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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
The Farm felt stagnant. I had high hopes for this, but it landed short of the premise, which reeled me in. The "twist" at the end fell flat, and I think it was due to the character perspective it was told from. The Farm is told in multiple perspectives: two hosts, the creator of the Farm, and the woman taking care of a Host's child. The twist was told from the least interesting perspective of it, from the perspective of the person who already knew about it and we did not see the reactions of the characters who would feel the ramifications of it. There were moments of brilliance, moments of meaning, and other moments that felt removed from the emotion.
The Farm is about impoverished women working as surrogates to wealthy families at a place called Golden Oaks. In many ways this story felt like a modern sister of The Handmaid’s Tale in the way that women in the story lose control of their body and other choices. I connected with the characters and the impossible choices they needed to make to survive and support their family. This books raises a lot of timely ethical questions and leaves the reader thinking about what they’d do in these situations. I enjoyed the alternate perspective story. The ending felt abrupt and I was hoping for more, but overall I enjoyed this thought provoking story.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Mixed feelings about this one. Modern slavery - I wouldn't say things are resolved in the end or that jane is necessarily better off, although she has become more assertive. More later.
I enjoyed this book. The story was original and well-developed. With statements made on immigration, parenthood, gender roles, and class, this is an intriguing debut. It kept my interest and I was eager to see how it ended.
I REALLY want to tag this with a "fantasy" or "dystopia" label but I can't.
The Farm is an imaginary (but oh so realistic) place where young women are well paid to be surrogates for the incredibly wealthy. Perhaps those who can't carry a child to term or can't conceive. But, sometimes, for those wealthy enough to just not want to hurt their figures.
In any case, we are introduced to a beautifully well done cast of characters - most of them women of color. Jane - single mom with a newborn from the Philippines. Circumstances of life bring her to the Farm as a Host. Ate - her elderly cousin. A work ethic so strong with a heartbreaking reason. She suggests the Farm to Jane. Mae - the woman who runs the Farm. Beautiful and ambitious all her own. Reagan - a young white woman, also a Host.
The interactions between these characters are funny, heart breaking, and so very realistic.
The entire story begs questions to be asked of what it means to be a mother - and what a mother will do for her children.
The Farm is an imaginary (but oh so realistic) place where young women are well paid to be surrogates for the incredibly wealthy. Perhaps those who can't carry a child to term or can't conceive. But, sometimes, for those wealthy enough to just not want to hurt their figures.
In any case, we are introduced to a beautifully well done cast of characters - most of them women of color. Jane - single mom with a newborn from the Philippines. Circumstances of life bring her to the Farm as a Host. Ate - her elderly cousin. A work ethic so strong with a heartbreaking reason. She suggests the Farm to Jane. Mae - the woman who runs the Farm. Beautiful and ambitious all her own. Reagan - a young white woman, also a Host.
The interactions between these characters are funny, heart breaking, and so very realistic.
The entire story begs questions to be asked of what it means to be a mother - and what a mother will do for her children.
This book is wonderful. It makes me think a lot about class and economic divides and race and culture and family and emotional misunderstandings. I love how it makes me question what would I be willing to do, endure, risk for the person/people I love most in life?
Despite the time it took me to finish, this is a quick read. I read the last half in an evening.
I hope Ramos writes more because I will read it.
Despite the time it took me to finish, this is a quick read. I read the last half in an evening.
I hope Ramos writes more because I will read it.
Very interesting commentary on the intersection of race, family and outsourcing work typically performed by family. This is not a book I would recommend to highly conservative readers as there is quite a bit of language and a couple of scenes which depict ‘promiscuous’ sexual encounters.