Women Talking

In 2009, the members of a Mennonite colony in Bolivia were shaken by the discovery that their women had been repeatedly drugged and raped over several years. Although the perpetrators were imprisoned, the colony elders raced to cover up the scandal as quickly as possible, and it was almost forgotten–until now. Miriam Toews has dragged that horror, and every other that comes with living in a religious patriarchy, into the light. Women Talking reimagines the event through the eyes of a fictional group of Mennonite women, who have gathered in a senile man’s hayloft to choose their response to years of secret violation. They have two options–run or fight–both equally terrifying. The minutes of the meaning are recorded by August Epp, a troubled schoolteacher who finds new meaning in this bizarre task. He witnesses the women’s struggle to make the biggest decision of their lives, which turns into a painful debate on love, faith, evil, and self-determination. Miriam Toews has built a richly detailed cast of characters to lead us through the dark corners of religion. Her women show strength, wisdom, and complexity on par with the greatest superheroes. As they struggle with themselves and each other, the reader is forced to confront the far greater battles that are being waged across the globe between women and the men who seek to oppress them. Toews’ work is brutal, insightful, darkly funny, and not to be missed. I would it recommend for readers of every race, gender, nationality, and creed.