Paperback, 400 pages
English language
Published July 23, 2019 by The Feminist Press at CUNY.
An instant classic upon its publication in 1984, this dystopian trilogy is a testament to the power of language and women’s collective action—in a new edition reissued for a new generation of readers.
In 2205, the Nineteenth Amendment has long been repealed. Men hold absolute power, and women are only valued for their utility. The Earth’s economy depends on an insular group of linguists who “breed” women to become perfect interstellar translators until they are sent to the Barren House to await death. But instead, these women are slowly creating a language of their own to make resistance possible for all. Ignorant to this brewing revolution, Nazareth, a brilliant linguist, and Michaela, a servant, both seek emancipation in their own ways. But their personal rebellions risk exposing the secret language, and threaten the possibility of freedom.
For someone who generally finds feminist literature overbearing, exaggerated, and unwelcoming, I found this novel entertaining, engrossing, and easily digestible. On many levels, it reminded me of Atwood’s dystopian worlds. I’ll definitely be reading the proceeding novels of this trilogy.
