“The Movement” as it’s dubbed, is a result “of an entire species frustrated with the intractable problem of men—what to do with them, how to tame them, how to prevent them from destroying the world,” but in pursuit of this effort, the powers that be put policies in place that prove Orwellian in their degree of inhumanity, like injecting all men with a chemical that erases their sex drive. While the world-building and plot are compelling, the characters come off as somewhat flat, and the dialogue can be occasionally sterile. Still, Severed Roots qualifies as a page-turner, building to some surprises with crisp, polished prose.
The novel’s certain to upset and unsettle, both in its narrative and its depiction of women as oppressors. Memorable dystopian literature reflects back to readers their own reality and throws it into question, and Huzcotoq draws links to fourth-wave feminism, fascism, and the understandable fear that men are on-track to destroy the planet. Contemporary readers don’t have to fear women with power to relate to lines such as “We’re turtles. All of us… withdrawing into our shells while the world runs amok,” and the novel is shrewd enough not to ask readers to presume the worst of contemporary feminists, as it asks, “Didn’t every movement in history aim to create heaven on earth? And didn’t every movement fail?”
Takeaway:Huzcotoq’s provocative novel imagines a future ruled by women, and a man who must break the rules.
Great for fans of: N. Lee Wood’s Master of None, Christina Dalcher's Femlandia.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
