Femlandia - Christina Dalcher

A chilling look into an alternate near future where a woman and her daughter seek refuge in a women-only colony, only to find that the safe haven they were hoping for is the most dangerous place they could be.

Miranda Reynolds always thought she would rather die than live in Femlandia. But that was before the country sank into total economic collapse and her husband walked out in the harshest, most permanent way, leaving her and her sixteen-year-old daughter with nothing. The streets are full of looting, robbing, and killing, and Miranda and Emma no longer have much choice—either starve and risk getting murdered, or find safety. And so they set off to Femlandia, the women-only colony Miranda's mother, Win Somers, established decades ago.

Although Win is no longer in the spotlight, her protégé Jen Jones has taken Femlandia to new heights: The off-grid colonies are secluded, self-sufficient, and thriving—and Emma is instantly enchanted by this idea of a safe haven. But something is not right. There are no men allowed in the colony, but babies are being born—and they're all girls. Miranda discovers just how the all-women community is capable of enduring, and it leads her to question how far her mother went to create this perfect, thriving, horrifying society.

Blurb taken from Goodreads.

I was provided with an advance copy of Femlandia in exchange for an honest review.

I'd heard of Dalcher's work before, but never actually read any of it. This sounded like a really interesting idea, and wasn't like the books I usually read, so I was very much intrigued.

I don't think I can say I enjoyed it so much as found it a really powerful narrative. It bordered on uncomfortable at times, but I found the meaning behind the story so strongly portrayed. It's a reminder of the potential dangers of radical outlooks, and what happens when equality ceases to be the main goal of feminism. 

Femlandia is definitely a powerful read, although I imagine it won't be for everybody.

Rating: ✫✫✫✫

My Thoughts

Despite the rather heavy subject matter, and quite a lot of information to follow, Dalcher sets it all out in a straightforward way. As the plot progresses, things unravel, and we learn more about 'Femlandia' - a so-called refuge for all women, with no men allowed.

What makes the novel remarkable is the constant reminder that we are not so very far away from such a reality. The flashbacks serve to remind us just how close we are, and consequently how dangerous some radical concept of feminism can be. As a feminist myself, there were many scenes that made me very uncomfortable. The indoctrination, abuse and complete acceptance of this dystopian world from each character felt more and more surreal the longer I read, and it really struck home for me. 

The Verdict

The story is controversial, and the characters aren't particularly likeable. However, the book has IMPACT. 

It's difficult, but dynamic, and it really sends a message that we need to be careful with out ideas for 'utopia'.