What do you think?
Rate this book
In the Hands of Men
Haunted by the loss of her cousin, Delilah has curated a world of revenge—playing judge, jury, and executioner while, you know, searching for love.
Maybe murdering gives her the control she craves. Maybe it fills the gaping hole that Cedar left when she disappeared. Maybe this rage is ancestral, dating back to all of the Indigenous women before her whose cases were closed without much of a search.
Delilah’s never been caught, but as a new virus ripples through the world, devolving men into animals, she gets a little sloppy with her vigilante justice. As the world burns and society is on the brink of collapse, Delilah starts to wonder if she’s one of the monsters or simply taking her power back from the hands of men.
Maybe murdering gives her the control she craves. Maybe it fills the gaping hole that Cedar left when she disappeared. Maybe this rage is ancestral, dating back to all of the Indigenous women before her whose cases were closed without much of a search.
Delilah’s never been caught, but as a new virus ripples through the world, devolving men into animals, she gets a little sloppy with her vigilante justice. As the world burns and society is on the brink of collapse, Delilah starts to wonder if she’s one of the monsters or simply taking her power back from the hands of men.
380 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2023
10 people are currently reading
4417 people want to read
About the author
Gin Sexsmith
3 books30 followers Gin Sexsmith is a mixed-Mohawk, Indigiqueer writer and musician from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation. Introspective, unapologetic, and forever for the girls, Gin’s work explores love, identity, sexuality, trauma, and mental illness through a speculative lens. Her debut novel, In the Hands of Men, was published in May 2023, with its audiobook released on Audible in June 2024 and narrated by Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs.
She is currently studying Kanyen'kéha in her community and working as an editor for Canadian Geographic.
She is currently studying Kanyen'kéha in her community and working as an editor for Canadian Geographic.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 25, 2024
Insightful, introspective, dark, very for the girls lol
And if you’re a straight cis dude thinking of reading this point period blank you absolutely should to get an understanding of the female experience- and you should care about this if you have women in your life. And honestly if you’re a woman who find yourself judging other women for their actions/interactions with men then you should read this too.
Being completely honest this book did feel more like 3.5 stars vs. 4 stars, I audiobooked this and feel like it would’ve sat a bit better with me if I physically read as I feel like the narrator set a tone that felt more hopeless/sad vs. with rage, which is what the book is about.
This book pretty much summarizes how interacting with men while upholding worth and value in ourselves feels like. TLDR Men do NOT make it easy. It doesn’t do just this, it really shoves many traumatic experiences of woman and their relations to straight cis men (whether be familial or romantic or passing) into one book and as a female reader at times felt overwhelming and exhausting because it was relatable and reminded me of why it’s sometimes so hard to exist w/ men lmao. That being said could be very triggering for some, so if you’re looking for an escape from that this is not it lol but if you’re looking to rage and feel validated please come sit down lol.
I wish that Delilah’s indigenous upbringing was incorporated a bit more and that experience was touched upon as it would’ve made this more informative and impactful imo.
I would physically read again to see if how I feel about this book changes, cause ngl I do have mixed feelings about it and maybe I just needed to be more present reading it. It’s not an easy read but one that leaves you wanting discussion and dissection which is what I need!
And if you’re a straight cis dude thinking of reading this point period blank you absolutely should to get an understanding of the female experience- and you should care about this if you have women in your life. And honestly if you’re a woman who find yourself judging other women for their actions/interactions with men then you should read this too.
Being completely honest this book did feel more like 3.5 stars vs. 4 stars, I audiobooked this and feel like it would’ve sat a bit better with me if I physically read as I feel like the narrator set a tone that felt more hopeless/sad vs. with rage, which is what the book is about.
This book pretty much summarizes how interacting with men while upholding worth and value in ourselves feels like. TLDR Men do NOT make it easy. It doesn’t do just this, it really shoves many traumatic experiences of woman and their relations to straight cis men (whether be familial or romantic or passing) into one book and as a female reader at times felt overwhelming and exhausting because it was relatable and reminded me of why it’s sometimes so hard to exist w/ men lmao. That being said could be very triggering for some, so if you’re looking for an escape from that this is not it lol but if you’re looking to rage and feel validated please come sit down lol.
I wish that Delilah’s indigenous upbringing was incorporated a bit more and that experience was touched upon as it would’ve made this more informative and impactful imo.
I would physically read again to see if how I feel about this book changes, cause ngl I do have mixed feelings about it and maybe I just needed to be more present reading it. It’s not an easy read but one that leaves you wanting discussion and dissection which is what I need!
July 13, 2024
I read it in 2 sittings and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it, or talking about it.
It's a raw and powerful look into the minds of women. I cant wait until more people read this and we can start to have conversations about it. Not just because its a great story but because it has the power to change perspectives and spark much needed dialogue. I loved it so much!
It's a raw and powerful look into the minds of women. I cant wait until more people read this and we can start to have conversations about it. Not just because its a great story but because it has the power to change perspectives and spark much needed dialogue. I loved it so much!
August 2, 2024
The character of Delilah is completely unhinged, but also frighteningly relatable. This book is modern Indigenous storytelling at its finest. Because of the content (MMIWG+, sexual violence, etc) this was a heavy read while also being an entertaining thriller that kept me guessing.
August 25, 2024
This is a devastating book.
November 16, 2025
Essential reading.
January 13, 2025
Wow. I won’t be able to stop thinking about this book for a long time. Dark and devastating.
October 5, 2025
This was a very perplexing read for me. The intense topics covered were well written, a very nuanced discussion around male violence, patriarchy, sex work, what it means to be a woman, and societies role in all of it. Nothing was remotely sugar-coated. It was incredibly dark and unnerving.
This book felt a bit disjointed, though. The first 200ish pages felt like reading diary musings of a severely mentally ill woman, which I assume was the intention of Delilah's monologs. But the plot felt constantly interrupted by her monologs in a way that at points seemed to take away from the scenes set up prior. The discussions of male violence were very well written but paced strangely to me. I found it hard to read at points with how intense it was (which I'm sure was intended) and at points it felt confusing about what was happening in the scene, since we spent so much time in Delilah's head.
Then, from the moment Delilah walked out of the back room of the club to the violence of the creatures erupting, the story very quickly became a fast-paced thriller that I was eager to see the ending of. The plot points around The Change itself felt like an interesting take on the handling of a global pandemic, and I was curious to see how it would all pan out.
This book is an important read. It covers the topics I mentioned above in a vulgar, in your face way I haven't really read before. Violence against women is a men's issue, and this book did a fantastic job and explained exactly why, showing how many relationships with men, whether they be familial, romantic, or platonic can be traumatizing, violent, and downright cruel. I think for a debut novel, this was very well done. My only wish was more indigenous related topics were woven in, as I hoped we would lean into spirituality more with Cedar coming up so often.
Overall, I think this is a very critical story that showed a future that feels dangerously close to our current reality and was certainly worth the read. I think for myself as a reader, it was just very triggering, which is on me and not the author.
This book felt a bit disjointed, though. The first 200ish pages felt like reading diary musings of a severely mentally ill woman, which I assume was the intention of Delilah's monologs. But the plot felt constantly interrupted by her monologs in a way that at points seemed to take away from the scenes set up prior. The discussions of male violence were very well written but paced strangely to me. I found it hard to read at points with how intense it was (which I'm sure was intended) and at points it felt confusing about what was happening in the scene, since we spent so much time in Delilah's head.
Then, from the moment Delilah walked out of the back room of the club to the violence of the creatures erupting, the story very quickly became a fast-paced thriller that I was eager to see the ending of. The plot points around The Change itself felt like an interesting take on the handling of a global pandemic, and I was curious to see how it would all pan out.
This book is an important read. It covers the topics I mentioned above in a vulgar, in your face way I haven't really read before. Violence against women is a men's issue, and this book did a fantastic job and explained exactly why, showing how many relationships with men, whether they be familial, romantic, or platonic can be traumatizing, violent, and downright cruel. I think for a debut novel, this was very well done. My only wish was more indigenous related topics were woven in, as I hoped we would lean into spirituality more with Cedar coming up so often.
Overall, I think this is a very critical story that showed a future that feels dangerously close to our current reality and was certainly worth the read. I think for myself as a reader, it was just very triggering, which is on me and not the author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2025
Every time I read a thriller, I say that thrillers aren’t really for me but I give them a chance mostly to be able to recommend books to people at work- a lot of patrons do like thrillers.
I picked up In the Hands of Men not because it was a thriller, but because I was looking for Indigenous books to recommend and this just happened to be a thriller.
Delilah, spurred by the murder of her cousin, seeks revenge against men that have wronged women, but as her revenge spirals into aggression a virus sweeps across the globe. Now men are turning into animals (literally) and Delilah is getting sloppy.
Honestly, I was hooked right away. There was no way of telling where this book was going. Sometimes it get like it lacked focus- was this a critique of global pandemic response? Societal constructs of gender and its treatment of those that don’t fit nicely into the binary? An exposé of the continued MMIWG crisis? The flawed justice system?
Ultimately, the answer is yes. A scathing indictment of all these things. And you can’t fully tell this story without each element because the world is nuanced and complex- especially for racialized women.
I will say that the prose isn’t beautiful. The characters aren’t fully likeable. But it’s not meant to be. In the Hands of Men is gritty, visceral, and it’s meant to make you uncomfortable. It’s not just a good read, it’s an important read.
I picked up In the Hands of Men not because it was a thriller, but because I was looking for Indigenous books to recommend and this just happened to be a thriller.
Delilah, spurred by the murder of her cousin, seeks revenge against men that have wronged women, but as her revenge spirals into aggression a virus sweeps across the globe. Now men are turning into animals (literally) and Delilah is getting sloppy.
Honestly, I was hooked right away. There was no way of telling where this book was going. Sometimes it get like it lacked focus- was this a critique of global pandemic response? Societal constructs of gender and its treatment of those that don’t fit nicely into the binary? An exposé of the continued MMIWG crisis? The flawed justice system?
Ultimately, the answer is yes. A scathing indictment of all these things. And you can’t fully tell this story without each element because the world is nuanced and complex- especially for racialized women.
I will say that the prose isn’t beautiful. The characters aren’t fully likeable. But it’s not meant to be. In the Hands of Men is gritty, visceral, and it’s meant to make you uncomfortable. It’s not just a good read, it’s an important read.
November 15, 2025
This book is heavy. The writing is original and very good. There are so many uncomfortably true quotes within the story.
This book balances social commentary and dystopian not-so-distant future in an explosive way. Centering the Canadian Indigenous tragedy of the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous girls and women, this book is aptly named for the abuses, injustices, and control that have been suffered at the hands of men.
The protagonist of this story has survived and witnessed abuse from men at home and outside of it. She has had enough and has taken justice into her own hands. The story balances her crusade to rid the world of men who hurt women and her desperate search for love. And things take a turn when a virus runs rampant among the male population, suddenly turning them into the rabid monsters they had been hiding all along.
Thought-provoking and harrowing. This is an important book about real issues women have always faced.
This book balances social commentary and dystopian not-so-distant future in an explosive way. Centering the Canadian Indigenous tragedy of the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous girls and women, this book is aptly named for the abuses, injustices, and control that have been suffered at the hands of men.
The protagonist of this story has survived and witnessed abuse from men at home and outside of it. She has had enough and has taken justice into her own hands. The story balances her crusade to rid the world of men who hurt women and her desperate search for love. And things take a turn when a virus runs rampant among the male population, suddenly turning them into the rabid monsters they had been hiding all along.
Thought-provoking and harrowing. This is an important book about real issues women have always faced.
did_not_finish
November 23, 2024I bought the audiobook and realized a very short way in that I was not going to enjoy this book. Returned.
August 8, 2025
Wow. I'm flabbergasted by this one. It is so much more than it promised with its description! Powerful, insightful, I'm going to re-read it soon because i'm sure there is more to get from it, it sparked so many questions and thoughts... I hope Gin Sexsmith is going to write more because she has a powerful voice.
February 24, 2025
Femininity - if only I was born a boy, life would be so much easier.
This book is one that most women will relate to in one way or another. It might make some uncomfortable to read or listen to at times. Some may not be able to read it at all.
During this story, I wasn’t only thinking about myself, but all the other females in my life from family to friends who have suffered at the hands of men. It could be as simple as being discredited and unappreciated at work, to the worst violence. I thought about all our experiences and stories collectively when it comes to being female. What we go through.
I think about the current state of the world and what is going on south of the border from me. The USA government having the power to make decisions about the female body is mind blowing to me no matter where you stand on certain subjects! If this is ok, then what next.
There are a lot of things in this book that make you FEEL emotions. Anger being a big one for me (don’t decide to not read it because you don’t want to read a book that makes you angry), definitely read it. It is liberating.
In chapter 28, around 9 mins in to the end of the chapter, the following really struck me: //…performing femininity… rather than being. Femininity was built to be a performance - entertainment for men. Always feeling like an imposter, never enough of anything… to stand on your own two feet and insist this is who I am…
Men never feeling the guilt or shame… //
Just like the intro says, everyone should read this book.
I agree. Esp men. But I doubt that will happen.
This book is one that most women will relate to in one way or another. It might make some uncomfortable to read or listen to at times. Some may not be able to read it at all.
During this story, I wasn’t only thinking about myself, but all the other females in my life from family to friends who have suffered at the hands of men. It could be as simple as being discredited and unappreciated at work, to the worst violence. I thought about all our experiences and stories collectively when it comes to being female. What we go through.
I think about the current state of the world and what is going on south of the border from me. The USA government having the power to make decisions about the female body is mind blowing to me no matter where you stand on certain subjects! If this is ok, then what next.
There are a lot of things in this book that make you FEEL emotions. Anger being a big one for me (don’t decide to not read it because you don’t want to read a book that makes you angry), definitely read it. It is liberating.
In chapter 28, around 9 mins in to the end of the chapter, the following really struck me: //…performing femininity… rather than being. Femininity was built to be a performance - entertainment for men. Always feeling like an imposter, never enough of anything… to stand on your own two feet and insist this is who I am…
Men never feeling the guilt or shame… //
Just like the intro says, everyone should read this book.
I agree. Esp men. But I doubt that will happen.
July 24, 2024
This is a challenging, thoughtful, timely novel. I highly recommend that you stick with it (or take breaks, like I did) because Gin Sexsmith has important things to say.
September 28, 2024
This book!
It’s fiction, but there are sharp jagged threads of truth woven through this book. A majority of this story rang so viscerally true; and was a scathing commentary. Once or twice I felt called out, many times I felt validated.
It was dark and violent and I found myself craving some optimism, some good, anything positive, for balance. (I got this btw as I read on)
I took inventory of every single gentle, loving, respectful, self reflective, intelligent and amazing male (and female) human in my life and had to remind myself they exist. They do!
The anger oozing from the pages burn, if not scathe.
I fluctuated between rating this book a 3, then a 5.. then a 4. (Petty note: The amount of times words were repeated 3x got on my nerves, nerves, nerves) .. ergo the rating.
Well written, clever, and an interesting read. This book will stay with me. I’m sad it’s over, and despite the dark threads (darker than I’d like), I can’t help but to conclude that this tapestry is fucking provocative art.
It’s fiction, but there are sharp jagged threads of truth woven through this book. A majority of this story rang so viscerally true; and was a scathing commentary. Once or twice I felt called out, many times I felt validated.
It was dark and violent and I found myself craving some optimism, some good, anything positive, for balance. (I got this btw as I read on)
I took inventory of every single gentle, loving, respectful, self reflective, intelligent and amazing male (and female) human in my life and had to remind myself they exist. They do!
The anger oozing from the pages burn, if not scathe.
I fluctuated between rating this book a 3, then a 5.. then a 4. (Petty note: The amount of times words were repeated 3x got on my nerves, nerves, nerves) .. ergo the rating.
Well written, clever, and an interesting read. This book will stay with me. I’m sad it’s over, and despite the dark threads (darker than I’d like), I can’t help but to conclude that this tapestry is fucking provocative art.
June 3, 2023
This book is amazing! It is different and also a much needed book on what is going on in this world! The writing was phenomenal and I could not stop reading it! It catches your attention quick and you just want to see what happens next!!
January 2, 2024
Had to DM the author on Instagram after I finished it to tell her how much I loved the book
August 28, 2024
Gah. DNF. I don't have the strength to read about such a damaged self destructive woman. I guess there may have been redemption? I didn't have the fortitude to see .
September 29, 2024
Female rage: the novel
September 23, 2025
I mostly give the stars based on the bigger important message of the book, describing the female experience in a world made by men for men. That girls are forced to learn earlier than boys these tougher messages of survival. That women are forced to grow up faster and more alone.
The writing itself and the character design though? Eh. I find the main character Delilah very self destructive, but less in a relatable way and more of a "you wrote her to be like this just for the sake of it". The ending felt pretty bleh, I have a lot of unanswered questions, but I'm not really upset with being done with the book overall. I spent most of this book super confused.
The writing itself and the character design though? Eh. I find the main character Delilah very self destructive, but less in a relatable way and more of a "you wrote her to be like this just for the sake of it". The ending felt pretty bleh, I have a lot of unanswered questions, but I'm not really upset with being done with the book overall. I spent most of this book super confused.
January 14, 2025
This story is so important. There are so many unspoken truths within an apocalyptic tale.
This book had me scared reading it in the middle of the night but I didn’t want to put it down. I haven’t stopped telling people to read it.
This book had me scared reading it in the middle of the night but I didn’t want to put it down. I haven’t stopped telling people to read it.
December 23, 2024
I really wanted to like this book and was very excited once I got my hands on it, but after finishing it, I just feel confused. It was less of a story and mostly a collection of self-loathing, depressing, and tiring monologues from Delilah who I unfortunately found to be absolutely intolerable. And for the story itself, the way that everything was tied together didn't quite make sense to me. The characters' motives didn't make sense to me either, nor did the budding romance. I didn't feel that the book was very effective at conveying its intended message.
With that being said, I think the author has a knack for writing beautiful and vivid imagery, and seeing as this is their first book, I look forward to future releases. Plus the world needs more Indigenous writers.
With that being said, I think the author has a knack for writing beautiful and vivid imagery, and seeing as this is their first book, I look forward to future releases. Plus the world needs more Indigenous writers.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews