The Farm by Joanne Ramos
Published by: Random House on May 7th, 2019
Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Pages:
Format: Paperback
Source: Borrowed from the Library

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Summary (from Goodreads): Nestled in the Hudson Valley is a sumptuous retreat boasting every amenity: organic meals, private fitness trainers, daily massages—and all of it for free. In fact, you get paid big money—more than you’ve ever dreamed of—to spend a few seasons in this luxurious locale. The catch? For nine months, you belong to the Farm. You cannot leave the grounds; your every move is monitored. Your former life will seem a world away as you dedicate yourself to the all-consuming task of producing the perfect baby for your überwealthy clients.

Jane, an immigrant from the Philippines and a struggling single mother, is thrilled to make it through the highly competitive Host selection process at the Farm. But now pregnant, fragile, consumed with worry for her own young daughter’s well-being, Jane grows desperate to reconnect with her life outside. Yet she cannot leave the Farm or she will lose the life-changing fee she’ll receive on delivery—or worse.

Review: I’ve seen this book everywhere on my commute, in the front shelves of bookstores and being added to shelves on Goodreads. So I requested at the library and picked up my hold without knowing what this book was about. I made assumptions it was about pregnancy and was interesting to know what the farm aspect was.

This was a very character-driven novel which was a nice change from my typical plot-driven ones. There is a lot of commentary around women’s bodies, what people consider mothers, race, class and the potential future.

This book was slow at times, and it did abruptly end with no finality but I enjoyed following Jane, Ate, Reagan and Lisa and their different story-lines and hearing the different reasons of why they do what they do.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an organization like this already happening somewhere in the world.

Rating:

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