Severed Roots

March 6, 2023
Huzcotoq’s provocative dystopian sci-fi debut is The Handmaid’s Tale in reverse, told from the perspective of a man, or “mankey,” who functions as a second-class citizen in a totalitarian regime run by women where heterosexuality, motherhood, and marriage are illegal. Nick Wong is a gentle, inquisitive rule-following Canadian who has a part-time job as a magician and a few flimsy friendships, but his whole life changes once his friend Beatrice tells him her plans to self-immolate because she can’t be a mother. With the help of his enlightened male friend Morrie, Nick does everything he can to give Beatrice that opportunity, regardless of the risk to himself.
“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-

Starred review from March 15, 2023
Huzcotoq's intriguing dystopian novel presents a futuristic society where women intend to prevent men from destroying the world. Principles of The New World Order decree that a peaceful world will arise when women eclipse the darkness of ignorance and brutality caused by the male gender, aka "mankeys." The concept of family, considered a patriarchal construct, has been outlawed; children are birthed by women "manufacturers" and raised in a central location, and male adolescents either receive mandatory chemical injections to eliminate their sexual urges or undergo gender reassignment surgery. However, not all go along easily. This is a domain of rallies, revolt, and self-immolation by women who yearn for a chance at motherhood. In the clandestine "Island House," women procreate with men who haven't gotten injections. Protagonist Nick strives to get to Island House, inviting along his troubled friend Beatrice, who longs to be a mother. As the story unfolds, Huzcotoq reveals a surprise about Nick's family roots. The author builds a believable world and considers its wide-ranging consequences, providing a profoundly absorbing, thought-provoking tale sure to satisfy fans of the genre.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.