Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
Set in the near future and inspired by the captivating myth of the warrior queen Califia, this brilliantly inventive novel tells the story of a small, peaceful community of women tucked away in a world gone mad.Only the elders of the Valley remember life the way it used to be, when people traveled in automobiles and bought food others had grown. When the ratio of male to female was nearly the same. Before the bombs fell, and a deadly virus claimed the world's men.Now, civilization's few surviving males are guarded by women warriors like Dian, the Valley's chief protector, as fierce and loyal as the guard dogs she trains. When an unexpected convoy of strangers rides into her village, it is Dian who meets them, ready to do battle.To her surprise, the visitors come in peace and bear a priceless gift, whose arrival is greeted with as much suspicion as delight. And indeed, the strangers want something in return, a request that could change the future of the Valley into one of hope--or utter desolation.It is up to Dian to discover their motive, in a journey that will cost her far more than she ever imagined, a journey from which she may never return.From the Paperback edition.
Is Califia's Daughters appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where most men have died from a virus, this features a warrior woman protecting her community with moderate violence and themes of gender-based societal collapse. No sexual content or strong language.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include mass death, death, and plague/epidemic (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will be drawn to the fierce warrior protagonist and the mystery of strangers arriving in a world where women must protect the few remaining men.