In a place where nature has proven herself more brutal than mankind and also more forgiving, 65 women forged a life close to the earth while the rest of humankind was walled off from the effects of living large upon the earth for too long. "Sister" got tired of living packed in concrete like sardines, implanted by law with a contraceptive device, factory work building machines went unused: all for a totalitarian government off fighting a coalition's war. Disappearing to the women's enclave of Carhullan she longs to find the life of her dreams, only to discover that dreams can be nightmares and what we fear can be precisely what we need. Sarah Hall has written a tract of the rawest forms of feminism: grace and passion blended with violent animalism. Unsentimental, yet gentle; sensual, yet tough and unafraid -- Daughters of the North is a must-read for every woman.
Published under the title The Carhullan Army in Britain, Sarah Hall's latest novel is slated for publication here in the states in April of 2008. But start screaming for it now. And if you can do it, order a copy from overseas, have it shipped to your door and read it before it even hits the printing presses here. It's worth it.
Synopses and British Reviews:
Twisted Sisters, Guardian Unlimited
The Book Bag
The List
Bookseller.com's Books Blog
This one left me speechless, gaping like a fish to find the right words of devotion to this exquisite, beautiful novel. I've been working for weeks to write up a proper review, but it isn't working. And to think, I posted about my favorite novels of late only a week before completing one that must be added to the list. I promise to find better, more accurate words of love for this remarkable, special novel that deserves a cult following into the classics.