Eleven Percent
A Novel
by Maren Uthaug
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Pub Date Apr 22 2025 | Archive Date May 06 2025
Description
An inverse The Handmaid’s Tale that asks: What if women took over the world?
It is the New Time, a time not so different from our own except that the men are gone. All but eleven percent of them, that is, the minimum required to avoid inbreeding. But they are safely under lock and key in “spa” centers for women’s pleasure (trained by amazons to fulfill all desires) and procreation. A few women protest that the males should be treated better – more space, better food, but all agree that testosterone cannot be allowed to roam free. The old patriarchal cities are crumbling, becoming overgrown; people now live in “round communities.” But if you prefer the slum, that’s okay too. Religion has survived, sort of: women priestesses speak in tongues, inspired by snake venom, as apples are passed around to the congregation. But all social engineering has its costs...
Four different lives intersect: Medea, a tiny, long-haired witch and snake whisperer; Wicca, a young priestess who excelled at the “self-pleasuring” curriculum in school and has lost her pregnant lover; Eva, a doctor working in a spa center, and Silence, who lives in an almost abandoned convent. Each will discover the cracks in this women's paradise.
Provocative, irreverent, and completely riveting, Eleven Percent—a #1 bestseller in Denmark—is the first novel to appear in English by celebrated Danish author Maren Uthaug.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781250329646 |
| PRICE | $29.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 304 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 810933
A thought-provoking sci-fi masterpiece! This novel flips conventional power dynamics, exploring a world where women dominate society with fascinating and complex implications. The writing is sharp and imaginative, offering a gripping narrative full of intriguing twists. The characters are well-developed, and the societal commentary is both compelling and insightful. A must-read for those who enjoy groundbreaking speculative fiction with deep, engaging themes.
Andrea D, Reviewer
Fabulous speculative fiction!
In Eleven Percent we learn that is all that is left - 11 % of the population is male (scientifically determined to stop inbreeding). It's called the New Time, but has anything really changed? Sure women are in charge but to what degree have they lost their own humanity? Maren Uthaug is a well known Danish writer who explores this polar opposite of the Handmaid's Tale with a great degree of creativity and skill. Fascinating, thought provoking and just a little bit too real.
#stmartinspress #elevenpercent #marenuthaug
Itze G, Reviewer
Thought provoking and interesting.
Told from the POV of four women living in a dystopian style future where all but 11 percent of males exist in society, and what little there are, are kept in “spas” where they are trained for female pleasure and procreation. Medea, a snake whisperer and witch from the slums who bakes popular “love cakes” made from menstrual blood and then searches for male blood to use in most of her elixirs. Wicca, a young priestess striving for her mother’s approval, and has just lost her pregnant girlfriend. Eva, a doctor working at a “spa” who’s harboring a deep secret of her own. And Silence, a mute living at an abandoned convent with Medea yet holds an air of mystery all her own. All four women’s lives are connected, and tell a story.
This story is presented and compared to a reverse Handmaide’s Tale, but there’s actually very little showcased on the males. And focused mostly on the women with discussions centered around gender roles, religion, and the patriarchy.
Librarian 1304480
Wow this was really good and had me thinking all sorts of things when k finished! It really stays with you. It’s similar to The Handmaids Tale but also totally different and felt fresh. It deals in a lot of important topics but never felt like bogged down by those topics. It was just a really engaging read. Will be adding to our library 100%!
Emily M, Reviewer
absolutely chaotic. in the best way possible. it freaked me out in a way that i liked. this story really made me sit and think for a little bit after i finished reading. all i can say is : men
Reviewer 742418
Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Eleven Percent was SUCH a good read. It was speculative & reflective of our current society. I think readers that enjoyed The Power would equally love this book, as the tones are extremely similar. There are many trigger warnings for this book, but if those aren't a concern, I think that it made for just the right amount of uncomfortability. It was perfect. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.
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