get better, but it didn't. The tone of the narration was cliched and predictable, Dalcher was building suspense but for no reason, it kept pointing to things that we knew about and honestly it gets boring very quickly. It felt very YA and lacked links through the key themes - I found the characters unlikeable and cringey, and honestly would not re-read or recommend.
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a really interesting concept - but I felt like the pacing was a bit off? I get that we needed to understand the extend and horror of the economic collapse, but I think that took up too much space at the extent of a satisfying arc about Femlandia, without ever explaining how the collapse happened and how or whether it is men's fault. I also wonder if there were just too many rich details squeezed in - I wanted to slow down and sink into elements, but we kept racing ahead. The dark twists were predictable, and the epilogue was deeply unsatisfying - there was no sense of how we got from the end of chapter 78 to the epilogue, it was a wild leap, and also seems to undo half the message of the book in a very contradictory way?
It feels like a really interesting idea but just not terribly well executed, with some red flags that make me worry this isn't the kind of feminism I'm interested in supporting. The idea and the concept of cults kept me interested, rather than the story or writing.
****spoilers****
The epilogue seems to contradict the idea that misogyny and patriarchy is taught/nature, rather than innate and nurture. The second you have men, raised in a female-led community, they raise up in charge and overpower the women? And are misogynistic?
Also, it feels a bit disquieting to me to have transphobic characters and just leave it at that without those views being challenged or really explored - like someone said 'what about trans and non-binary people' and the author made the powerful characters transphobic to avoid having to meaningfully engage with the complexities and non-binary nature of gender.
It feels like a really interesting idea but just not terribly well executed, with some red flags that make me worry this isn't the kind of feminism I'm interested in supporting. The idea and the concept of cults kept me interested, rather than the story or writing.
****spoilers****
Also, it feels a bit disquieting to me to have transphobic characters and just leave it at that without those views being challenged or really explored - like someone said 'what about trans and non-binary people' and the author made the powerful characters transphobic to avoid having to meaningfully engage with the complexities and non-binary nature of gender.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Transphobia
A strong premise, I wanted to enjoy this book. But, to begin with, the protagonist/narrator is extremely unlikeable. The plot became progressively worse as the book continued. This book is like if #NotAllMen was a novel, but with an absurdly cruel ‘twist’ thrown in to prove the point. (Plus, all of the ‘twists’ are laughably obvious anyway.)
Do not recommend.
Do not recommend.
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
An early 2000s sci-fi flop. (3/5).
⠀
Okay, so a big criticism on how binary Dalcher painted gender identity. Sometimes, I felt that she was supporting this harmful concept, versus it solely being the belief system of her fictional characters—which otherwise would have been more appropriate given the plot. Very risky for ignorant readers to be exposed to flawed information.⠀
⠀
However, I can praise how it evoked an early 2000s sci-fi series—despite being published in 2021. High action and sharp emphasis on societal systems and dystopia. This style didn’t appear intentional, but I’ll give it points.
⠀
Okay, so a big criticism on how binary Dalcher painted gender identity. Sometimes, I felt that she was supporting this harmful concept, versus it solely being the belief system of her fictional characters—which otherwise would have been more appropriate given the plot. Very risky for ignorant readers to be exposed to flawed information.⠀
⠀
However, I can praise how it evoked an early 2000s sci-fi series—despite being published in 2021. High action and sharp emphasis on societal systems and dystopia. This style didn’t appear intentional, but I’ll give it points.
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
The only reason I didn't give up very quickly on this was because I'm on an island for 6 weeks and have a limited amount of books with me
I've not been writing reviews lately just leaving stars but thus needs some explanation as a 1 star... being forced to be generous
After looking at other reviews now I've ditched Vox off my home tbr. I recall dithering in the charity shop about whether to get Vox or not but now know I have no interest in thus authors work
*spoilers* of you can spoil something so predictable
Credit where credit is due I did laugh out loud at one point. Probably not what the writer was aiming for but the I'm not a doctor but I do practice yoga was just so mumsnet
I've not been writing reviews lately just leaving stars but thus needs some explanation as a 1 star... being forced to be generous
After looking at other reviews now I've ditched Vox off my home tbr. I recall dithering in the charity shop about whether to get Vox or not but now know I have no interest in thus authors work
*spoilers* of you can spoil something so predictable
Credit where credit is due I did laugh out loud at one point. Probably not what the writer was aiming for but the I'm not a doctor but I do practice yoga was just so mumsnet