3 out of 4 stars
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What would you do if the person who molested you as a child got away scot-free? Would you forgive him and move on? Or would you take justice into your own hands? This dilemma is the focal point of The Banshees by Anthony Land. Driven by the festering rage from their abuse, Nika and Alanna become the masterminds behind a plot to eliminate child rapists from the world once and for all. The two women hold clandestine meetings with the victims of a specific child rapist. The victims have four options: 1) murder, 2) blackmail, 3) public humiliation, or 4) no action. Will they be able to keep their operation a secret? Or will their brand of justice be foiled?
The moral dilemma raised in The Banshees captivated me. While I don’t condone violence, it was hard for me to sympathize with the rapists when they finally met their demise. Deciding which option was better, forgiveness or vengeance, was impossible. The murder plots were also intricately crafted. This made me admire the intelligence of Nika, Alanna, and the victims they recruited. The romantic relationship between Nika and Alanna was well-written. It was nice how the author did not rely on clichés to develop their relationship. The message of supporting abuse victims was positive and resonated with me.
In terms of faults, I felt that too much focus was placed on the police investigations surrounding the murders. While it was exhilarating to wait and see if the case would be solved, I would have liked to have learned more about the sexual assault victims. Additionally, some plot points and characters felt underdeveloped or forgotten. For instance, the beginning of the book focuses on the victims who were raped by a priest. I was drawn in by the nerve-wracking scene where they abandoned him in the desert. However, I was disappointed to find that they were barely mentioned for the rest of the book. The book switched between plots and perspectives constantly, making it difficult to get settled into the story. I also would have enjoyed having seen more character development in Nika and Alanna. Their quest for vengeance remained unwavering and neither of them experienced much character growth.
While I enjoyed the book, The Banshees contained a sizable amount of errors. They did not detract from my enjoyment of the book, but these errors indicated that the novel has not yet undergone professional editing. The most common errors I noted involved missing punctation marks and incomplete words. For example, the word “the” was cut off and written as “th”.
I rate The Banshees 3 out of 4 stars. I thought that the novel brought up a thought-provoking debate on the treatment of rapists and their victims. Land’s writing allowed me to deeply empathize with the victims’ trauma. However, the typographical errors and shifting plot focus prevents me from giving the book a higher rating. I would recommend the novel to readers who are interested in learning more about the plight of rape victims. The book is ill-suited for readers who are easily disturbed by mentions of rape and graphic violence.
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The Banshees
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when I get a little money I buy books; and if I have any left l buy food and clothes
