Following a traumatic murder and a public hanging, sisters Milla and Zalea decide they must escape from the Woods Tribe. It’s the only home they’ve ever known, but as females, they are subservient to men’s rules. While they once enjoyed protected status, being the Leader’s granddaughters, his death means they’ve instantly become chattel, to be handed out as wives to whichever men the new leader chooses.
Zalea is startlingly beautiful. Milla is unable to speak. Their distinctions will work against their need to go unnoticed, but they see no other choice. In the dead of night, they leave the tribe.
The girls travel southward, looking for the father Zalea thought was dead. They encounter many different tribes, each formed on the basis of ethnicity and function. While Leaders decide the local rules, all tribes are united under six Commanders and a head of state, Chief Vox. Separate but equal is, people have been taught for twenty years, the best way for a nation to operate.
Back in the Woods Tribe, a surprising awakening occurs. The disappearance of Milla and Zalea brings another woman to the conclusion that she too must escape. Pushing aside her secrets and past mistakes, she will take the risks she could not face until now. Her journey, though different from the younger girls’, is also fraught with danger. The underside of Fairica is rotten and cruel, but she learns there are still those who are trustworthy and courageous.
Within this unique book’s pages are daring rescues and clever deceptions. Determined rebels engage and defeat smug villains. Strong characters pull readers into the story, entertaining them with action and creativity. The resolution is satisfying, crafted with both honesty and hopefulness.
Woven into the powerful story are possibly inflammatory questions about society. What happens when women are made second-class citizens? What is the result of separating people into tribes by religion, ethnicity, and values? Would we be happier, or at least more content, if we lived in a group where we felt accepted, supported, and justified?
You will be captivated by this action-driven account of Milla and Zalea and their courageous journey. You will cheer for them as they fight the Powers that want to “put them in their place.” It’s a great story, but remember—behind it all is the disturbing possibility that Fairica is the future.
