A review by gabibrose
Outlawed by Anna North

adventurous emotional funny reflective fast-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

A fiercely feminist, action-packed Western was something I didn’t know I needed until I read Anna North’s Outlawed. Set in an alternate America in the year 1894, our teenage heroine Ada is forced to flee the safety of home when she is unable to become pregnant after a year of marriage. In Outlawed’s reality, women are prided in society for their ability to bear children and hanged as witches if they prove to be barren. Ada finds solace by joining the infamous Hole in the Wall Gang - a group of outlaws pillaging their way across the land. Led by an enigmatic, nonbinary figure known as the Kid, the gang is compiled of women who, like Ada, were ousted from their communities due to their inability to conform to societal standards. The diverse band of outlaws features gender nonconforming and queer characters who aim to upheave and dismantle the patriarchy and fight for an equitable existence. 

North draws on the themes of race, relationship to religion, fertility, and gender roles/identity to craft a fully realized dystopian society. The pacing of the novel is quick and brimming with action that forces readers to continue turning the pages to find out which direction the plot will turn. If anything, I wish we could have spent more time getting to know the individual members of the gang, some of whom tended to blend together due to their similar backstories and quirks. As a whole, North’s clever ingenuity churns out a modern-day tale built on the foundation of a historical setting that feels both familiar and uniquely singular all at once. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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