A queer YA dystopian novel in the vein of The Handmaid's Tale. It revolves around Eleanor, who was accepted to the prestigious Meadows. However, the Meadows has secrets.

I thought this idea had promise, but I was missing the nefarious undertones from dystopian novels. There was nothing to drawn me in like The Handmaids' Tale. The problem with that comparison is that for me it didn't deliver.

This was a tough read. As I was reading, I was getting madder and madder. This felt like dystopian But I’m a Cheerleader. Underneath it all, it was powerful. I felt for Elenor and the struggles she was fighting.

This was a different sort of dystopian book. In the future, the world has collapsed on itself. Things are different from the Before. Women are giving womanly jobs and Men are given manly jobs. Eleanor lives in the Cove with her adoptive mother. She has a crush on her friend June and longs to be with her after she returns from the Meadows. The Meadows is a facility where girls are taken to be taught to be proper women for society. They are taught how to cook, clean, and be presentable. Something shifts in Eleanor and the other girls. Why are they really there? What does needlework have to do with reconstructing society? Eleanor feels like there’s more to the story then she’s being told and she longs to know the truth about the Meadows.

We get Eleanor as our main character. From the beginning, she doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with her. She doesn’t understand why she’s at the facility to “better” herself. She meets a girl named Shelia on the first day who wants to help her remember that they are perfect the way they are. Later, Eleanor remembers a girl named Rose she had befriended and fallen for. Rose had “died” during an escape attempt. While all the reports say Rose is gone, everyone says nobody has ever died in the Meadows. What’s the truth? I liked the mix of characters here. It was obvious what was going on with Betty, and I was so sad to see she couldn’t find herself in the end. Jo was a great character, as was Marina.

The things I didn’t like about this novel was the length and the time skipping back and forth. There’s no indication that time has changed and you just have to guess. In some chapters, Eleanor is in the Meadows. In another, she is an adult dealing with life after. The twist near the end was great. The big reveals actually got me. The epilogue was very powerful and I loved Shelia’s bit. All in all, this was a book that packed a punch. In our current climate, LGBTQA+ individuals are at risk. In the near future, it could be illegal to be queer again. They could send you somewhere to fix yourself. This is a book for our time and a great eye opener.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book.

Eleanor dreamed of getting a letter to attend one of the schools for the "best and brightest" but never imagined she'd get one. When she does get one she's delighted and feels relief knowing she has an opportunity to make something of herself. Once she arrives, however, she discovers something seems off about The Meadows, but she can't quite figure it out. As time goes on, she begins to realize that maybe places for the best and brightest aren't what they appear at all.

This is a dystopian novel that takes place in a world where the US has fallen apart. Gender roles are strictly enforced, as are so-called "traditional" marriages. While I am not a fan of dystopian novels usually, I did enjoy this one a lot. It was heartbreaking and frustrating to read and sent a shiver down my spine to think how this isn't so far out of the scope of reality for our nation. I do think the novel had parts that dragged along and that was frustrating, but overall it kept me enthralled.

The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes was a stellar story!
The writing is incredible and the characters are so interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle.
I wish I could give this book more than five stars because it has earned its place as my favorite book! Couldn't put this book down. A captivating book with so many layers to keep the reader engaged throughout the entire book.
I was so intrigued my this dystopian society. And I thought Stephanie Oakes did an outstanding job creating this world. The world-building was done so well. Dystopian novels were some of my favorites and this was an amazing read.
Eleanor our main character really was someone who I thought about a lot.
I liked her personality, she was dating and courageous.
This is a YA queer dystopian novel that I absolutely loved and enjoyed!
I can’t wait to read more from Oakes.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers & Dial Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

In recent years, Margaret Atwood’s classic The Handmaid’s Tale has gained popularity among readers and was adapted to a TV series, which only helped it become more well known. I’ve always loved a good dystopian premise and could see a very clear similarity between the old classic and Stephanie Oakes’ newest release The Meadows. Misogyny, a corrupt government system, fear, and rebellion are overwhelmingly prevalent in both Atwood’s book and this YA novel.

Readers are first introduced to Eleanor during a point in her life when she is a young woman in a job working for what I interpreted to be what the government might look like in the future. Struggling to obey authority and live under strict guidelines, she looks back on memories of how she arrived where she is now. Over the course of the book, readers are shuttled back and forth in time with Eleanor’s recollections of the past, one that is rife with tension and illicit relationships that those in higher power have declared unethical and illegal. In this future world, it is expected that citizens will accept any guidelines they are given, no questions asked.

Eleanor has never known a life other than this. She’s used to constant surveillance–being watched by the shiny black eyes scattered around inside houses and even outside. She’s never really free or alone, even if the illusion is there temporarily. When Eleanor falls for one of her female friends (a huge no-no, marriage is to be between a man and a woman only), she knows a romantic relationship will never work and that continuing to meet will not end well, but the attraction they have for each other are exciting and inescapable.

Though I don’t believe it is ever outright stated that it is occurring (other than a brief note from the author at the beginning of the book), it is clear that the people in The Meadows are expected to adhere to a certain way of life, one where homophobia and transphobia is common. Anyone who thinks or acts in a way that doesn’t line up with the beliefs of those in charge faces consequences. One way the leaders keep control away from citizens is separating them into groups, something that is seen as a positive way to train each group of young people right from wrong. Unfortunately, as is the case with Eleanor, these regulations aren’t in her favor, and she struggles with submitting to them. She is surrounded by beautiful young women, and yet she must tamp down any attraction she has and focus on finding a man who might make a good future husband.

The Meadows does have a lot of subjects that could be a bit mature for some young adults, depending on their reading level (please see Content Analysis below). I can definitely see both adults and young adults reading it and enjoying it immensely. Even if you can’t personally relate to Eleanor’s experiences, you will still get something positive from this book: whether it be a more open mind, accepting that people can have different views and still support each other, or simply thinking about the beliefs and values you hold and how far you would go to protect your freedom. Overall, I enjoyed reading the words which conjured vivid images in my mind’s eye.

Review of a Digital Advanced Readers Copy from Penguin Young Readers Group

(This review is based on an uncorrected e-galley of this novel)

Overall, this was an okay read. My main issue was that it was hard to keep up with which timeline we were in since there were no "Past" or "Present" labels. I assume that's going to be fixed in the published version, but it made this version confusing and hard to read at times.

Anyway, this novel reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale and the Divergent series. There's a cult-like way of living where women are expected to do nothing beyond domestic chores/raising children and anyone who is different in any way is forced to conform with one group, an example being the last name Wang changed to King because there were only a select number of last names in attempt to keep everyone equal. I felt like some of the dystopian plotline was forced as well as the conversion therapy that this dystopian world disguises as a private school.

My favorite thing about this novel is definitely the cover art, but that's not necessarily because the plot was bad. I mean, look at this cover. It's stunning.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an e-ARC of this novel.

I think this book lives up to a true YE dystopian read. It was written beautifully. It’s immersive, captivating and full of with the questions and makes your brain take and click and think about what’s going on and how the outcome is going to look like. The whole story was told throughout different timelines, so you really got to experience how the characters owned their decisions, and how they changed, how they realized the big things.

Thank you so much Penguin Teen for the ARC.

Heavy handmaid's tale vibes but make it queer. This was truly a great story. I loved absolutely everything about it, as heart-wrenching as it was in some places.
The internal struggle of Eleanor was I think the most profound part of the story. Her having to come to terms with the fact that there's nothing wrong with her in a society who tells her that she is evil and bad and immoral.
Being told in two time lines I think helps as well. As you learn how she deals with the 'school' you're also learning how she navigates her life now, and how it really molded her for better or for worse.
Would highly recommend this book to anyone. It went way deeper than I anticipated and was not disappointed.

This gorgeous cover hides a dystopian YA novel that tests the limits of ones imagination. While the society seems just like a milder version of 1984, we quickly see how The Quorum rolled back protections to female, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ members of society. We alternate between past and present as we witness Eleanor's time in The Meadows and her current job as an adjudicator. We quickly find that The Meadows is a take on the Native American boarding schools or conversion camp, set on assimilation to the society's culture at all costs. While I enjoyed the dystopian elements, I felt like there was no real resolution at the story's end. Now maybe that goes to show how futile Eleanor's efforts were, but it was kind of depressing honestly.

*Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Oakes crafted an interesting dystopia with remnants of Handmaid's Tale, though with a focus on 'traditional' marriage and conversion camp-esque schools rather than reproductive rights. While rightly upsetting, the conversion style tactics were not as convincing as one would think, though this could be due to the author's decision to have most of the characters not be fully aware of their queerness. Unfortunately, the plot left a slightly confusing taste due to the past/present shifts that weren't indicated to readers. Noting the shift via chapters or page breaks would have vastly improved the reading experience.

Marketed as a queer Handmaid's Tale vibe, this YA dystopian did not disappoint.

Aside from the gorgeous cover, The Meadows is beautifully written and immersive. This book is not to be missed, especially if you're a queer youth.

It is told over different timelines, and the pace is slower in some places, but that didn't bother me. I enjoyed this story and would definitely read more by this author. The ending made me shed some happy tears.

Tysm to Penguin Teen for the ARC.

A queer story that mixes the Handmaid's Tale and Never Let Me Go, featuring a girl trapped in a dystopian society while she struggles to save herself and those she loves. Eleanor has been accepted into the Meadows, an escape from her hard life by the sea. She fell in love with a girl, but now in this special place she must conform to the societies rules...and that means being forced into an arranged marriage. The Meadows might look like a beautiful place but it's true purpose is to reform students and force them into their own way. Eleanor thinks she can follow it but then she meets rose and soon she begins to unravel the secrets of the Meadow and how far she'll go to protect herself and Rose. This is a great one for fans of dystopian stories along the lines of Handmaid's Tale, unfortunately for me, it just didn't really hit the mark and I just wasn't interested in it as much as I had hoped. It definitely was a case of "its me not you" and despite the confusing past and present mix, I think someone else might have a better time with it than me.



*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Dial Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This is a dystopian novel that really made me think about current society as well as both the past transgressions and hatred toward those people that "don't fit in" and the horrifying potential future if we as a society allow all our forward openminded thinking progress be stopped and turned back. I felt so many emotions reading this intense, yet slower paced novel from giddy happiness to fear and rage at how a certain group (straight men) were allowed to take control and decide what gender roles were in society.

I liked Eleanor as a protagonist and hoped she would figure out what the Meadows was created for and what the matrons were trying to do. Eleanor faced the difficult emotional games and self-worth belittling and had to decide whether she wanted the easy way out and accept the new roles and change herself to fit in or fight against them and stand up for herself and people like her despite the life-threatening dangers.

The pacing seemed to drag for the first half of the book, but as Eleanor neared completion of her time as an adjudicator, the stakes ramped up exponentially and the dangers and secrets of the "new" society were revealed, making me want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

I LOVED this book. Dystopian novels were some of my favorites as a teen and this took elements from so many of my favorites, the giver 1984 matched the handmaids tale, but with a queer take. So much of my critiques on the dystopian genre is how so many of them ignore our real life issues and discrimination, and make their main characters, usually meant to be the victims in their worlds, a nonmarginalized person which just doesn't feel the most realistic. This book actually took in our worlds real problems and the characters identities into consideration and created some incredible world building. There were several times this book made me stop reading just to have to take a moment to think and the plot twists actually got me and kept me on my toes.
I adored this one and am so glad I got the chance to read it!

The Meadows by Stephanie Oakes is a captivating tale that delves into themes of pain, injustice, love, resistance, and hope. This remarkable literary work will not only resonate with you, but also evoke a myriad of emotions, leaving an indelible mark on your soul.

This book starts out slooowwww. I almost gave up on it but I am glad that I stuck it out. It gets a lot better.

I went into this not knowing what to expect, and I am SO pleasantly surprised. The first few chapters were a bit difficult for me to get into (but I can also blame being a mood reader for that). I really got sucked in at about 20% of the way through the book.
Firstly, this is not a book recommendation I would just give to anyone. This is a fairly heavy read, and I believe you have to be in the correct mindset to dive into it. The anti-queer rhetoric in this is a plot theme, so it can definitely cause some anger to readers. The same way The Handmaid’s Tale fills your heart with rage- this book will do it, too. This is similar to the dystopian world of The Handmaid’s Tale, but queer and surrounding conversion therapy.
Not only is it upsetting, but it’s downright terrifying and Stephanie Oakes has a brilliant author’s note at the end of the book explaining that conversion therapy is still happening in our current world.
This book was so thoughtfully constructed. While there are moments of hopelessness, The Meadows does not fail to highlight queer perseverance- letting such a world of conformity know that the queer community is not going anywhere.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

3.5 stars

The premise of a dystopian, queer, Handmaid's Tale type story immediately landed this book on my TBR list. In its execution, I found the book to have some strong aspects and some weak aspects.

What I Liked
-The multiple layers to the story
-Reveals toward the end

What I Didn't Liked
-Past and present perspectives not clearly indicated
-It felt a bit long at times
-Would have liked more context about life "before" and what caused society to change

s: Overall I enjoyed the journey of reading this book. I thought that is was a unique take on a dystopian society and that it was mostly well done. I do wish the author would have described a bit more background either at the beginning to set the stage more or have revealed it throughout. I wanted to know more of the how and why behind all of the details that led to this society and the way it is. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, and I thought it was nicely done how you are able to see how different people coped and reacted to similar circumstances. Definitely led to some emotional moments! There is a ‘then’ and ‘now’ format to the book which at first I didn’t care for, but I enjoyed more as I read on. The connection between the two helped to add to the overall story and character development. It could be just the ARC, but I didn’t love that it wasn’t indicated in the chapter heading whether we were in the past or present. Didn’t take long to figure it out, but just a little per peeve of mine for that kind of writing. Overall, a solid dystopian!

The Meadows
By Stephanie Oakes
September 12, 2023

I loved this book, everything about it was very very good. The Meadows is a LGBQ dystopian. The characters were fun and engaging. I liked the world. This book was beautiful. The descriptions were so vivid.

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the early review copy in exchange for an honest review.