In a feminist fantasy epic, a revolutionary spell gives women the ability to control their own fertility—with consequences that rock their patriarchal society to its core.
“A compulsive read, riveting characters, life-or-death stakes . . . a smashing book!”—Tamora Pierce
When a nobleman’s first duty is to produce a male heir, women are treated like possessions and bargaining chips. But as the aftereffects of a world-altering spell ripple out physically and culturally, women at last have a bargaining chip of their own. And two women in particular find themselves at the liberating crossroads of change.
Alys is the widowed mother of two adolescent children, and the disinherited daughter of a king. Her existence has been carefully regulated, but now she discovers a fierce talent not only for politics but also for magic—once deemed solely the domain of men. Meanwhile, in a neighboring kingdom, young Ellin finds herself unexpectedly on the throne after the sudden death of her grandfather the king and everyone else who stood ahead of her in the line of succession. Conventional wisdom holds that she will marry quickly, then quietly surrender the throne to her new husband. Only, Ellin has other ideas.
The tensions building in the two kingdoms grow abruptly worse when a caravan of exiled women and their escort of disgraced soldiers stumble upon a new source of magic in what was once uninhabitable desert. This new and revolutionary magic—which only women can wield—might well tear down what is left of the patriarchy. The men who currently hold power will do anything to retain it. But what force in the world can stand against the courage and resolution of generations of women who have tasted freedom for the very first time?
Praise for The Women’s War
“The Women’s War is an epic feminist fantasy for the #MeToo era. . . . The Women’s War does what so many classic adult fantasy books do not: It gives us a nuanced portrayal of grown women dealing with a wretchedly unfair society. It is rare to read a fantasy novel with a middle-aged mother as a main character. And it is refreshing to see women becoming heroes in a world that wishes to keep them muzzled.”—Sabaa Tahir, TheNew York Times Book Review
“A blend of the traditional Western European epic fantasy and the birth control revolution of the 1960s, The Women’s War takes the reader on a journey toward revolution. . . A fascinating and entertaining read, and a welcome addition to the world of epic fantasy.”—New York Journal of Books
My review and an extended sample of the audiobook are posted at Hotlistens.com.
This is the first book in Jenna Glass’s new dark fantasy series. The world is set in where women have few rights. Some places are better than others, but none are good. That being said, we mostly only see the royalty, we don’t see a huge amount of how the common folk live or how they treat their women.
So the magic is gender based with masculine, feminine and neutral elements. Not a huge amount is known about feminine elements because they aren’t seen as powerful enough to be of any use. “Good” women don’t practice magic, but the outcast women of the Abby do.
The upper class women are often threatened with the Abby if they don’t behave or even produce male heirs. Their husband will divorce them and send them to the Abby, where they are then shunned by society and often have to turn to prostitution for income. This also has the typical royal marriages to solidify alliances with other kingdoms.
There are some women magic users who complete a very complex spell that change things forever. Women now have to “want” to have children in order to get pregnant. Men forcing themselves on their wives will no longer result in a pregnancy. This changes the balance of power, but things are slow to change.
This story has several common themes of fantasy stories, but with some new twists. I had a really good time with it. I found that I really invested into the vast array of characters. I really wanted to see things work out for them. I found the world that Ms. Glass created to be very well developed. This is a long story, but I never felt bored, though it did take me a little bit to really get invested into the story. But after about an hour in, I had my earbuds glued to my ears.
Narration This is my first time listening to Robin Miles. I really enjoyed her narration. This was a large cast of characters, Many men and women, both of which she handled the voices very well. I thought her pacing and tone were well done, no matter what was going on in the scene. I look forward to listening her narrate the next book and hopefully find some other books and series narrated by her.
**I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
