I loved this book for its gorgeous, meticulous writing despite one or two truck-sized holes in the world-building (why exactly were people forced to live in the cities, eating only imported canned foods when clearly there was at least some farmable, workable land, etc.). But the writing, oh, the writing, was enough to sweep my doubts under the table."She broke down the walls that had kept us contained. There was a fresh red field on the other side, and in its rich soil were growing all the flowers of war that history had never let us gather. It was beautiful to walk in. As beautiful as the fells that autumn." This book was great if you are a fan of dystopian fiction. The twist is that the majority of the novel takes place on an all-female compound up in the mountains, outside of London. England is fighting alongside the United States, but the local govt. is struggling to survive. The environment is horrible and the economy if failing. People have moved out of the small towns and into the city where they are forced to work in factories and live in dormitory-style apartment buildings with thin walls and minimal privacy. Females aren't allowed to reproduce, so they are forcibly and painfully fitted with a brass IUD of sorts. A girl who will become known only as "Sister" escapes the confines of her repressive marriage to find an isolated group of women living as "un-officials" in Carhullan, a remote northern farm, where she must find out whether she has it in herself to become a rebel fighter. If the idea of lesbian relationships bothers you, this book might not be for you. However, I found it a refreshing take on the dystopian theme. It's disturbing enough to stick with you, and the writing is so good it seems like the setting of the book could plausibly happen. I highly recommend this book!
