Synopses & Reviews
Sometime in the future, after devastating wars and fires, a lonely, windswept island in the north is populated solely by women. Among these women is a group of teenaged Trackers—expert equestrians and archers—whose job is to protect their shores from the enemy. The enemy, they’ve been told, is men. When these girls come upon a partially buried home from the distant past, they are fascinated by the strange objects—high-heeled shoes, teen magazines, make-up—found there. What are they to make of these mysterious things, which introduce a world they have never known? And what does it mean for their strict society where friendship is forbidden and rules must be obeyed—at all costs? Reminiscent of The Giver but with a feminist twist, Nomansland is a powerful, shocking story that will challenge young readers’ perspectives and provoke much discussion over the timely and controversial issues presented.
Review
“Vividly imagined.”—
The New York Times Book Review “This postapocalyptic novel will grab you from the first page and hold you long past the last. . . . [Debut author] Lesley Hauge raises provocative questions about the value of beauty, who determines it and the ramifications of absolute authority.”—Jennifer Brown,
Shelf Awareness “In
Nomansland by Lesley Hauge, teenage girls protect their makeup-and mirror-free island against the enemy—men (a sequel is already in the works).”—
Publishers Weekly, in a feature on Dystopian Fiction.
“Secrets revealed make for a compelling emotional journey.”—Kirkus Reviews
“What Hauge really offers todays readers . . . is the chance to look afresh at the strangeness of contemporary cultural artifacts we take for granted.”—The Horn Book Magazine
“Hauge offers a gripping study of nature versus nurture.”—Publishers Weekly
“I loved this story of discovery, secrets, and rebellion. Nomansland is an extraordinarily gutsy and intelligent read that will keep readers thinking long after they reach the last page.”—Jocelyn Koehler, Bookseller, Boswell Book Company (Milwaukee, WI)
“Nomansland challenges the ways we think about our world by examining it through the lens of brainwashed and disillusioned teenagers looking for answers. Hauge stands every cultural norm on its head. . . . Extremely compelling. The author put forth completely new interpretations of how our popular culture affects us and what it could mean years from now.”—SLJ Teen, an online newsletter from School Library Journal
“A stunningly bleak and desperate portrayal is effectively wrought here through eloquent prose, creating an atmosphere steeped in deception and mystery.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books
“Hauge is a fine writer and has a light hand with minor characters, and the nasty ones are especially well wrought.”—School Library Journal
Synopsis
A dystopic novel depicting an all female world that begs the question, would we be better off without men?
Synopsis
Sometime in the future, after widespread devastation, a lonely, windswept island in the north is populated solely by women. Among them is a group of teenage Trackers, expert equestrians and archers, whose job is to protect their shores from the enemy—men. When these girls find a buried house from the distant past, theyre fascinated by the strange objects they find—high-heel shoes, magazines, makeup. What do these mysterious artifacts mean? What must the past have been like for those people? And what will happen to their rigid, Spartan society if people find out what theyve found?
About the Author
LESLEY HAUGE was born in England and raised in Zimbabwe. She lived in Norway for many years before moving to her current home in Brooklyn, New York. This is her first novel. lesleyhauge.com