My default for choosing books has always been from recommendations. This is how most books become popular – not from a great cover or jacket summary, but from word-of-mouth and the enthusiasm of book-lovers. This past year, I made a point to look for new fantasy authors on the shelf and try their work on no one’s recommendation. I have to admit, I found some duds this way, and it was a risky endeavor, but I also came across some great works that surprised me.
One of the first books I picked up from the “New in Fantasy” section of the library last year was The Women’s War by Jenna Glass. My review of this book is coming a little late, but I recently finished the second book in the series (just after its release), and figured the very fact that I bought the second book made the first deserving of a review!
The Women’s War is Jenna Glass’s first published book (through Del Rey Books, one of my favorite publishers) that came out in March 2019. It is a high fantasy feminist epic set in a world in which women are very much the objects of men in society. At the outset of the book, a reality-changing spell gives women a new power over men. Women now possess previously unheard-of choices and opportunities to change the fabric of a social norm that spans multiple cultures in the book’s world. This will not happen without a long and difficult fight, however.
One of my favorite parts of this series is the magic system, which is unique and science-based. ‘Motes’ of magic reminiscent of the elements of the periodic table float in the air of the world, stemming from wells around which civilizations rise and fall. People see the elements by opening their Mindseye, and some people can see more elements than others. There are feminine, masculine, and neutral elements, and each has its own properties. Those who can see them use them in formulas to create spells and enchantments. The way this magic system works within the world is fascinating and creative, and was integral to the plot and culture.
The book is written in third-person limited with lots of points of view, though there are two ‘main’ characters: Alys, the disinherited daughter of a king and widowed mother with a strong talent for magic, and Ellin, a young queen in a neighboring kingdom who is thrust upon the throne after the death of all male lineages.
The main plot of the story is politics-driven, with a lot of scenes involving courts, councils, debates, and advisors. The politics are intricate, and made more interesting by the founding of a new well by exiles in the middle of nowhere – a well of mostly feminine elements.
The themes in this book are strongly tied to feminism, following female leads amidst a powerful patriarchy. At times, I did feel the feminism hazarded to patronizing men, but there are certainly good male characters as well. The book was well-written and character-driven with good world-building, fascinating magic, and detailed politics. It does skip time and perspectives quite a lot, and with the higher number of points of views, some points of view seemed short and skipping at times. The characters retained consistent voices, however, and did tie together nicely by the end of the book.
Recommendation
I recommend this book if you enjoy politics and lots of characters. It is rather dark in its theme, without many glowing scenes or comic relief, and does contain violence and sex. If adventure stories with a single, powerful enemy and a ‘hero’s journey’ plot are your thing, this may not be for you. Nor would you like this book if politics bore you and the occasional beheading and rape turn your stomach. However, if you like dynamic characters and unique, science-based magic, and are an advocate for women’s rights, this book will certainly hold your attention.
I enjoyed the book, and am looking forward to reading the third installment, as well as the FREE novella prequel Jenna Glass has on her website!
Have you read Jenna Glass’s books? What did you think of them?
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