The Women Could Fly

The Women Could Fly is a feminist speculative novel that speaks to our times, set in a world in which magic is real and single women are closely monitored in case they are shown to be witches. Jo is offered the opportunity to honor one last request from her mother's will, and she leaves her regular life to feel connected to her one last time. The novel explores the limits women face and the powers they have to transgress and transcend them.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 18 August 2022
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Megan Giddings' prose is a testament to the boundless wonder of the world. Her novel, "The Women Could Fly," offers a candid exploration of grief, inheritance, and the merits of unruliness. Raven Leilani describes it as reminiscent of the works of Margaret Atwood, Deborah Harkness, and Octavia E. Butler, and it is indeed a feminist speculative novel that speaks deeply to our contemporary times.

Set in a dystopian world where magic is real and single women are closely monitored for signs of witchcraft, this novel tells the story of Josephine Thomas, a young woman who has heard every conceivable theory about her mother's disappearance. The most worrying charge is that her mother was a witch, as in this world, peculiar behavior raises suspicions, and women, especially Black women, can find themselves on trial for witchcraft.

However, fourteen years have passed since her mother's disappearance, and Jo is finally ready to let go of the past. Yet, her future is uncertain. The State mandates that all women marry by the age of thirty, or enroll in a registry that allows them to be monitored, effectively forfeiting their autonomy. At twenty-eight, Jo is ambivalent about marriage. With her ability to control her life on the line, she feels as if she has never understood her mother more.

When Jo is offered the opportunity to honor one last request from her mother's will, she leaves her regular life behind to connect with her one last time. In this powerful and timely novel, Megan Giddings delves into the limitations women face and the incredible powers they possess to transcend and challenge them.

It is worth noting that "The Women Could Fly" arrives in the shadow of the recent Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, highlighting the ongoing struggles and challenges women face in terms of reproductive rights and autonomy. This novel serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of feminist speculative fiction and the need to continue to explore the boundaries of gender, power, and society.

In conclusion, "The Women Could Fly" by Megan Giddings is a must-read for anyone who appreciates feminist speculative fiction, explores the complexities of grief and loss, and advocates for women's rights and autonomy. It is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that speaks to our times and offers a glimpse into a possible future where magic and societal constraints coexist.

Weight: 488g
Dimension: 178 x 466 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781035001583