This book was very interesting and at the same time very terrible, what can you do when you cross an uncrossable bridge… that's what happened to our main character, in this dystopian world, people are under surveillance 24/7 even more if you’re a woman, since women are the the scum of society… this book started as a dystopian world and evolved to a world of mysticism and vengeful ghosts and there’s where I kind of lost my grounding, I love dystopian worlds and I also like horror, but I didn’t love the sum of these two genres in the same book. Let me explain further, for me it was a bit too much of everything at the same time and I got lost in the story, the prose is nice, and the idea of the story seemed really cherry picked for me, but there was too many things happening at the same time and to tell the truth what could go wrong for Nelah, would go wrong…

that being said, it was an ok book, even though I wasn't the intend reader for this book I know many will love it, and I will still recommend this book for people who want ghost stories, revenge and even murder with a touch of dystopian, and if you want to know why I said all of these, grab a copy and read for yourself.

what I really loved about this experience, was getting to listen to the audiobook, Christel Mutombo, did a terrific job, brought a really new dimension to the whole story, I did enjoy a lot more the audiobook than what I did the e-book, and I am grateful for that

Thank you Netgalley and RB Media, Recorded Books, for the free AAC and this is my honest opinion.

I’m somewhere between a 3 and a 3.5.

I was really excited for this book because it sounded so unique and I will say that the themes of living under the oppression of patriarchy, bodily autonomy, ambiguity about motherhood, greed of capitalism and more were very interesting to contemplate - but don’t make a coherent story make. There is a lot of infodumping throughout the book, which took me out of the story. And the execution of the plot is also pretty confusing and while I understood some of what was happening, I can’t say the same for the rest. I also didn’t see the whole mashing up of cyberpunk dystopia with folklore coming, but it made for a very interesting conclusion.

Overall, I think this book was much more ambitious than what ultimately ended up on paper, which is why it just couldn’t keep my interest all through. The audiobook was narrated well but I didn’t listen to it completely because I just rushed through the second half of the book to get it over with.

disclosure: obtained this book as an arc from NetGalley

It's clear that Tlotlo Tsamaase wrote Womb City as a big, ambitious story and wanted to encapsulate a lot of big themes and ideas like bodily autonomy, civil rights in a surveillance state, and more. It mostly works. Even where it doesn't, it's mostly a case of being rough around the edges rather than deeply flawed. The book is fast-paced, which is sometimes beneficial and other times detrimental. At times quite a lot seems to happen in a very short interval. On the other hand, the characters feel real and organic, and the moments when the story veers into nightmare fuel and body horror are impactful and effective.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I was very interested in this based on the description, but ultimately, I didn't like the execution. This deals with relevant themes, like body autonomy, but it fell flat for me. I liked elements of this, such as the worldbuilding and futuristic, dystopian society the author created, which was very interesting.

My biggest problem is that instead of letting you think about things, which would be easy enough because the issues in this society are clear as day, particularly for women, it tells you what you should think.

Generally, I don't like that because it takes me out of the story. It also makes it less engaging for me. Like, why should I make the effort to figure anything out if it's already been established you're just going to tell me anyway. That was my experience with it, at least.

Also, the plot is confusing and it doesn't feel purposeful. It just feels like the ideas weren't marinated well so the end result is a bit messy. The pacing is also somewhat off, in my opinion. Some parts felt like they dragged on forever and I was constantly checking how much was left on the chapter so I could just take a break.

I see the intention of this and I appreciate the setting and world, but I just didn't care about the characters or what was happening. The narrator did a great job, though, I liked the way she handled this. It's a big part of why I was able to finish it.

All that said, I think it's worth checking out if anything about this book piques your interest because I see a lot of people enjoying it. Sadly, I'm not one of them and I wanted to be.

This is a very thought-provoking read, and while I loved the premise, I didn't enjoy the finished product. I listened to the audiobook and did enjoy the narrator, Christel Mutombo. I think she did a fantastic job portraying the main character and varying her voice to distinctly portray all the other characters as well. Normally, I love non-linear plot lines, but this is extremely messy and overly confusing. It is just trying to do so much. You have a sci-fi in which people are essentially body-hoping in a patriarchal, dystopian, and misogynistic society. While also exploring themes of motherhood, bodily autonomy, and uneven power dynamics. Along with exploring a large number of themes, it's trying to be every genre at once; you have a futuristic dystopian sci-fi novel and a fantasy, horror, mystery, and thriller all in one book.

I really wanted to like the book. The plot was intriguing and the world building had potential. However, it fell short for me. The action doesn’t pick up until about 50-60% through and it felt a little lackluster. I think the shortcomings came from the book trying to be too many genres such as thriller, sci-fi, dystopian, terminator, matrix combination. I wish it had expanded upon a couple of central ideas instead of throwing everything and the kitchen sink into it. The last third picked up pace and despite the flaws I would be curious to see what the author has in store in food books. Overall, intriguing but unfortunately not my cup of tea!

This was an interesting sci-fi novel with a lot of social commentary in it. I’ve never read anything by a Botswanan author before so always nice to read new voices and new styles of telling a story.

In this world people consciousness can be transported into another body and everyone have a certain number of deaths which can be lowered or ended completely if you commit crimes. It’s a global thing too. This concept felt fresh and interesting, and this is were I felt the social commentary was most present.

The story is emotional as it is about family, what a family can be and the longing for a child. It is a story about fitting in or trying to fit into a system you aren’t completely comfortable in.

It’s also a crime/mystery story full of twist and turns.

Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase is a spectacular, original, and well-crafted novel. This genre-bender boasts fantastical elements with horror, sci-fi, and dystopian themes. This story is cleverly crafted with engaging plot points. It was a little slow but I anticipated that the world-building would take time to craft and digest. The audio narration was great as was the narrator. I would definitely pick up more from this author. Stepped in folklore and culture, Womb City is smart and original.

The audio is beautiful and the writing is poetic but I couldn’t connect with the character or story. I think the narrator has a great talent for putting emotion and feelings behind the words she’s narrating

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me review this audiobook. I had a really hard time with the narrator. Even with the story sounding very interesting and was so excited to get it….it fell short for me. I did really want to like this so much. The overall plot of the story was very interesting. However, it felt choppy and overall missed the mark. Not that I won’t give this author another chance with a different book, this lacked what I was looking for. #wombcity. #netgalley

While this author has published many short stories, I think this is her first novel. Which you can tell in some ways, but overall I found this to be very impressive, imaginative, and engaging. There are quite a few very negative reviews, but personally I think this is well worth the read.

Womb City is a blend of science fiction and horror set in a futuristic Botswana where people can pay to extend their lifespans by having their consciousness moved into a new body. But of course misogyny, classism, colorism, and power hungry people make this a dystopian world to live in. Supposedly they can prevent crimes by using technology to read people's brains and assess their risk of committing a crime in the following year. Women are always assumed to be higher risk and more likely to have an implanted microchip that monitors their thoughts and behavior. The novel follows Nelah, a professionally successful woman (possibly non-binary person?) living in a body she wasn't born with, married to a controlling and just generally terrible police officer, and struggling with infertility. Eventually they decide to use an artificial womb to grow a baby despite the high expense. But Nelah is unhappy in her marriage and begins an affair. Everything spirals out of control when a drug-fueled night and a hit and run force her to fight for her survival and that of her unborn child.

I really liked this. It's smart with really interesting and creative world-building that blends the authors own heritage and mythology with futuristic science fiction. It's feminist in an intersectional way that takes into account race, gender identity, and sexuality. The message about the oppression of women doesn't erase non-binary and trans people. I don't think the pacing is perfect and especially towards the end we get some kind of clunky info-dumps to quickly fill us in on important information. This feels like a debut writing craft thing that could be finessed in future books.

I'm sure some readers won't like Nelah, but I don't think she's intended to be likeable. She's very flawed, as are all the other characters in the book, but being flawed doesn't mean people deserve to be treated the way this society treats them. It's exploring interesting ideas about guilt, assumed criminality, and how powerful people always find ways to game the system. The audio narration is excellent, giving different voices for different characters and creating a sense of tension when it makes sense to have it. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Let me start by saying, the narrator was great. Listening at normal speed, it’s very slow. Once you hit 1.5x, it’s easier to follow along.

Now to the story. I am so upset. This was one of my most anticipated reads, but I was let down. Nelah was just so…..unlikeable. Bad decision after bad (selfish) decision. Who are we supposed to root for now?!
The world building was easy to follow and was so intriguing, yet some of the most interesting parts were glazed over. The plot twists about 85% in redeemed the characters a bit.
Idk. Maybe I just hyped it up too much in my head. I’ll give it a reread when it is published because the foundation is there.

This is a story that needs to be told. I had to step away due to how upsetting and jarring this book became. From page one you are placed inside the mind of a woman in a futuristic world where women are mainly seen as less than, but even worse they are the ones who are constantly being judged and checked on and seen as the root of evil. The real horror I felt for this FMC made me step back because it was causing panic. I love that, but I am unable to dive back in just yet. This book was not written to make you comfortable, this book needs to be read so you can feel the horror of the FMC and others in this novel. I will be going back to this book when I can, but the author has been able to capture the fear not only women share, but the horror of how even in a thriving futuristic world, they still make things hard for the BIPOC community to succeed. I have noticed the more distopic or futuristic novels I read and digest the more I see how close we are to the overall oppression of not just race, but women as a whole. I wish I could say more about this haunting novel but I can't speak for this author or their community. whether you need prospective or not, this has been one of the best futuristic horror novels I have read. I look forward to when I can open myself up to it emotional again.

"All the rules are there to protect them, but who protects us?"

Wow, 2024 is turning out some amazing titles and WOMB CITY by @tlotlotsamaase is no exception! TY to the author, @netgalley and the publisher @erewhonbooks for both the audio and e-ARCs! This book is like if Minority Report, THE HANDMAID'S TALE and Cabin in the Woods had a baby and I loved it so much that I am currently listening to it again after finishing the e-ARC initially!

This is an intricately weaved near-future sci-fi horror set in Botswana, where microchipping humans is commonplace, future crimes are predicted by an ancient entity with powerful blood, reincarnation is possible but results in amnesia, babies are made in Wombcubators, and everyone is terrified of the shadowy Murder Trials. Yeah, there is A LOT going on here and I am not mad about any of it. There is something for everyone here: romance, sci-fi, hope, healing, revenge, mystery, suspense, horror, but most importantly, the impetus to change toxic and harmful culture and traditions.

If you read this one, stay with all the up-front world-building because Tsamaase is going to take you on an incredible, brutal, bloody ride and she will do it while commenting on gender, class, government corruption, race, inheritance, trauma, the trafficking of bodies, police overreach, and the control of women's bodies. She got me reading about Nguni mythology and the history of the Bantu expansion in Southern Africa and has magically weaved this all into a wildly entertaining and heart-pumping story filled with beautiful prose alongside swearing like a sailor.

This book feels like the manifestation of the struggles and sins of our ancestors and includes the feminist, post-patriarchal, gender bending Messiah-like character of my dreams.

The audio is phenomenal as well, btw: shout out to narrator Christel Mutombo! Happy Birthday WOMB CITY! ALL THE STARS!!

Do you enjoy stories with complex world-building?

💚SMASHBOT💚

#bibliophile #wombcity #tlotlotsamaase #horrorbooks #scifibooks #africanfuturism #bookish #booknerd

*Audiobook*
Thank you Netgalley and RB Media for the audiobook.
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O M G! O M G! Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase is one of my most anticipated reads for 2024, and this AUDIOBOOK did NOT disappoint. If I didn't have to work or take care of my family. I would have finished this in one setting it was that amazing. Narrator by Christel Mutombo (first time hearing this narrator). I fell in love with her voice and the way she pulled you into the story and gave you the BIGGER picture. The audiobook is around 16 hr and 38 minutes.
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They state this book will give you Handmaid's Tale with Get Out, and I couldn't describe it any better. We are introduced to Nelah (FMC) who seems to have it all, fame, wealth, and a long-awaited daughter growing in a government lab. But, trapped in a loveless marriage to a policeman who uses a microchip to monitor her every move. This book I would highly recommend to WOMEN, because this book shows how WOMEN are treated and how WE lose everything.

I wanted to like this much more than I did. The concept sounded extremely interesting but the execution was just... Off? It felt as though the first portion of the novel was spent world building and the second half trying to do too much with that. There wasn't a natural flow.

I absolutely loved this audio book!! The narrator's voice was perfect for this story. All the feelings of frustration, hate, vulnerability, and angst were conveyed so well. Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, recorded books for sharing this audiobook with me. The story in this novel is really poignant and reflects an exgerated reality of our current state on being. The commentary on the state of womanhood was intense but so necessary and appreciated. This author had a very strong voice and I would love to read more of her books in the future!

"Womb City" by Tlotlo Tsamasse offers a thought-provoking glimpse into future societal living. While the narrative can be challenging with its twists, the eloquent writing style captivates. Push through the initial hurdles, and the story begins to draw you in around the 30% mark.

Thank you NetGalley!!

But unfortunately, I’m not going to finish this book. I’m not enjoying it at all. It’s too bleak, I know it’s a political statement but there’s no hope in this book. I’m not in the right state of mind to listen to this audiobook. I do like the narrator, she did a good job reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely incredible.

First and foremost, the narrator for the audiobook is excellent.

This book is genre-defying: dystopian, sci-fi, feminist, afrofuturist, thriller, horror, and romance all in one. I immediately fell in love with the deep, complex worldbuilding that Tsamaase obviously spent a lot of time and energy thinking up. The amount of thought and ideas that went into this book is simply astounding. The concept of body hopping and the criminal justice system in this story is terrifying and fascinating all at once.

This is one of the most unique sci-fi books I have read in a LONG time, which is saying something, because I read a lot of sci-fi. I will definitely be on the lookout for Tsamaase's next book.