I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. It has some very relevant and important commentary on the power dynamic between men and women in the workplace, fidelity, and consent. I thought the idea of the fortress - a place where women are in complete control and living sort of sequestered in their own community, with male supplicants, servants, and sometimes prisoners - was an intriguing one. It's definitely an interesting perspective on how a society like that could function, especially co-exist with a large city nearby. I can't imagine a place like that being untouched in today's climate in the U.S. That felt like the sci-fi element - the sort of imagining of an alternate form of society. That and the technology of the robes the men wear that sort of move on their own and form to the body and protect them from the cold and stuff.

But I never liked the main character. I'm not sure if I was supposed to? I think this is a sort of, man leans his lesson tale, but I wasn't convinced by the end. I wasn't super bothered by that though because I was more interested in the viewpoint of how this society works and what they are trying to teach the men, even if I don't think the main character was really redeemed. Maybe I'm not even supposed to think that. It's possible this book has some higher themes that I'm just not grasping.

If it sounds interesting to you, give it a whirl - it was a pretty quick read for me. But I'm not going to run around singing it's praises.

Of note, I did buy this because it's written by a woman (per the bio) - it was important to me when I was reading the blurb because, honestly, I'm tired and would not have wanted to read this book from a male perspective at this particular time. ( )

Some of the plot points are not the easiest to read, but this story feels like the male version of The Handmaid's Tale. ( )

This was a fairly slow read for me, but I think it's best described by the intro on the blurb jacket: "The Handmaid's Tale meets Herland at a party thrown by Anais Nin." I'm truly not a fan of The Handmaid's Tale, but I enjoyed Herland and I love Nin's writing; plus, this book simply sounded fresh and interesting, so I thought it might be for me. I suppose... it was? The thing is, reading this book feels like labor, gorgeous as the prose may be and believable as the characters are. The book is itself an experience that, in many ways, comes across as a mental exercise in thinking about what a reversed Handmaid's Tale could look like, set against an otherwise patriarchal society in a corner of the world. I cannot say that I enjoy reading it, and yet, in some ways, I'm glad to have experienced it.

I'd say it's for readers who want to engage in the intellectual exercise of exploring a book/world like this, and/or who enjoy those authors/works I mentioned above. It's not a book that I'd say you'll sink into and enjoy... but you might find it worth reading. ( )

In the end, he was a better person, and I really just didn't buy it. ( )

After being caught cheating by his wife, Jonathon, a high powered professional, will do whatever it takes to win her back. Even giving up a year of his life to live in the Fortress. The Vaik, a society ran and populated entirely by women, are in charge of the Fortress. The Vaik believe primarily in four tenants - work, history, sex, and justice. Within, they demand complete and unyielding obedience from the supplicants.

This was an absolutely fascinating book. I found the Vaik and their culture to be particular interesting. I wish the author had went into more detail about their existence, but perhaps that is grounds for a sequel. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author. ( )