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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So horrible you can’t really stop reading. Some of the content is very dark and the book is very capable of challenging ideas such as utopias/the patriarchy/feminism. I appreciated how it was wrapped up and the twist of irony at the end.
Cleverly done though sometimes clunky and rushed in places (hence the 4.5 stars). And the main character is not the most likeable (and very similar to Dalcher’s other protagonists).
Definitely my favourite of her books
Cleverly done though sometimes clunky and rushed in places (hence the 4.5 stars). And the main character is not the most likeable (and very similar to Dalcher’s other protagonists).
Definitely my favourite of her books
adventurous
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Much like The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelass. Both predictable and not. I didn't feel for the MC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
CW: Sexual Assault, Violence, Abortion, Pregnancy, Implied underage sexual activity.
"They said a great depression would never happen again. I don't know what was so fucking great about it, but it happened a second time."
The United States have collapsed. The men in charge have led the world into economic and social collapse, and ran away to let the womyn pick up the pieces. Schools have stopped, there's not enough food being produced and the power is running out.
Miranda has lost everything - her job, her husband and even her home. And she can only think of one place she and her Daughter Emma might survive - Femlandia. Isolated colonies exclusively for womyn who live outside the influence of men in a seemingly idyllic paradise. And she wants to believe that, but considering everything she knows about the founder, she's worried that the suffering she's experienced outside of femlandia's walls might be nothing compared to what she finds inside.
"I read somewhere that everyone's utopia is someone else's dystopia."
Dalcher has yet again managed to create a world so terrifying that it feels it could really happen. Finding the line where anger turns revenge, and showing just how easy it can be to fall into radicalism and extremism especially if you've been a victim in the past. The powers-that-be in Femlandia are not feminists - they're misandrists - and it provides anxiety-inducing questions for the reader to try and navigate.
This story jumps into the wasteland of society right away and doesn't let up, and this is definitely not one for the faint-hearted. Full of tension and terror, I was definitely gripped from the start and found myself desperate to know not only how the world had fallen so far but how Miranda was going to survive in this strange cult-like society.
Now, as much as the story itself I in a twisted way enjoyed reading, there were things that didn't sit right with me. Blatant transphobia and sexism to both men and women, and the complete lack of bodily autonomy and I tried to see these being from the points of views of the extremist characters but it just left me feeling uncomfortable for large portions of the story.
However, this speculative revenge fantasy is definitely one of those stories that will stay in your head whether you want it to or not.
"They said a great depression would never happen again. I don't know what was so fucking great about it, but it happened a second time."
The United States have collapsed. The men in charge have led the world into economic and social collapse, and ran away to let the womyn pick up the pieces. Schools have stopped, there's not enough food being produced and the power is running out.
Miranda has lost everything - her job, her husband and even her home. And she can only think of one place she and her Daughter Emma might survive - Femlandia. Isolated colonies exclusively for womyn who live outside the influence of men in a seemingly idyllic paradise. And she wants to believe that, but considering everything she knows about the founder, she's worried that the suffering she's experienced outside of femlandia's walls might be nothing compared to what she finds inside.
"I read somewhere that everyone's utopia is someone else's dystopia."
Dalcher has yet again managed to create a world so terrifying that it feels it could really happen. Finding the line where anger turns revenge, and showing just how easy it can be to fall into radicalism and extremism especially if you've been a victim in the past. The powers-that-be in Femlandia are not feminists - they're misandrists - and it provides anxiety-inducing questions for the reader to try and navigate.
This story jumps into the wasteland of society right away and doesn't let up, and this is definitely not one for the faint-hearted. Full of tension and terror, I was definitely gripped from the start and found myself desperate to know not only how the world had fallen so far but how Miranda was going to survive in this strange cult-like society.
Now, as much as the story itself I in a twisted way enjoyed reading, there were things that didn't sit right with me. Blatant transphobia and sexism to both men and women, and the complete lack of bodily autonomy and I tried to see these being from the points of views of the extremist characters but it just left me feeling uncomfortable for large portions of the story.
However, this speculative revenge fantasy is definitely one of those stories that will stay in your head whether you want it to or not.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I rarely give one star reviews because if I'm not enjoying a book that much I normally just don't finish it..but the premise of this book kept me going, but it never hit the spot for me.
I didn't feel like the book knew exactly what it was going for - was the message like 'the power', that we all have the capability of violence and evil if given the chance/power to do so? or was it condoning an you can do evil if you've had evil done to you message? I think it was going for the first... but to me it felt clumsily handled and never quite hit home with its point. (and I tend to think dystopias have to have a point)
Aside from the message, I found the characters a bit flimsy - I see alot of other reviewers haven't liked the protagonist, I personally didn't have an issue with her, but all the side characters baffled me. The mother who ends up having a relationship with her 'i wish you were my daughter' or the women who'd given up sons and not one had put up a fight just felt too off kilter to me.
There's also a bizarre bit of transphobia in there which I couldn't figure out... it's said by someone you're meant to dislike so no maybe it was on purpose, but again it doesn't go anywhere/get questioned again and I found that unpalatable.
The ending I found a bit mimicking of the hand maids tale, and although it picks up the interesting concept of the book again - it wasn't enough to raise my opinion of the writing/plot in general.
I didn't feel like the book knew exactly what it was going for - was the message like 'the power', that we all have the capability of violence and evil if given the chance/power to do so? or was it condoning an you can do evil if you've had evil done to you message? I think it was going for the first... but to me it felt clumsily handled and never quite hit home with its point. (and I tend to think dystopias have to have a point)
Aside from the message, I found the characters a bit flimsy - I see alot of other reviewers haven't liked the protagonist, I personally didn't have an issue with her, but all the side characters baffled me. The mother who ends up having a relationship with her 'i wish you were my daughter' or the women who'd given up sons and not one had put up a fight just felt too off kilter to me.
There's also a bizarre bit of transphobia in there which I couldn't figure out... it's said by someone you're meant to dislike so no maybe it was on purpose, but again it doesn't go anywhere/get questioned again and I found that unpalatable.
The ending I found a bit mimicking of the hand maids tale, and although it picks up the interesting concept of the book again - it wasn't enough to raise my opinion of the writing/plot in general.
Wow! Another thought-provoking cracker from Christina Dalcher! Set in a world not far from now, a massive depression has set in and our protagonist has to make her way to a women's only commune set up by her mother with whom she is estranged. Femlandia however is not everything it seems. If you like your dystopia novels dark and twisty, this is the one for you!