Women are given impossible choices every day. This is how we got here.
This collection of beautifully written stories swoops from 2015 on America’s West Coast all the way across & back—through an enchanting feat of reverse manifest destiny—to medieval Scotland. The strengths of the women (Rebecca, Rae Ann, & Delfa) & the weaknesses of our species are on intimate display through these main characters as they highlight humanity’s capacity for inhumane treatment of one another—all in fulfillment of others’ expectations, borne from the restrains of religion in a patriarchal society. The author’s combination of riveting microscopic sensory details & panoramic themes sweep & reverberate through the centuries, to the point where we read the final story at the edge of our seats, at times reading/watching through the gaps in our fingers, partially shielding our eyes. Because of the author’s energy, which springs from the page through the careful control of every word, sentence, paragraph, & episode, we’re charmed & captivated, upset & empathetic—we want to look away, but can’t, from the final acts of bravery in the face of arcane punishment. What a beautifully woven & at times haunting tapestry, this book.
