Mother & Slaughter: a female-rage-fueled fantasy satire

by Liz Shipton

The Handmaid's Tale meets Kill Bill...but make it a fantasy book.

A hundred-and-fifty years ago, the women of Draconia were stripped of their magic. Since then, every girl who comes of age in the kingdom is given a choice: have kids or become a gladiator.

Eleanor Skinner chose gladiator, and at 35, she's now the oldest undefeated gladiator in the history of Draconia. She's wealthy, she's notorious, and overall, she's pretty happy being a child-free lady-killer, thank you very much.

Then a one-night stand leaves her knocked up.

Eleanor would literally rather be decapitated in the arena than ever have to change a diaper. Unfortunately, she gets no say in the as soon as the men find out, she'll be forced to have the kid. So when she hears about a witch who lives outside the kingdom and might still have her power, Eleanor and her best friend Rosalind embark on a quest to find her and end the pregnancy with magic.

But the journey takes an unexpected turn, bringing Eleanor face-to-face with old flames, new friends, and secrets about Draconia that would make any self-respecting feminist want to stand up, pick up a sword, and use it to slaughter the patriarchy.

Genres: Fantasy

357 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 1, 2026

About the author

Liz is a hybrid author best known for her urban fantasy Dot Slash Magic, which received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly, and for her viral comedy videos. She lives on a sailboat in the Caribbean with her partner and dog. On the rare occasion Liz isn't writing, you can find her reading, swimming, telling her dog "I love you" for the bazillionth time today, or watching 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

Reviews

[Ioana Pristoleanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I backed Liz Shipton's Kickstarter campaign for this, as I've enjoyed so many of her books in the past and the premise sounded interesting - with a great title. I loved it! The characters, the banter, the medieval fantasy setting, the satire of today's American society regarding women... *chef's kiss*

Draconia is a country where women are stripped of their magic at birth, and their option when turning eighteen is to either become a mother, or dedicate their life to being a gladiator and fight other women in the arena. The leadership (white men called Thrals), have established laws such as no woman should leave the city unattended, and those not following the rules would be fed to the Scarion - creatures living in the tunnels under the city.

Eleanor (or Ellie as friends call her) is in her mid-thirties, happily child-free and the best unbeaten gladiator so far. Her and her friend Roz are so good at their job that, after seeing them, other younger women actually decide to become gladiators instead of procreating. However, Eleanor accidentally gets pregnant and decides to embark on a journey outside of the city walls, to find a witch that is rumoured to still have her magic and might be able to help her. I can't say more about the plot without giving any spoilers!...

I loved the drawings and the little comic strips scene that add life to the stories and characters. The setting is very much medieval, with some magic sprinkled through, and I felt immersed into the story right away. Funny bits are switched to serious topic so effortlessly - it's written in such a clever way that I had to suddenly transition from grinning to asking myself fundamental questions about women's rights!

Other topics included were body autonomy, right to an abortion, motherhood (some want it, some don't), trans women's rights (or lack thereof), immigration, feminism and standing up to the patriarchy - all written so brilliantly and with the humour that Liz Shipton is known for.

Overall 4.5/5 stars rounded up, a book with an important message for today's society, but written in such an approachable and fun way that more people should be reading it. Also, the illustrations made me want to watch a whole anime series based on this, or at least read it as a full comic book! Maybe one day...

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

MOTHER & SLAUGHTER is a darkly funny fantasy that follows Eleanor Skinner, a 35-year-old undefeated gladiator who’s built her life around avoiding motherhood in a kingdom where women must either breed or fight to the death. When she accidentally gets pregnant, Eleanor and her best friend hit the road, illegally, searching for a witch who might still have the forbidden magic needed to terminate the pregnancy. What starts as a simple quest turns into something much bigger as Eleanor uncovers shocking truths about her world that might just spark a revolution.

Strengths

The writing is both witty and humorous. All characters feel human in their flaws, making them instantly relatable. The narrative flows effortlessly, delivering powerful commentary on our current times in a fantastical way. It investigates themes of loss and hate while challenging what society accepts as normal. The novel delves into questions about love and personal value. It also poses ethical questions that should have easy answers, but often don’t.

Weakness

Needs more graphic novel art inserts! I really enjoyed the art that was present, so fun! Good job to artist Daniel Lorca! Loved it.

Verdict

Liz Shipton promised this would be “A Handmaid’s Tale meets Gladiator meets Monty Python in this female-rage-fueled fantasy satire,” and she delivered! You really can’t go wrong with an opening like “The bitch wouldn’t stay down.” I was sucked in immediately, trying to figure all the things out. The twist was unexpected, the ending was satisfyingly epic, and the depiction of Draconia’s leader, revealed at the end, was a little too perfect. I was genuinely horrified and amused, if that’s even possible?

Rating: 9 out of 10
Spice Level: 1 out of 5
Cover: B++

Tropes
• Political Satire
• Female Rage
• Subversive Magic
• Warriors
• Banter-Heavy
• Child-Free Lead
• Gender Roles
• Survival Quest
• Enemies-to-Lovers
• Found Family

Trigger Warnings
• Violence, including gladiatorial combat and animal cruelty
• Graphic depictions of death
• References to sexual assault
• Forced servitude
• Trauma, loss, and emotional distress
• Depictions of psychological and physical abuse
• References to reproductive issues and miscarriage

Thank you to Liz Shipton. I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly as described:
The Handmaid's Tale meets Gladiator meets Monty Python in this female-rage-fueled fantasy satire.

This book doesn't hide from the fact that it's built off a political backbone. Topics include:
- sexism
- racism
- gender identity
- societal norms
- dictatorship
- lack of healthcare

I loved the snippets of art/drawings throughout, however my one "issue" is their order. The last two should be switched to align with the part of the story they fall after.

"You gotta ask Gabkcid and Relzzugmuc about that,"..."Those guys; I don't know what they get up to. Relzzugmuc - he's a great guy, but I don't always know what he's up to."

Thought those were some strange names until I realized... 😂

"...then you get to show the sunsets to your kid. That's like double sunsets. That's what I'm living for. The promise of double sunsets."

Adorable. 😭

[Jeri Hirvela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious and occasionally over the top read that should not be missed. I received the e-book early as a Kickstarter backer and couldn’t resist diving in. I wound up dedicating my day to reading it. The characters were complicated and relatable. They struggled with the roles chosen for them by society as well as the roles they chose for themselves. There is growth, change, and a whole bunch of chaos. Mother & Slaughter was a completely irreverent romp. If you’re appalled by the current state of the world, this book is highly entertaining.

I’d also like to shoutout the artist who did the cover and prints that are sprinkled throughout the e-book. They were perfect additions!

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun (and wonderfully bloody) satirical read that was absolutely perfect for the times. Got a copy from the kickstarter and really looking forward to getting the physical version from the campaign come September. Sam was probably my favorite out of the bunch.

[Sophia Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read!

I loved all the twists and turns the story took. I did find the ending a bit strange. It was fun to have the subtle satire throughout the book but at the end it felt more fanfic than clever writing.

I would still recommend it the graphic pages added a fun insert to the story.

Thank you to the author of this arc.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got an advanced copy through the Kickstarter and wow. So much fun banter, the characters are great as always. I will literally read anything Liz writes because shes phenomenal!!

Also the art panels that go along with the ebook are amazing!!