The Women’s War | Jenna Glass | Book Review

Forewarning, I’m pretty sure that this review is going to be just me gushing and wanting you to read this book. I actually discovered The Women’s War at my local library when I saw the third book in the trilogy (Mother of All) and was intrigued. When I realized it was a trilogy, I quickly went to see if my library had the first one. Thankfully it did and I dove right in hoping that I would enjoy it as anticipated.

The Women’s War is a fantasy novel that is set in a world where men control all the magic and the power while women have no say. Even though they have their own magical powers for the most part they have been banned from using unless they are healers. The men can force themselves upon a woman of their choosing and married women are expected to give birth to a son. It is a completely patriarchal society and if the women are different, damaged, or uncouth they are sent to live in a separate area of town where they are often made to be “whores”.

The women inside this book are tired of being treated so poorly and have started to group together. The former Queen of the land concocts a plan that involves magic and sacrifice in order to provide her daughter with the power and tools to change the world. This sets up the whole suspenseful adventure which is filled with magic and character growth. Now that the women have been given a small taste of independence, they are far from ready to give it up.

The Women’s War is told in multiple perspectives which were different and captivating. You learn where they came from, where they are currently are, and where they would like to be. There are so many mixed emotions. There were some characters that you will learn to love and some characters you will learn to detest (one in particular for sure). As a reader, I could not get enough of these characters and following their journeys. I especially liked reading about the female characters finding their inner strength – I found it to be very well done.

There is a map at the beginning of the book which I loved because I love visuals that bring me more into the world I’m reading about. The description of the world was so vivid and yet I could picture of it. I could visualize the world building and changes and the use of magic. I’m glad that this is a trilogy because that means I get to spend more time here learning about everything and watching everything grow.

Hoping this review was more than me just me gushing and telling you to read The Women’s War but honestly that is all I want to do. There was just something special about it and if you like Fantasy, character growth, world building, and magic I think you might like this one too. However, there are some triggering moments involving physical violence, forced sexual activity, and death so it might not be for everyone. I can’t wait to delve into the second book in the trilogy Queen of the Unwanted.

Rating: 5 Stars