Femlandia: The gripping and provocative new dystopian thriller from the bestselling author of VOX

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In VOX, our main protagonist used to not see the harm the patriarchy does to the world. She used to laugh at her feminist friend until shit hit the fan and oh well, maybe the crazy feminist was right. the trans issue is a pretty good example. the femlandia leadership has a very staunch policy when it comes to transfolk—if you have, or have ever had, a penis attached to your body, you are unwelcome: cut off from the rest of the world, they have been thriving on their own for years, so this little societal collapse is just another day in the life for them. 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.

Femlandia by Christina Dalcher is a science fiction dystopian fantasy novel. Some have this one tagged as horror and while I wouldn’t say it’s really horror I would warn that some content is horrific in this dystopian world which leads to a trigger warning of abuse and assault. Femlandia is set in an alternate near future world when society has broken down and it’s chaos everywhere. Well, this was certainly an odd one, although I didn’t expect anything else after having previously read ‘Vox’. For Miranda, who struggled to agree with many of her mother’s outlooks on life, Femlandia is the last resort now that life outside the gates is so dangerous for her and her daughter Emma. Upon arrival though, the utopia of Femlandia isn’t quite what it seems and Miranda begins to discover dark and sinister secrets.Miranda had many run ins with her feminist mother. She enjoyed the things that Win frowned upon – from pink, frilly dresses as a young girl, to motherhood and marriage as a woman. However, now she finds herself homeless, unemployed, with a daughter to support and in a lawless country. Men, it seems, have destroyed the economy and, with nowhere to go, Miranda and Emma head for Femlandia. Of course, this is not a utopian society and, before long, Miranda realises that things are very wrong indeed. Femlandia the book isn’t about a feminist utopia like Charlotte Gilman’s Herland was, or even a dystopia (again, who gets to decide what is what, anyway?). It is a jittery thriller about how all and any extreme shifts of power result inevitably in human cruelty, regardless of who is in charge of whom. Power, the desperate need for survival, the evolutionary circles which human society seems to turn in—these are all valid and strong concerns for Dalcher in Fermlandia. Subtlety sadly, is not a strong suit here, not in the community, nor the book. The premise is exciting - a woman-only community living freely, separate from men. The founder’s daughter finds her way there as society breaks down on the outside. The adaptation to new rules, a new way of living. The promise from the book’s description that I was about to experience a women’s only ‘safe haven’. Sounds cool, sounds like something I would happily consume, hell, maybe I’d even consider launching my own commune. Right? Wrong. I had so many issues with this which I’ll relate to you, whilst attempting to keep the vitriol from my voice.

The characters were annoying and acted so stupidly but the thing I absolutely hated about this book was the transphobia. The TERF energy coming from this book was unbelievable. When the economy collapses and the world turns into survival mode, Miranda and her daughter, Emma, have no choice but to go to Femlandia. A women-only community set up by Miranda’s mother, Win. Except what they find, is no safe-haven.I really enjoyed, “Vox,” by Christina Dalcher and, although I haven’t yet got around to reading her previous novel, “Master Class,” I was intrigued to read and review her latest. Like “Vox,” this is dystopia, but set within the boundaries of a society that we recognise. A chilling and layered read which I couldn't put down. A true modern horror which exposes the dangers of a world without gender equity and ends with a horrifying sense of circularity.’ i've already written far too many words in my little reviewing journal trying to figure out why i didn't love it, and now i've missed pub date, so you tell me.