Brad Stevens

I am reviewing a complimentary arc copy from the author via Librarything.

Now, first off, I would like to state a huge warning: this short novel contains torture porn.

I entered this book with completely open expectations and never read any of the prior reviews. In a way, after finishing the book which I devoured during an all-night flight I had yesterday, I was surprised by the horde of 1 and 2 star reviews, until I recalled that the very bleak story will surely turn a lot of people off. I can understand the frustration, and I believe that if the author managed to rile a sufficient amount of people (even more surprising because this novel was written by a man himself while it stereotypes his sex as a horde of incel sadistic psychopaths who love to humiliate and rape defenseless women), then he clearly achieved his purpose as a writer.

In a way, the book reminded me of Orwell's 1984, with a bleak dystopian future where free thought is censored, and certain minorities (well, technically there are supposed to be more women than men in England) are oppressed. The world is like a Saudi Arabia esque society on steroids. Women cannot leave their homes without a flimsy miniskirt that freezes them to death during winter commutes, can't have their hair shorter than shoulder length, drive, get mortgages, leave the country unless you have a second passport, might not be able to get certain college degrees because women cannot get hired if the employer finds an equally qualified male, etc etc etc. If a cop sexually harasses you just for kinks (nobody cares if cops are high on drugs or drunk on the job) and you even dare to yell at him to stop, he can arrest you on the spot, and you have you pay over 6 months of your own money to have a doctor chop off a finger without anesthesia and using pain enhancing drugs (surprised none of the victims ever died from shock). Every citizen has to go to a state sanctioned Christian church 2 hours a week and watch priests masturbate while they holler verbatim speeches that raped women deserve to be stoned to death if she didn't yell for help. Forced donations to the church are a doogie. Yup, this sure is a man's land. Of course, they get to dress however they see hit as long as they don't use women's clothes or have long hair. Homosexuality is severely punished and abortion carries the death penalty even if it was from rape. If a woman marries a sadist and he beats to a pulp and rapes her all day, the cops do absolutely nothing to assist the woman. She pretty much becomes his chattel once they marry.

This is where Mara comes along. She has always lived in this crappy futuristic Britain, but she has been somewhat sheltered from the pitfalls of her peers. Her wealthy parents homeschooled her, introduced her to illegal books and idealism. After some of the more vicious anti women laws were passed, they commit suicide and she inherits a nice fortune that gives her the chance to live a comfortable life as a house hermit. She has so far been able to bypass legal loopholes writing criminal thriller books that criticize her country by having them published in the US and purchases illegal books online. Oh, and she's a closet lesbian. She would love to scream to the world how much she loves Yuki, another free minded young woman who works as a film critic, but they could get a life sentence or worse if people find out. The book revolves a lot around the struggles these fine two women face trying to keep their relationship a well-kept secret.

Mara's life isn't ideal, but at least she lives comfortably in her home writing novels when one day, a dreaded conscription letter arrives in the mail. She is due to report to a stadium in London next Friday to participate in "The Hunt", a sort of Hunger Games punishment for all Briton women held once a week (no cameras and tv rolling so what really happens is sort of hush hush). It initiated the year Mara's parents died where each week, 10 unfortunate women are forced to hide in the ruins of the stadium while 10 incel and very sexually repressed men paid a huge fortune to locate them with body heat cameras. Once located, the woman cannot legally hit the bastard and is forced to either put a shock collar on her neck or let him taser her. Either way, what happens next to them is not in the least pleasant. Mara attempts to convince her GP doctor to get her a medical leave to skip the horrors that await, but even though it pains him, he only offers her all sorts of medical and psychological care once she is allowed to return to open society when the week ends.

Luckily for Mara, she isn't alone, and with Yuki's lovely encouragement, and the tips from one brutalized survivor of a prior Hunt, she will try to make it out intact... if she can.

If torture porn and treating women like sexualized chattel to be something very offensive to you, I heartily suggest you should not read this book. Mara and Yuki clearly despise the country they were forced to live in, but they try to make the best of it. Maybe if Mara writes how horrible her country really is like, she could start to shift a change. I really wouldn't like to speak more about what the Hunt is because it's a spoiler filled with shocking and really horrible things done to the unwilling female participants, but Mara shows a mixture between genuine despair and utter restraint during her 7 day ordeal. If there was one thing that I felt missing during the aftermath of her Hunt, it would have been the fact that another Hunted named Julie had dual Israeli citizenship. Sure, her birth country also apparently treats women horribly, but I'm surprised they didn't pressure Britain's archaic policies. I really can't say much else due to spoilers.

All in all, it's a book that both fascinated and heavily disturbed me as a woman, but the memorable characters and interesting storyline will surely keep you reading until the very end.… (mais)

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from LibraryThing in return for an honest review.

It is 2068 and Great Britain is nothing like the Great Britain we know today. Men have all the power and pass a variety of strict laws against women that dictate every aspect of their life. They cannot vote, have abortions, wear pants, or leave the country. Homosexuality is illegal. After a "feminist" group allegedly commits a terrorist attack, the state responds by creating an event they call the Hunt. This contest takes place in an abandoned area in London and lasts for a whole week. Ten women, who are randomly selected by the government, are chased by ten male Hunters, who pay to participate in the Hunt. Once caught the Hunters are allowed to do whatever they want to these women. Mara Gorki is a crime novelist in a lesbian relationship with Yuke Morishita, a film critic. When Mara is drafted as a Hunt participate she is determined to evade capture and somehow survive the week. But when the odds, and her own government, are against her what chance does she have?

I had a hard time finishing this book. I thought the idea behind it was intriguing but the actual novel feel short to me. It included a random supernatural element as well as introduced several interesting plot points only to drop them a few pages later. It also includes vivid descriptions of violence against women, rape, assault, torture, and sexual torture. I do not recommended this book for anyone who might be sensitive to these topics.… (mais)

Women are second class citizens. They are forced to wear a feminine uniform when out in public, are not allowed to vote, and have little to no control over their own reproductive choices. In response to a terrorist attack, the government created The Hunt. 10 women are chosen randomly each week, where they are pursued by 10 hunters. When captured, they are trapped in a bdsm nightmare. Mara, a crime novelist, is selected for The Hunt.

This book had a very interesting premise and realistic characters. It moved at a quick pace and held my interest. I found Mara to be a particularly interesting and dynamic character, one that was very relatable. Overall, well worth reading.… (mais)