In Nego Huzcotoq SEVERED ROOTS’ dystopian future, men have been deemed “evolutionary failures,” and the patriarchy has been phased out in favor of authoritarian female rule. New laws include a ban on the nuclear family, forced lesbianism, and the subjugation of men, here referred to as “mankeys,” as if they are no more than simple primates. The expectation is obedience as atonement for thousands of years of women’s oppression. The main character, Nick, is a magician by trade, taking his life day by day. When his friend Beatrice tells him she wants to be a mother—an admission that could get her arrested—and that she plans to set herself on fire in front of the government building on her thirtieth birthday, Nick begins to deeply question whether the society they live in is as beneficial for humanity as they’re told. At the same time, several events are compounding in Nick’s life: the woman who partook in raising him at the Children’s Centre is dying; he befriends a man he meets on the bus, Morrie, and soon discovers he has a secret illegal family; and political upheaval appears to be on the horizon, potentially altering Nick’s world.
Much of the story is told through Nick’s observant and curious perspective, as he shifts from obedient to questioning to outright defiant in his navigation of this world. Dips into other perspectives beyond Nick’s offer foreshadowing, as when one woman wonders whether Nick “has a right to know” a secret that is later revealed, and more robust world-building, as in scenes told from Beatrice’s point of view. Huzcotoq’s writing style is clear and concise, with precise word choice expressing the characters’ thoughts and presenting palpable imagery. Wise quips like “A relationship is only as strong as the one who wants it the least” bolster character development. Details like government-enforced hormone injections round out the world-building, constructing a comprehensive, immersive world. But while the world of the novel is complex and interesting, its theme is often contradictory.
It is unclear whether the book is a parody or a genuine warning to society on what could happen if “feminism” goes too far. When the book shows men and women in an illegal nuclear family situation, it praises traditional and binary gender roles. Morrie’s wife fulfills a traditional role in their household and has “no air of subservience about her,” though she serves her husband and Nick, as the male dinner guest, first and herself last; she does, however, hold a strong professional position as a doctor outside the home. In further reflection of a conservative view of the gender binary, their sons wear matching suits and their daughters knee-length dresses. Morrie and Beatrice are both empathetic, likable characters and their opinions and feelings are reflective of “nature,” where parenthood is a biological drive, yet their opposition to a society in which the patriarchy and men’s abuses are disparaged lacks nuance. Beatrice’s natural desire for a husband and child is strong, yet she never discusses whether she would prefer a traditional, egalitarian, or matriarchal family dynamic. Certainly the characters are products of their environment, and because they know no different, imagining a male-female romantic relationship is difficult for some of them to comprehend. Despite the theme’s lack of clarity, the thorough world-building makes the characters’ emotions and behaviors feel realistic and internally consistent.
As the book progresses toward its conclusion, it dismisses offering details on how to create the world the characters desire—a world in which a nonviolent institution of the family is provided the necessary resources for support and growth; feminism’s place in this potential new world goes unaddressed.
While Nego Huzcotoq dystopian novel SEVERED ROOTS has an engaging writing style, thorough world-building, and multi-dimensional characters, the messy theme and sociopolitical details may distract readers with their polarizing nature.
~Aimee Jodoin for IndieReader