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A review by lostinagoodbook
The Book of Flora by Meg Elison
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley in return for an un-biased review.
You should know before starting this book that it is the third book in a trilogy that really needs to be read in order to completely understand what is going on. Both books are excellent and you won’t be sorry if you pick up all three.
The first book follows the story of the original Unnamed Midwife, a woman traveling a post-apocalyptic world where women have become extremely rare. As a result, women are commodified. It gets bleak, believe me. The Midwife, a former nurse, tries to make sense of the world, keeping herself safe, and helping other women when she can.
Book two, beginning roughly a hundred years after the Midwife’s story, follows Etta, a queer, black woman who acts as a raider. She searches the detritus of our world for items that can be of use to people in her town, and saving captive women whenever possible. One of those women is the main character of book three.
Shortly after I read book two I heard about the title of this third book and I was ecstatic. Flora is a fascinating character. She is a trans woman living in this hellscape who has maintained a caring a gentle spirit. No mean feat I tell you that. I needed to know more about her, where she came from, how she came to the town where she met Etta in book two.
Book three opens shortly following the events of book two. The world of these books has devolved into a virtual hellscape over the years. All of the women’s stories are full of suffering, but their strength shines through. None of these three are women to be trifled with. They are indomitable, but not untouchable. I really enjoyed getting to know these women, and seeing how society would progress as time progressed. Would things get better or worse? I can’t tell you, but I’m happy with how it finally ended.
The author certainly has a lot to say about the treatment of women and LGBTQ women in particular. It is a refreshing perspective for what can be at times a tired genre. I’m looking forward to more books from this author in the future now that this trilogy is ended.
You should know before starting this book that it is the third book in a trilogy that really needs to be read in order to completely understand what is going on. Both books are excellent and you won’t be sorry if you pick up all three.
The first book follows the story of the original Unnamed Midwife, a woman traveling a post-apocalyptic world where women have become extremely rare. As a result, women are commodified. It gets bleak, believe me. The Midwife, a former nurse, tries to make sense of the world, keeping herself safe, and helping other women when she can.
Book two, beginning roughly a hundred years after the Midwife’s story, follows Etta, a queer, black woman who acts as a raider. She searches the detritus of our world for items that can be of use to people in her town, and saving captive women whenever possible. One of those women is the main character of book three.
Shortly after I read book two I heard about the title of this third book and I was ecstatic. Flora is a fascinating character. She is a trans woman living in this hellscape who has maintained a caring a gentle spirit. No mean feat I tell you that. I needed to know more about her, where she came from, how she came to the town where she met Etta in book two.
Book three opens shortly following the events of book two. The world of these books has devolved into a virtual hellscape over the years. All of the women’s stories are full of suffering, but their strength shines through. None of these three are women to be trifled with. They are indomitable, but not untouchable. I really enjoyed getting to know these women, and seeing how society would progress as time progressed. Would things get better or worse? I can’t tell you, but I’m happy with how it finally ended.
The author certainly has a lot to say about the treatment of women and LGBTQ women in particular. It is a refreshing perspective for what can be at times a tired genre. I’m looking forward to more books from this author in the future now that this trilogy is ended.