Review: THE SHORE OF WOMEN

Review: THE SHORE OF WOMEN

This 500-page intensive Science Fiction/post-apocalyptic/Dystopiana novel by acclaimed author and critic Pamela Sargent was first published in November 1986. Now acclaimed as a "Classic of Feminist Science Fiction," it is indeed that and much more. Pamela Sargent, who is a prolific author but also an anthologist of Women Authors of Science Fiction, presents a multi-layered examination of Humanity, of Gender Differences, Discrimination, Closed Minds, and twisted Cultural protocols. Far in the Future, long after the aggression and warlike natures of males [according to the women descendants ensconced comfortably, if not necessarily happily in city-enclaves] destroyed most of civilization and large portions of Earth via Nuclear Warfare and subsequent Nuclear Winter, the genders keep separate. The "barbarian" males live away from the cities, in the Wilderness. Summoned individually only to provide genetic material, they endure rough lives rather akin to early humans. In the city-enclaves, the women have culture and purpose, but little technology other than solar. The hierarchical restrictiveness doesn't apply solely to the gender constraints; the purportedly advanced city culture is distinctly hierarchical as well. [Think of Caste in India in the past centuries; perhaps not as extensive, but still inappropriate in a culture that allegedly considers all women equal.]
There are also strong LGBTQ+ elements among both the city Women and the ostracized Wilderness males. Also notably, the tendencies toward violence and aggression of which City Women consider the male cause of Apocalypse, are quite prevalent within the women as well, especially in acts against the "Other," the Wilderness males.

THE SHORE OF WOMEN, as with Sargent's full body of work, is not a novel to either skim through or to take lightly. The author has so much to say about the Human Condition and various delineations and aspects, that a careful reader will be both enlightened, and provoked to continuing thought and consideration for quite some time to come.

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