This book was a trip, I picked it up knowing absolutely nothing about it, tempted by the pretty cover and the fact it was by a woman in translation (yes, I’m still reviewing books I read in August in November). I was not expecting a hedonistic cult which preyed on a young intersex person all in the name of free love. It was wild, it can’t be said at all to be enjoyable, you just feel for Farah. Bayamack-Tam definitely nails the toxic and inescapable cult dynamic, the brainwashing is difficult to stomach. But I was left confused by the overall intended effect. The prose was absolutely stunning, I just wish the subject matter had been handled better.