Kari AguilaRezensionen

I initially wanted to read this book because the synopsis brought to mind The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood, and the twist on this type of dystopian theme intrigued me as I had thoroughly enjoyed the aforementioned book. Unfortunately, this one lost its way somewhere in the pages, and I’m still trying to figure out where this happened.

The characters in this book are, for the main part, all women and given the theme of the book I fully expected them to be strong and capable with none of the insecurities felt by their gender prior to the events that heralded this story. I found them to be full of paranoia and the usual backstabbing insecurities that are rife in many of my gender today, and this was a total let down. I enjoyed the main protagonist immensely, up to a point, but then even she let me down. I felt so much more could have been done to develop the characters encountered whilst reading this book but, as they are I am sure that if this is chosen for a read of the month by a book club they will be the starting off point for many interesting discussions.

For me, the redeeming part of the book was how the characters managed to adapt to a world without any of the conveniences we know in our lives, it was almost as if the book were written from an historical point of view with people from the future populating it. I enjoyed reading about the various ways they adapted things to make what they needed to survive, and also how their lives were very much dictated by the length of the days and the seasons.

Everything this book covers could have led to an outstanding novel if padded out more, and imagination where allowed to raise its head occasionally; however, instead of this happening the book comes across as being very black and white and reads rather more like a dissertation on gender dynamics than the book I was expecting. Despite my misgivings about this book, the Author is certainly a skilled writer and I felt that I would have enjoyed this more if she had not tried to pack so much into such a small number of pages, 298 to be exact.

Although I would recommend this book to book clubs that are looking for a read that will spark a lively discussion, I doubt very much if I will be reading anything else by this author.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/05/14/review-womens-work-kari-aguila/



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

I initially wanted to read this book because the synopsis brought to mind The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood, and the twist on this type of dystopian theme intrigued me as I had thoroughly enjoyed the aforementioned book. Unfortunately, this one lost its way somewhere in the pages, and I’m still trying to figure out where this happened.

The characters in this book are, for the main part, all women and given the theme of the book I fully expected them to be strong and capable with none of the insecurities felt by their gender prior to the events that heralded this story. I found them to be full of paranoia and the usual backstabbing insecurities that are rife in many of my gender today, and this was a total let down. I enjoyed the main protagonist immensely, up to a point, but then even she let me down. I felt so much more could have been done to develop the characters encountered whilst reading this book but, as they are I am sure that if this is chosen for a read of the month by a book club they will be the starting off point for many interesting discussions.

For me, the redeeming part of the book was how the characters managed to adapt to a world without any of the conveniences we know in our lives, it was almost as if the book were written from an historical point of view with people from the future populating it. I enjoyed reading about the various ways they adapted things to make what they needed to survive, and also how their lives were very much dictated by the length of the days and the seasons.

Everything this book covers could have led to an outstanding novel if padded out more, and imagination where allowed to raise its head occasionally; however, instead of this happening the book comes across as being very black and white and reads rather more like a dissertation on gender dynamics than the book I was expecting. Despite my misgivings about this book, the Author is certainly a skilled writer and I felt that I would have enjoyed this more if she had not tried to pack so much into such a small number of pages, 298 to be exact.

Although I would recommend this book to book clubs that are looking for a read that will spark a lively discussion, I doubt very much if I will be reading anything else by this author.

Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.com/2014/05/14/review-womens-work-kari-aguila/



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

*This book was given to me by the author*

This book reminded me of [b:The Handmaid's Tale|38447|The Handmaid's Tale|Margaret Atwood|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1294702760s/38447.jpg|1119185], if things had taken a very different turn, if the women had found a way to fight back, and ultimately take over. Now the women are in charge and the role of men has drastically changed in this new society. Women's Work is really interesting and thought provoking. It has moments of fear, of excitement, and even a little romance. As it went on, I really didn't know what would happen next and how everyone's lives would turn out, which made it a really compelling read.

Received through Goodreads Book Giveaway Program

This type of book is right up my alley. A world where women rule. Hummm....that gets my interest.
I really liked this book but felt it was lacking in a few areas. At times it felt a little rushed and I would have questions in my mind that just went unanswered. I also wasn't a big fan of the ending. All in all a very thought provoking book.

(This review is actually for the Nook book from Barnes & Noble, but I'm assuming all versions are the same. I've done a more comprehensive review in my blog, but will some up points here.)

Why did I like it so much? I’m not sure, but I think it was because Kate, the protagonist, and her children and those in the neighborhood who’ve first endured a gender-divided police state rivaling The Handmaid's Tale, and then survived missile attacks from a horrifying war, are human, likeable, and most importantly, capable of looking beyond their circumstances and their fears to make authentically sensible and moral decisions.

In Women’s Work, adult men have been pretty much wiped out. We learn how and why as we read along, the backstory emerging in bits and glimpses as it deftly emerges in just the right way and in just the right places before quietly receding to let the flow of the story go forward. Beloved husbands, sons, brothers, and fathers were literally dragged off to war or killed in resisting it. A few went into hiding or were too young, but it was pockets of women who emerged when it was all over. We never learn exactly what that particular war was about, but it doesn’t really matter. As it is with most victims of catastrophic wars, it really had nothing to do with them and their day to day lives other than to rob them of family and a hopeful future.

There are some males in the new civilization: babies and young boys mainly, as well as a few wounded soldiers or old men kept out of the public eye as well as the decision-making process. As rumors spread between the villages about gangs of unrepentant men raiding houses, raping and murdering inhabitants, and kidnapping children, young men coming of age are subjected to Jim Crow kinds of laws. These laws and social repercussions to women family members advocating for equality make it unsafe for men to be out much. An unaccompanied adult male with no one to vouch for him is seen as dangerous and subject to vigilantism and mob violence (though not referred to as that). Surviving men are given kitchen and childrearing duties and discouraged from speaking in public.

This is the world where the book begins and it’s why Kate and her children are so terrified when a strange male shows up at the doorstep of her farm. Its location is far from the town and surrounded by woods. They’re very much alone and have reasons to fear if a raider comes by. But Kate has good memories of a beloved husband, who didn’t survive his military conscription, and she has a son who is already having to be restricted in what he can do. Kate is also wrestling with uneasy feelings whenever she passes the grave of a stranger that her friends in the village have killed not too long before in the sincere belief that it was self-defense.

The heart of the book is not just how Kate must balance her fears for herself, her children, and the town at large against her remaining sense of compassion for her fellow man. And it’s not just a potential “love conquers all story” for those who have reason to give up on the notion of romantic love entirely. It’s about how the interplay of fear and trust in a culture shapes individuals, and how the courage to live out the forgotten catechetical virtues of individuals can shape their culture in return.

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good fit for me. I had so many issues with the characters, plot development, and writing. Aside from those issues, I thought the story itself was pretty boring.

[b:Women's Work|18921754|Women's Work|Kari Aguila|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385334079s/18921754.jpg|26928117]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. It is a very interesting read.

I like it because I am a survival minded individual and I really got into some of the ideas Kari had for survival once the grid has fallen. I also enjoyed the story's flow and pace. It didn't leave you bored reading for days with no point but then again I love the survival information and could always find entertainment there.

This book was also very interesting because it challenges our traditional views of sexism and racism. These themes are challenged in a delicate way, always with the goal of peace and unity as the primary driver for decisions. Curious how sometimes trying to do the "right" thing can take our society down all the wrong roads.

As far as writing style as I mentioned it flows very nicely. I found some of the character descriptions may have lacked a little but not at the detriment of the story. As a reader you are just more free to fill in the blanks.

In the end I really enjoyed it!

I was definitely drawn into the post war world created in this novel. I was left wondering how I would survive if it was me, because I certainly couldn't see myself killing fluffy little animals. It's a totally different scenario when your meat comes with a face and fur. The innovative ideas for tools and gardening were very interesting as well.
It was like time was reversed, and women were being repressed, their freedoms and privileges taken away, while men fought a world war. The women finally revolted against the men when there were too few left to be able to stop them. Women negotiated peace, and because they felt hostility and aggression were tendencies more ingrained in men, they took over the power and limited the men's freedoms. It was done all in the name of keeping peace and for survival, but, it was interesting to see the situation flip flopped and how men reacted, how women reasoned their decisions and the way they treated the men.
The paranoia, any man wandering alone was considered dangerous, and the women's fear of raiders, in relation to Michael's entrance in the story didn't get as intense as I expected it would. The end became suspenseful. I don't want to give too many details. I thought it would go one of two dramatic ways, hoped for one more than the other, but it kind of meandered in between those two paths.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.
I was given a free copy of this book in order to write an honest review.