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.

Thank you Berkley Books and netgalley for the opportunity to read this absolutely dark, disturbing and oh so good book!

Well, this is definitely a dark and disturbing book. Its about a mother and daughter living in a world that has pretty much ended. Miranda the mother never wanted to go to femlandia. Femlandia is a women's only colony, or cult.So when Miranda's husband leaves her and her 16 year old daughter Emma with nothing she is left with no choice but to go. But it becomes very apparent that the colony is not a safe heaven, it's more like stepping right into the fire. I'm sure there will be a few people that will have a hard time reading it. It is disturbing but man is it good! I was hooked from the start! I look forward to reading more by Christina Dalcher!

Oof.
Dalcher's books always make me think and feel and throw the book across the room...every. single. time.

Just like her two before this one, it was painful to read, but also so damn good!

Fascinating concept and overall kept me hooked, but there was something missing that I can’t pinpoint

2.5 stars

Usually I enjoy Christina Dalcher’s books. Neither [b:Vox|37796866|Vox|Christina Dalcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1521051148l/37796866._SY75_.jpg|59461956] nor [b:Q|49242550|Q|Christina Dalcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1589304738l/49242550._SY75_.jpg|61120240] (AKA [b:Master Class|49878332|Master Class|Christina Dalcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563721220l/49878332._SX50_SY75_.jpg|61120240]) were particularly complex books, but there was a thematic consistency to them and the storylines were straightforward if not nuanced.

Femlandia felt untidy by comparison; the writing was not as good, the characters were mostly undeveloped and behaved inconsistently, and the storyline itself did not have that feeling of solidity that characterizes Dalcher’s other books.

There are lots of stories out there that explore what society might look like without the framework of patriarchy; unfortunately this isn’t one of the better ones.

This is more a 3.5, I liked it far more than I expected to but had it not been sent to me in a subscription box I’d never have picked it off the shelf. It dealt with some things well, it could have been better in other ways I suppose, and I guess I’m in the fence about whether or not I liked the epilogue.