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A review by rorikae
Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
'Womb City' by Tlotlo Tsamaase is a deeply reflective sci-fi book that delves into systems of power in a future Botswana.
Nelah lives in a world where people's consciousness can be transferred into new bodies, allowing for far longer lifespans. She has been moved into a new body but one that is carefully monitored thanks to the microchip embedded within it. Despite this, she is successful, married, and looking to start a family. But more is brewing under the surface. She seeks pleasure outside of marriage and on a night out with the man she is having an affair with, a terrible accident occurs. Reeling from the events of that night, Nelah begins to see the ghost of the woman they wronged. Fleeing from what happened, she starts to unravel the truth of her city and what lies beneath.
Tsamaase has created a cast of deeply flawed characters that aren't always the easiest to root for. Despite this, the futuristic world and the mysteries that surround it kept me engaged throughout. This is a fascinating and terrifying society, as you learn more about it. Tsamaase touches on a number of subjects from pregnancy and criminality to misogyny and autonomy. There are so many aspects to this book that it can be overwhelming at times. I think the author may have tried to cram a bit too much in (in themes and in plot points) but overall, I was engaged and interested to see what happens. I believe this is a debut and I cannot wait to see what this author does next. Their world building and themes are fascinating and I'm interested to see how this is developed further in future works.
Nelah lives in a world where people's consciousness can be transferred into new bodies, allowing for far longer lifespans. She has been moved into a new body but one that is carefully monitored thanks to the microchip embedded within it. Despite this, she is successful, married, and looking to start a family. But more is brewing under the surface. She seeks pleasure outside of marriage and on a night out with the man she is having an affair with, a terrible accident occurs. Reeling from the events of that night, Nelah begins to see the ghost of the woman they wronged. Fleeing from what happened, she starts to unravel the truth of her city and what lies beneath.
Tsamaase has created a cast of deeply flawed characters that aren't always the easiest to root for. Despite this, the futuristic world and the mysteries that surround it kept me engaged throughout. This is a fascinating and terrifying society, as you learn more about it. Tsamaase touches on a number of subjects from pregnancy and criminality to misogyny and autonomy. There are so many aspects to this book that it can be overwhelming at times. I think the author may have tried to cram a bit too much in (in themes and in plot points) but overall, I was engaged and interested to see what happens. I believe this is a debut and I cannot wait to see what this author does next. Their world building and themes are fascinating and I'm interested to see how this is developed further in future works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Body horror, Misogyny, Car accident, Violence, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexism, Death, Murder, Blood, Toxic relationship, and Infidelity
Moderate: Rape