March is National Women's Month so it's only fit that we review the ARC of Miriam Towes novel Women Talking which is set to be released on April 2, 2019. This novel is in the vein of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and is based on a real life event which makes it even more poignant and shocking.
In this novel, eight Mennonite women conduct a secret meeting in a hayloft. For the past two years these women have been attacked in the night, told that demons were coming to "punish them for their sins." Now they realize that they weren't being visited by fallen angels sent by God, but were actually drugged and violated by men in their religious community. Their goal? To protect themselves, but more so to protect their daughters.
The women cannot read, they have no knowledge of the outside world, and they are not sure if anyone would ever believe them anyway. They also can't speak English, so if they choose to leave their community they won't be able to properly communicate.
This novel is about the power of knowledge, the power of oppression and fear has over victims, and about rising together to protect yourself, one another, and the future. But.... I didn't love it. Like so many reviewers are writing on Goodreads, the title "Women Talking" is basically exactly what the book is about. It's one lengthy conversation of women just talking. They debate if they should leave, if they should fight, or if they should do nothing. They get distracted. And then they talk some more. The book is also narrated by a man, who is "less than" the other men, and therefore in an entirely different and safe category.
So Dewey Readers, I leave you with 2.5 out of 5 coffee beans in your cup.
Until the next read!
~Jessica
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