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A review by liamliayaum
The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
5.0
Content warnings: attempted murder, misogyny, misogynoir, occult, investigator/police brutality, patriarchy, queerphobia, racism, sexism, witchcraft
This book is not for the faint of heart and is written to get under the skin with the various injustices and hate against women. While it is an allegory of our society, there are clear similarities that one cannot shy away from.
Jo, a Black bisexual woman, lives in a version of the United States where witches are real and convictions lead to death mainly by being burned alive. In Michigan, all women must either be married by 30 or registrar with the state to be monitored for witchcraft, essentially giving up their autonomy and freedoms. Jo is 28 and unsure of love but knows that marriage is the only way to still have control of her life and keep her job. She grew up under the shadow of her mother's disappearance, and that her mother was a witch. Being Black, bisexual, a woman, and having a mother who has been accused of witchcraft, Jo tries to abide by all the rules. But when a request in her mother's will sends her on a journey to a strange island, what will Jo find? Will she find love, the truth about her mother's disappearance, or the truth about magic and witches?
Even though the tone of this novel is dark and bone-chilling in that society could easily turn towards this open and blatant persecution of women, it was overall a wonderfully crafted alternative universe with rich discussions on major topics and the intersection of them within society. The magic system was thought and realistic with the right balance of real and fantasy. The pilgrimage to the small island in Lake Superior (somewhere off the coast near Marquette) was a welcome respite in the otherwise heart heavy prose. The island itself was just stunning and magical.
There were so many good nuggets for musing in this book. One of my favorites, and is most certainly applicable to the current ways of the world, is: "They confirmed what I knew I needed affirmed again: anything can make sense to a person as long as it helps them feel powerful." page 220.
Despite all the darkness, I just loved this book and didn't want it to end. I'm looking forward to reading more of Giddings' work in the future. Also, a plus one for being set in Michigan.
This book is not for the faint of heart and is written to get under the skin with the various injustices and hate against women. While it is an allegory of our society, there are clear similarities that one cannot shy away from.
Jo, a Black bisexual woman, lives in a version of the United States where witches are real and convictions lead to death mainly by being burned alive. In Michigan, all women must either be married by 30 or registrar with the state to be monitored for witchcraft, essentially giving up their autonomy and freedoms. Jo is 28 and unsure of love but knows that marriage is the only way to still have control of her life and keep her job. She grew up under the shadow of her mother's disappearance, and that her mother was a witch. Being Black, bisexual, a woman, and having a mother who has been accused of witchcraft, Jo tries to abide by all the rules. But when a request in her mother's will sends her on a journey to a strange island, what will Jo find? Will she find love, the truth about her mother's disappearance, or the truth about magic and witches?
Even though the tone of this novel is dark and bone-chilling in that society could easily turn towards this open and blatant persecution of women, it was overall a wonderfully crafted alternative universe with rich discussions on major topics and the intersection of them within society. The magic system was thought and realistic with the right balance of real and fantasy. The pilgrimage to the small island in Lake Superior (somewhere off the coast near Marquette) was a welcome respite in the otherwise heart heavy prose. The island itself was just stunning and magical.
There were so many good nuggets for musing in this book. One of my favorites, and is most certainly applicable to the current ways of the world, is: "They confirmed what I knew I needed affirmed again: anything can make sense to a person as long as it helps them feel powerful." page 220.
Despite all the darkness, I just loved this book and didn't want it to end. I'm looking forward to reading more of Giddings' work in the future. Also, a plus one for being set in Michigan.