Title: The Women Could Fly

Author: Megan Giddings

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Publisher: Macmillan

Publication Date: 18th August 2022

Rating: 4.5/5

Cover:

Summary:

Reminiscent of the works of Margaret Atwood, Deborah Harkness, and Octavia E. Butler, The Women Could Fly is a feminist speculative novel that speaks to our times. A piercing dystopian tale about the unbreakable bond between a young woman and her absent mother, set in a world in which magic is real and single women are closely monitored in case they are shown to be witches . . .

Josephine Thomas has heard every conceivable theory about her mother’s disappearance. That she was kidnapped. Murdered. That she took on a new identity to start a new family. That she was a witch. This is the most worrying charge, because in a world where witches are real, peculiar behaviour raises suspicions and a woman – especially a Black woman – can find herself on trial for witchcraft.

But fourteen years have passed since her mother’s disappearance, and now Jo is finally ready to let go of the past. Yet her future is in doubt. The State mandates that all women marry by the age of thirty – or enrol in a registry that allows them to be monitored, effectively forfeiting their autonomy. At twenty-eight, Jo is ambivalent about marriage. With her ability to control her life on the line, she feels as if she has her never understood her mother more. When she’s offered the opportunity to honour one last request from her mother’s will, Jo leaves her regular life to feel connected to her one last time.

Review:

I was instantly drawn in by the absolutely stunning and mystical cover of The Women Could Fly and the story within is just as powerful. Though a work of speculative or dystopian fiction, this book is almost eerily relevant to the state of many parts of the world right now and that makes it an often chilling but very much necessary read. Giddings has a very particular style to her writing which I think worked very well for the nature of this story. It takes a little getting used to but once you are into the rhythm of it, it becomes easy to be swept up in. The whole concept of witchcraft in this patriarchal society is fascinating and provides rich fodder for delving into the mindset of the strong main character Jo as she seeks to truly understand both her long gone mother and herself. The Women Could Fly is a deep and relevant look at autonomy, race, womanhood and humanity but is at its core is a story about Jo and her connection to her mother that I would absolutely recommend.

✶✶✶✶.5

Thank you so much to Tracy Fenton and to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.

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