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A review by poppyjessica
Femlandia by Christina Dalcher
3.0
Whilst 'Vox' and 'Q' are dark and disturbing portrayals of human nature, they are solid dystopian novels which I rather enjoyed. With 'Femlandia', Christine Dalcher has gone one step further is trying to leave her reader deeply unsettled and questioning everything they believe about human nature. The main plot line is an interesting premise, but I warn you now that, by the end, this novel strays to a bizarre place which does not feel as enjoyable as Dalcher's other novels.
We are introduced to Miranda and her daughter Emma as the world (for some unexplained reason) has fallen into debt and chaos. Supermarkets are low on food, electricity and running water are a distant memory, and people are either killing each other or themselves. Rather than face the danger of this grim reality, Miranda and Emma seek refuge in a local 'feminist' commune, Femlandia. These, as established through flashbacks, were founded by Win, Miranda's mother. What appears to be a safe paradise for broken women clearly has some dark things bubbling under the surface...
All in all, the premise is solid and we have some interesting characters in the mix. I thought the flashbacks to Win's formative years and the abusive treatment which shaped her, were particularly well written. Even if she experienced some horrific things, Win becomes an awful villain, a vile person amongst a generally awful cast of characters. The very end is clever, and makes society feel like a grim cycle of misogyny. It is just a shame that the plot on the way there is... bizarre!
3 stars for Dalcher's latest work. Fingers crossed we have a better return to form in her next novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We are introduced to Miranda and her daughter Emma as the world (for some unexplained reason) has fallen into debt and chaos. Supermarkets are low on food, electricity and running water are a distant memory, and people are either killing each other or themselves. Rather than face the danger of this grim reality, Miranda and Emma seek refuge in a local 'feminist' commune, Femlandia. These, as established through flashbacks, were founded by Win, Miranda's mother. What appears to be a safe paradise for broken women clearly has some dark things bubbling under the surface...
All in all, the premise is solid and we have some interesting characters in the mix. I thought the flashbacks to Win's formative years and the abusive treatment which shaped her, were particularly well written. Even if she experienced some horrific things, Win becomes an awful villain, a vile person amongst a generally awful cast of characters. The very end is clever, and makes society feel like a grim cycle of misogyny. It is just a shame that the plot on the way there is... bizarre!
3 stars for Dalcher's latest work. Fingers crossed we have a better return to form in her next novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.