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tlctbr's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining, but I have so many unanswered questions...
hidrnick's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
3.0
Well that was a disturbing read. Gather the Daughters is told from the point of view of several girls living on an island in what can only be described as a cult. The girls believe something happened in the wastelands in the past which means they must stay on their island, living their life the way the ancestors wanted. There is a lot that is not explicit in Jennie's writing but it's clear early on that the girls are being lied to.
In some ways, their rules are logical to preserve a community on an isolated island, but others will just leave you thinking that the ancestors must have left the wastelands to create a place where paedophiles could thrive. The psychological power of cults and domestic abuse is the only thing stopping the disbelief that the mothers would allow it. The women are all victims, they fear having daughters because they know what will happen.
Girls are married off the summer after their first period, when they are suitable for breeding. They have a summer of fruition by the end of which they will be married off, some already pregnant. The younger children are cast out during this time, living wild on the island for the summer. When a couple's daughters are married off and have their own children, they can only live for as long as the husband can work. When they are no longer of use, both take the final draft, solving the problem that would be caused by an aging population without healthcare.
The island is showing the signs of a decreasing gene pool, with more and more "defectives" born. The girls are told they can't choose a husband with the same second name, obviously because of the consequences of in-breeding. More insidious is the shalt not that forbids touching of girls after they have started bleeding and before their summer of fruition, implying that prepubescent girls are being sexually abused. The shalt not is there to prevent babies born out of incest.
The girls don't know any better and it's heartbreaking and difficult reading. They are the property of their fathers and must do whatever they want. They love their fathers, they want to be good daughters. Couples are only allowed two children and there's no birth control, so after the second it is assumed that the men must find their pleasures elsewhere so not to break the rules. It's sickening. Note, if you're going to start an island community, make sure to take men that can control themselves.
Some people question the ways, even small things like asking for the girls to be older before marriage, or their husbands to be the same age. But these people seem to conveniently die of illness or mishap. Janey, one of the girls the story follows, is starving herself to stop her period from starting. Another girl, Amanda, is pregnant with her first child. When she finds out it's going to be a girl she starts to think it would be better to take their chances in the wastelands.
I think the idea is well executed but I can't really say I enjoyed this book. The undertones of sexual abuse were a bit too much and there wasn't an abundance of hope for the girls. At the least, it will make you appreciate being a woman in the here and now.
Review copy provided by publisher.
In some ways, their rules are logical to preserve a community on an isolated island, but others will just leave you thinking that the ancestors must have left the wastelands to create a place where paedophiles could thrive. The psychological power of cults and domestic abuse is the only thing stopping the disbelief that the mothers would allow it. The women are all victims, they fear having daughters because they know what will happen.
Girls are married off the summer after their first period, when they are suitable for breeding. They have a summer of fruition by the end of which they will be married off, some already pregnant. The younger children are cast out during this time, living wild on the island for the summer. When a couple's daughters are married off and have their own children, they can only live for as long as the husband can work. When they are no longer of use, both take the final draft, solving the problem that would be caused by an aging population without healthcare.
The island is showing the signs of a decreasing gene pool, with more and more "defectives" born. The girls are told they can't choose a husband with the same second name, obviously because of the consequences of in-breeding. More insidious is the shalt not that forbids touching of girls after they have started bleeding and before their summer of fruition, implying that prepubescent girls are being sexually abused. The shalt not is there to prevent babies born out of incest.
The girls don't know any better and it's heartbreaking and difficult reading. They are the property of their fathers and must do whatever they want. They love their fathers, they want to be good daughters. Couples are only allowed two children and there's no birth control, so after the second it is assumed that the men must find their pleasures elsewhere so not to break the rules. It's sickening. Note, if you're going to start an island community, make sure to take men that can control themselves.
Some people question the ways, even small things like asking for the girls to be older before marriage, or their husbands to be the same age. But these people seem to conveniently die of illness or mishap. Janey, one of the girls the story follows, is starving herself to stop her period from starting. Another girl, Amanda, is pregnant with her first child. When she finds out it's going to be a girl she starts to think it would be better to take their chances in the wastelands.
I think the idea is well executed but I can't really say I enjoyed this book. The undertones of sexual abuse were a bit too much and there wasn't an abundance of hope for the girls. At the least, it will make you appreciate being a woman in the here and now.
Review copy provided by publisher.
leyleylena's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
stephaniealysse's review against another edition
4.0
This book is not for everyone. It's disturbing and raw, and it comes with a TW for pretty much everything. Parts of this book were very difficult to read; yet, they felt necessary. Stories of abuse are gritty and awful. But they need to be told. They need to be told again and again and again.
cseibs's review against another edition
1.0
There should be a disclaimer on books about incest. Not a trigger warning per se but just a heads up because I felt it was pretty deceptive to say this was a "coming of age story" when it really was all rape and incest. And as far as I could tell rape and incest without a purpose. There were too many plot holes and inconsistencies to make the flaws forgivable. I still don't know what message Melamed is trying to send by having the one daughter who was obedient and didn't rebel survive and get away. And it seems almost disingenuous to make it Vanessa's story in the end when it really was Janey's and Amanda's stories throughout. Icky and pointless.
theangrystackrat's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and Child abuse
omgbiscoffspread's review against another edition
4.0
The subject matter is undeniably horrifying. There is religious extremism, a society based on fathers raping their daughters, a lack of modern medicine leads to death in childbirth and plagues, and a very real option for one character to preserve her freedom is starvation. On the surface this seems like a book I would not enjoy. I absolutely loved it. The language is so rich, melodious, it paints such a picture of the island as almost another character. There is such symbolism, from mud to blood and sand and seafoam... I couldn't put it down, even when god-awful things were happening. I highly recommend it to the reader who can handle bleakness if the beauty of the writing makes up for it.
deedralapray's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this ARC at TLA in April. I have one word for this one....Haunting! It's quite disturbing, but something I just couldn't put down. There hints of The Giver, but with aspects of society I could have never dreamed up. The summer of the children was intriguing. The roles of the daughters was sickening.
The writing was poetic. There were beautiful descriptions of horrific things.
The writing was poetic. There were beautiful descriptions of horrific things.