Following some sort of abrupt shift or catastrophe, 39 women and one young girl find themselves locked in an underground prison. They have no idea how they got there, possess only vague recollections of their lives before, and aren’t permitted to touch one another. Forced to live lives controlled by an outside clock and devoid of any real variation, the women and the girl lose track of their humanity — until, in one reclamation of independent thought and the notion of a secret, the world begins to change.

This novel does a marvelous job of pulling you into the premise and perspective of the main character, the youngest in the cage. She doesn’t understand the other women — their relationships, their references to before, the families and skills and lives they were forced to leave behind. Claiming changed lives, finding a new normal, and challenging preconceived notions are all major themes, and they’re explored in a way that really takes you along for the journey.

It’s harrowing and bleak and really calls into question what makes us individuals, what builds community, and what to do when those are at odds with each other. Ultimately the story is about the women — not the cage or the circumstances that put them there, and once I was able to let go needing to answer ‘why’ I was better equipped for the journey. 

Highly recommend!