Based on real events in the Manitoba Colony in Bolivia, this novel centers on eight Mennonite women meeting secretly in a hayloft. For years, the women were drugged and assaulted by men in their community; the perpetrators have finally been arrested, and the women have two days to decide their future before the men return on bail. Because they are illiterate and forbidden from learning, the women enlist August Epp, a schoolteacher, to record their minutes. Their debate focuses on three options: do nothing, stay and fight, or leave the only home they have ever known.
Readers interested in the intersection of religious patriarchies and collective decision-making will find this a dense study of female autonomy. The text appeals to those who enjoy dialogue-driven narratives that dissect the practical application of faith under duress. A reader walks away with a clear understanding of how language and shared testimony serve as tools for political revolution. The book provides a look at the specific logistical and moral hurdles faced by marginalized groups when attempting to build a society from scratch without an existing map.
- Published
- 2018
- Language
- EN
