The Seawomen - Chloe Timms

Author: Chloe Timms

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Rating: 4.5 stars

In a Nutshell: An outstanding, if slow-paced, atmospheric dystopian fiction that depicts what control a misogynistic cult has over its island. Feminist, raw, provocative, brilliant for a debut work!

Story Synopsis:

Esta stays with her grandmother Sarl on the ironically named Eden’s Isle, an island that is cut off from all other places by choice. “Lording” over this island is the fanatical Father Jessop along with his ministers. They use a contorted version of the Bible and preach values especially to the women inhabitants. Prime in their sermons is the warning to stay away from the sea and its monstrous residents, the seawomen, who can pollute the female residents and use them to create havoc on the island by corrupting men. Married women are expected to conceive within twelve months of their “motherhood year” and if they fail to do so, they are sacrificed to the sea in a brutal act called the Untethering. Esta witnesses one such untethering as a child and her zealot grandma doesn’t miss any opportunity to remind her why she needs to follow the “Great Book.’ But when Esta gets the taste of freedom during one of her childhood adventures, she isn’t able to let go the lure of the sea. What lies in store for a rebellious girl on an island where the women aren’t free in any sense of the word?

The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Esta.

Where the book worked for me:

😍 The characters, whether good or evil, are sketched so well. Be it Father Jessop - the wolf in sheep’s clothing, Sarl - the grandma who has a dark secret, Esta – struggling between mind and heart, or the various other secondary characters, most come clearly-defined. The sole exception would be the “Eldermothers” – I feel they were in the backdrop but never get a full-fledged role to play.

😍 Quite a lot of the book feels so real. There are many religious cults that brainwash their followers using distorted belief systems. This story nails this attitude perfectly. There are also some fictitious verses written in biblical format, with ominous names like “Beginnings” or “Flesh”, giving you enough of a clue about what the next section will contain.

😍 The writing is just as atmospheric as the story deserves. It gave me the creeps!

😍 If I have to sum up the book in one word, it won’t be “religion” or “dystopia” but “corruption.” Every person, every idea, every thought in the book has various levels of corruption. The Biblical adage of “Let who is without sin cast the first stone” has been corrupted into “Let’s commit the sin but cast stones on others.” This leads to a dark read with hardly a few moments of respite from the gloom. I loved the match of the writing with the dismal levels of humanity present in the story.

😍 Though the story is slow-paced in the initial quarter or so, the content kept me hooked. The pace increases steadily throughout the book and the final section is just captivating!

😍 Luckily for me, despite that alluring cover, I didn’t go into this book expecting fantasy. While there are some fantastical elements, the prime feel of the book is dystopian, and it does perfect justice to this genre.

😍 The ending. Just perfect. It reveals enough to know how things will go ahead without going overboard into explanations and neatly tied arcs. It is the ending that ensured the story stayed in mind long after the last page.

Where the book could have worked better for me:

😔 While I don’t mind foreshadowing in novels, I felt that the few instances of foreshadowing in this book spoiled my fun rather than intrigue me further. They felt almost like spoilers, which I hate with a vehemence.

😔 Esta’s voice needed more variation. While the book has her narration at various ages, she sounded the same to me throughout. There are clues to let us know whether she was 6 or 16, but as it’s a first person narration and not in flashback except for a couple of scenes, the voice should have matched the age.

😔 I think the cover creates very different expectations about the content of the book. I don’t want to go into spoilers but let’s just say it advertises something that isn’t the prime focus of the book.

All in all, despite the somewhat slow start, I relished this read. It held my attention from start to end, though there were many scenes that left me feeling claustrophobic. Much recommended, though it makes for very uncomfortable reading at times if you are a woman. I am definitely going to keep my eye out for future works by this young author.

4.5 stars. (I am going a little higher as this is an outstanding attempt for a debut and it captivated my attention all the way. For an established writer, I might have gone with 4.25 stars.)

Dear Chloe Timms, can we have a sequel please so that you-know-who gets their just desserts?

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Seawomen”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.