June Books & Banter Fiction Book Club: Eleven Percent by Maren Uthhaug

Books & Banter is our general fiction book club, focusing on great new reads that matter! As always, our book clubs are free and open to all, and the book club pick is 10% off the regular price. You bring the conversation, we’ll provide the treats!

This month’s pick is Eleven Percent by Maren Uthhaug. This provocative novel flips the dystopian narrative on its head, imagining a matriarchal society where men have been reduced to only 11% of the population and are confined to pleasure and procreation centers.

Set in a “New Time” where gender roles and power dynamics have been radically reversed, the story follows four women whose lives intersect in unexpected ways: Medea, a snake whisperer; Wicca, a grieving priestess; Eva, a spa doctor; and Silence, a recluse in a decaying convent.

While the utopian façade of this world promises equality and safety, cracks begin to show as the characters question the cost of such a society. Uthaug skillfully explores themes of power, freedom, and humanity’s capacity for cruelty, regardless of gender.

Sharp, irreverent, and deeply thought-provoking, Eleven Percent is perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and speculative fiction that challenges societal norms. Book clubs will find endless fodder for discussion, from the moral dilemmas posed by the story to the nuanced exploration of gender and power.