Review Tour + #Giveaway: The Willing by Lindsay Lees @LindsLees42 @GoddessFish

 

The Willing

by Lindsay Lees

GENRE: Dystopian

BLURB:

In less than a year, fifteen-year-old Gypsy Capone will be considered a woman in Ovoidia, a “utopian” city-state where every woman can be approached for immediate sex by any man, where curving architecture adds weird whimsy, sporks are the only cutlery, and true intimacy between the genders is a sign of suspect subversion. After all, if a woman just plays along, she’ll also do her job and have children, with the reward of a fine home in the “Communities,” where she and the other “Mamas” live together in harmony with everything they need. Right?

The irony: Diam and Isis, the two leaders of Ovoidia, are themselves females. Fun, yes! And just below the surface, perversely sinister. They personally execute these precise sacrifices by women to establish their “happy,” absurdly totalitarian utopia, and are backed up by their chosen army of male “crusaders,” enforcing a crime-free, fully controlled society.

Men are relegated to work in the “City” where they may “enjoy”—right there on the street if they wish—any woman they want and are welcome to satisfy their sexual and emotional needs at establishments called Gaje Clubs where only the most “gifted” among women are chosen to work.

Not surprisingly, in Ovoidia women have evolved until they feel nothing of sexual pleasure. But in Gypsy’s deepest heart, she realizes her own dark secret: she is the exception. Next she discovers to her horror that her secret, if known, could result in the ultimate punishment—genital mutilation.

To save her body and even her soul, Gypsy chooses a dangerous path—to single-handedly confront this scary and absurd world. She has the support of her allegiant sister Sadie and Miles Devine, a rogue, secretly gay crusader, and also “Doctor,” a morally questionable physician to help her. But none of them fathom the levels of paradox, incongruity, and twisted evil they will soon face, and the ride becomes something even Gypsy could have never imaged.   

Excerpt:

Three shrill bells blasted through the hidden speakers in the shiny ceiling tiles. A warning. Five minutes later, another three shrills will announce everybody’s butts better be in their chairs.

Gypsy took a seat in the front row of the dark, stifling auditorium for her Life Science class and wiped the sweaty auburn hair off her neck. Every time she entered the steamy classroom, she considered chopping off her hair, but didn’t dare go through with it, in fear of what everyone would say. Stagnant air lingered near an open oval window. Gypsy smoothed her denim shift against her bare legs. The sweat was everywhere. The heat had only gotten worse that year. The whole country sizzled like a frying pan on a burner without a high point.

Gypsy slid her right hand under her desk and stroked the round screws. She was in year ten of Passage school—her second-to-last year—but she had stopped paying attention when the Madams began the boring task of preparing the girls for life as women in the Communities. Life Science consisted of learning and drilling domestic life hacks and mothering skills.

Next to the whiteboard, a laminated poster of the Head Gaje family tree depicted the original Gajes—six desultory faces with deep creases around their rage-filled eyes. As the generations progressed, the Head Gajes began to look more their age, skin less ravaged, eyes less resentful. The current Heads, with the open-ended parentheticals under their busts, were on the bottom row—laughing, mouths splayed open, and lips the shiniest shade of red.

My Review:

I don’t believe I have read anything quite like The Willing before. I didn’t exactly know that things like this actually happens in our society today. Although it doesn’t surprise me I was still in shock to have learned that it does happen. I do know of course about human trafficking and sexual exploitation but still, I never thought about something to this effect.

I found out that things like this go on in our society today when I was telling my husband about Gypsy and the women in The Willing and their world. These women have been brainwashed from the day they are born to believe that this is the way they should live and that there is no other way. But of course, they nor their moms know that anything else ever existed. They have never lived outside their own little world so therefore can not know anything else. My heart is so sad for these girls.

The Willing in so many ways reminded me of The Handmaid Tales especially of this one woman who went through something very similar. The Willing brings out so many different feelings. The Willing is a very dark story but it is not too graphic as it leaves a lot to the imagination.

I love reading stories of this nature as long as it is fiction because I know it's not real but stories like this that is and can be real hits me hard. Stories like this are very hard to read. You want to stop reading but you can’t as you want to know and hope that everything will turn around for these girls and hopefully, things will change.

I would recommend The Willing to anyone who likes a good dystopian/utopia story. Warning The Willing is a very dark and disturbing read but it is written as fiction. I would not suggest reading The Willing if things of this nature disturb you.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Lindsay Lees is originally from Los Angeles and holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, and while growing up and later in college, she split her time between the two countries. Lindsay earned a B.A. in 2008 from Manchester Metropolitan University, and next an M.F.A.in Creative Writing from California College of the Arts. The Willing is Lindsay’s debut novel. She currently lives a quiet Southern life with her husband and a houseful of pets.

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Giveaway:

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