Reviews

This novel is unmistakably a product of 1970s second-wave feminism. It's a fascinating speculative look at how austerity programmes can be weaponized against women. Given that feminist dystopia seems to be having a moment, with about a book a second being compared to The Handmaid's Tale, I am rather surprised that this novel isn't more widely-read and considered a classic of the genre. It's true that this particular imaginary world doesn't really pay attention to the ways government policies might effect women of colour differently (although it is important to note that the cast of characters is not entirely white, and WoC play pivotal roles in the narrative), and there are some descriptions of skin colour that are a little fetishistic. But the attention to class and sexuality is impressive. Like The Handmaid's Tale (come on, the comparison is inevitable), the dystopia of this novel is based on reproductive control of women - but in a very different way. I've never seen a dystopia pay such attention to bureaucratic structures. A very interesting novel - and one that seems relevant though we've now lived through the decades it depicts.

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