Review: Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed

Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love dystopian stories. They are some of my favorites. So, I was really looking forward to this one. Given our current political environment and the seemingly daily assault on the rights of women, I think this book does a good job of giving the reader a sense of how quickly and easily the rights of women can be trampled on. I quite liked the world that the author created but much of what has happened and continues to happen in the novel is left very vague. There are lots of hints but nothing is ever completely spelled out. The reader has to make a lot of inferences. As a result, the story could feel frustrating for me. I guess I’m not a big fan of narrative subtlety which permeates every page of this novel. This book really shined when it came to the characters, specifically the girls. Each of them are struggling with a desire for autonomy in a community where women have little control over their lives or bodies. The author did a great job of bringing these girls alive on the page and giving the reader a glimpse into their experiences. I just wish this one had been less subtle and more focused. It just never lived up to my expectation. Many other readers have loved this one so if it sounds interesting to you, I’d recommend you give it a shot.