Jane is a young mother, new to the United States from the Philippines, struggling to provide for herself and her daughter. Feeling like she’s out of choices, Jane agrees to become a resident of Golden Oaks: a luxury retreat for surrogate mothers. A present-day spin on a Handmaid’s Tale concept, Jane’s world is both familiar and unfamiliar. Promised a second chance, or any chance, at earning easy money, all Jane has to do is agree to give up her body and autonomy for nine months. And the child she grows for anonymous parents.

Through a wide range of perspectives, readers get a glimpse at what can happen should surrogacy join the high-capitalist market place. The control that goes into each surrogates (or, as Golden Oaks calls them, hosts) is glossed over with amenities that would otherwise not be available to the women. Bonuses are promised on the delivery of a healthy baby — incentive to do their job, follow orders, give up all control over their lives. But who wouldn’t want to be pampered for almost a year and be paid to do it? It’s not hard to see why different characters are vulnerable to Golden Oaks’ marketing pitch, surrogates and potential parents alike. They’re planning to make dreams come true, after all.

A deeply layered and emotional debut, Joanne Ramos came out strong with The Farm. Standing out against the domestic thrillers and dystopian novels focused on the cost or price of motherhood, and what women are willing to pay, The Farm builds a picture of what I wouldn’t be surprised was happening today. How easy it is to prey on the vulnerable members of society, to get them to pay (or do anything in order to pay) for the life they want. And what makes The Farm is especially engaging is that Ramos forces the reader to question their own morality, their own beliefs, not just about motherhood, but about what defines a commodity, what defines freedom, and whether or not the American dream is still alive —

Or if it’s just that. Just a dream.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2020 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2020/01/2020-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Interesting concept and quick read. Joanne Ramos writes about a "farm" where women are paid to be surrogates essentially and all that quickly goes wrong. Well written and very interesting to think about, especially in today's society. Go read it!

This book seems like it is going to be like Handmaid's Tale but it really isn't. It's more about class , which is okay, but not that great.

Scary and good. I felt claustrophobic at times while reading this. I also like the Filipino representation and look forward to more books from this author.

Well written, likable characters. The story line was very original but I could not shake the feeling that really the idea of special order babies is still a little creepy. As a librarian I would recommend "The Farm" as a new, interesting subject matter will have to carefully choose to whom I would. offer the suggestion.

The Farm is a deeply disturbing book, not because it is scary fiction but because something similar to this is happening in real life. Deeply rooted in class, economics, race and immigrant issues - this story hits on so many of the high profile political conversations happening today. In this story Ramos extends what is real into what could be as science and economic inequalities intersect. For years society has nodded to the realities that are the world of medical research and science by paying the less fortunate to put their bodies, minds and health at peril. This story takes these ideas and runs with them by examining the world of surrogacy and what it means to pay someone to have your baby for you. Who owns your body and the baby you are growing? If you sacrifice your quality of life and freedoms to make money to raise the child that is yours, is the money enough to make up for what you must give up?

Ultimately this story focuses on the Filipino and immigrant populations who are exploited so that wealthier women can have children. Ramos wrote a book that absolutely forces readers to square with their own ethics and take note of whose backs their luxuries may be resting on. Whose happiness is depleted so that you can have happiness of your own? At what cost do you participate in convenience culture and the economic bounty that you may have? It is truly a story of ethics and how we each fit in.

The ending was abrupt but the story was one that is original.

I found this title a bit slow moving. Couldn’t finish it. I can see how some would enjoy it, but it just didn’t move quickly enough for me.

The Farm by Joanne Ramos is about a business where the product is babies, the employees are fixed-term, the job requirements are stringent and absolute, and the management is concerned with profits and brands. Some might say that the idea of big business is menace enough. The book sets up an idea more of scientific experimentation and a "Big Brother" approach to controlling the "host" mothers. That sense of foreboding and danger unfortunately never comes to fruition.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2019/12/the-farm.html

Reviewed for #NetGalley.

The premise sounded interesting but didn't live up to the hype. It moved very slowly and I didn't finish the book.

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book, but feel that there was something missing. But it was overall an enjoyable read.

This novel is set in large part on a ultra-high end property in the Berkshires dedicated to housing and monitoring surrogate mothers for the super-wealthy, giving us the perspective of several of the women as well as the woman running the facility. When I first heard about this book, I assumed it was a dystopian novel, but it's actually totally realistic, other than the fact that such a place does not exist (yet), as far as I know. Compelling characters and story, along with a sharp and incisive social commentary/satire on class and exploitation.

So very disappointed that I had to DNF this one! This was extremely hyped up on bookstagram and I even joined a buddy read to read along with some of my book friends. But I just could not get into it. The concept sounds so interesting but at around 40% I just couldn’t force myself to read anymore. I was just not sucked in to the story. Maybe it’s because I found it slow moving and just a little bit strange. And not good strange like I was intrigued. More like weird strange. My buddy read friends were split about 50/50 on loving it or struggling through it. Maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Random House and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Farm. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

It takes a village to raise a child. That sentiment is all too familiar to Jane, an immigrant from the Philippines who is raising her child with the help of her cousin. When an opportunity for real money is presented to Jane, being a host (surrogate) at Golden Oaks, the young woman makes the agonizing choice to leave her daughter for the big payout after the birth. Although the facility has everything that Jane could ever dream of, the constant monitoring and system of punishment/reward has crushed the hormonal woman's spirit. Will Jane, despite the risk to her fragile future, give up everything to be with her daughter?

The biggest problem that I had with The Farm was that the book suffered from an identity crisis. It was not really science fiction, nor was it contemporary fiction. Had the author embraced the science aspects, the story as a whole would have been more compelling. What readers are left with is a story of the rich taking advantage of the poor and a young woman's agonizing choice. The exploitation that takes place is nothing new or unique, which is why The Farm fell short of my expectations.

Golden Oaks—“the farm”—is run as an elite resort. Hired as surrogates for the 1%, the “guests” receive total care, including spa treatments, top medical care, and gourmet cuisine, in exchange for relinquishing their lives throughout pregnancy. These guests generally are women desperate to fortify their future, women like single mother Jane, a Filipina immigrant, Lisa, a repeat surrogate whose tendency to rebel is countered by her ability to produce beautiful, healthy babies, and Reagan, educated but troubled. Ramos portrays socioeconomic and emotional struggles, and the power of money to buy anything, even a healthy pregnancy, albeit with another woman’s body. There are lies to clients and to surrogates, and minor incidents throughout the story, but no major climax, and the ending seems disconnected. All in all, this story is very close to reality regarding the surrogacy industry, and a representation of injustice, worth the read on class, race, and feminist principles, but not necessarily for simple entertainment. I received a digital copy from the publisher Random House through NetGalley.

Women give up their lives to become carriers for rich women to carry the perfect baby. The stories feature a poor woman from the Philippines and more privileged hosts, white educated women. While this has a "The Handmaid's Tale" vibes, it is much closer to the world we are already living in.

This was a very entertaining read. It dealt with socio-economic issues, race inequality, and more with an interesting plot. You get the feeling you are supposed to see the Farm, where they house paid surrogates for wealthy clients, as a villain in the story, but it never quite gets that far. It's more like the surrogates later not liking what they signed up for (not seeing their own loved ones while they are pregnant, not eating what they want, being supervised, not personally approving of the clients they are surrogates for, etc.). The Farm is deceitful, for sure, and unethical, but it never comes across as evil. It was an interesting concept and plot for sure, and I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints: the characters rotate in POV from chapter to chapter.

I liked this but expected more depth. Young girls are whisked away and groomed to be vessels fo4 those rich enough to have these surrogates carry their perfect children. But the farm isn’t as nice as it appears, and someone is always watching, testing.

I began reading this book, but unfortunately, it was a DNF for me. The premise of this story is interesting enough: a place where one can go for nine months, away from the world, and have every need met. The catch: during that time, one belongs to the farm. They cannot leave; every move is monitored. As I was reading, I kept expecting more to happen. It felt like I was waiting and waiting. I think I was expecting more horror and manipulation and resistance, especially when it came to the people, and Jane, giving up their freedom. I think I was expecting more of a dystopia a la The Handmaid's Tale or the like, but it was definitely different than that. The multiple perspectives were confusing, and I felt like it interrupted the flow of the story more than it contributed to it. I would have liked to see it focused more on Jane's perspective. It seems like people either loved this one or the opposite. Thank you for the chance to read a digital copy of this book..

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley ages ago and finally got around to reading it. It was a very interesting premise and it would make a great book club selection. The idea of Golden Oaks aka The Farm is that wealthy clients hire women to carry their babies but it is more than just your typical surrogacy. The women stay at Golden Oaks where they are constantly monitored and the well being of the unborn babies is the highest priority. The only thing I didn't care for was the ending - I wanted more for Jane.