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Maya Greenwood #3
City of Refuge
Every city needs three a plaza, a hearth, and a sacred tree...
In the violent, desperate world of 2048, eco-catastrophes and societal breakdown have left the country splintered. Yet amidst the ruins stands a green and flourishing city where four things are sacred—Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. When the ruthless Stewards of the Southlands invade, the people of Califia defeat them using nonviolence and magic. But they’ll be back, unless the northerners can liberate the Southlands first.
Healer Madrone struggles to repair the wounds of war and deprivation. Soldier/defector River leads an Army of Liberation to the south. Bird, musician turned guerrilla, longs to return to the fight, but now he’s pledged to deeper powers. How can they build a new world when people are so deeply wounded by the old?
Madrone has a dream... Build a city of refuge in the heartland of the enemy.
In the violent, desperate world of 2048, eco-catastrophes and societal breakdown have left the country splintered. Yet amidst the ruins stands a green and flourishing city where four things are sacred—Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. When the ruthless Stewards of the Southlands invade, the people of Califia defeat them using nonviolence and magic. But they’ll be back, unless the northerners can liberate the Southlands first.
Healer Madrone struggles to repair the wounds of war and deprivation. Soldier/defector River leads an Army of Liberation to the south. Bird, musician turned guerrilla, longs to return to the fight, but now he’s pledged to deeper powers. How can they build a new world when people are so deeply wounded by the old?
Madrone has a dream... Build a city of refuge in the heartland of the enemy.
682 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2015
129 people are currently reading
1033 people want to read
About the author
Starhawk
58 books1,023 followersStarhawk is an author, activist, permaculture designer and teacher, and a prominent voice in modern Goddess religion and earth-based spirituality. She is the author or coauthor of thirteen books, including the classics The Spiral Dance and The Fifth Sacred Thing. Her latest is the newly published fiction novel City of Refuge, the long-awaited sequel to The Fifth Sacred Thing.
Starhawk directs Earth Activist Training, (www.earthactivisttraining.org), teaching permaculture design grounded in spirit and with a focus on organizing and activism. “Social permaculture”—the conscious design of regenerative human systems, is a particular focus of hers.
She lives on Golden Rabbit Ranch in Western Sonoma County, CA, where she is developing a model of carbon-sequestering land use incorporating food forests and savannahs, planned grazing, and regenerative forestry.
She travels internationally, lecturing and teaching on earth-based spirituality, permaculture, and the skills of activism. Her web site is www.starhawk.org.
Starhawk directs Earth Activist Training, (www.earthactivisttraining.org), teaching permaculture design grounded in spirit and with a focus on organizing and activism. “Social permaculture”—the conscious design of regenerative human systems, is a particular focus of hers.
She lives on Golden Rabbit Ranch in Western Sonoma County, CA, where she is developing a model of carbon-sequestering land use incorporating food forests and savannahs, planned grazing, and regenerative forestry.
She travels internationally, lecturing and teaching on earth-based spirituality, permaculture, and the skills of activism. Her web site is www.starhawk.org.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
February 12, 2018
There is a lot to love about this book, so many aspects of what's true in our struggle and the world I want to see, beautifully described in this epic tale.
ANNNNND, something huge is missing here. The world Starhawk creates here is kind of post-racial, or post-racist, as though racism and white supremacy magically disappeared in the time between now and 20 years from now, as though that were not among the most difficult of struggles embedded in the power structure of society that needs to be addressed. It's not even present in descriptions of the "Steward" culture. With all the painstaking effort made to create a detailed world we want to see that emerges from something resembling where we are now, and the path to get there, the way we address racism and white supremacy seems glaringly absent from this vision.
Maybe it's too much for me to want this book to be a manual for all the things we need to address. But I'm still a bit surprised that I'm not seeing this question arise from other reviewers. Maybe only white folks are reading this book?
ANNNNND, something huge is missing here. The world Starhawk creates here is kind of post-racial, or post-racist, as though racism and white supremacy magically disappeared in the time between now and 20 years from now, as though that were not among the most difficult of struggles embedded in the power structure of society that needs to be addressed. It's not even present in descriptions of the "Steward" culture. With all the painstaking effort made to create a detailed world we want to see that emerges from something resembling where we are now, and the path to get there, the way we address racism and white supremacy seems glaringly absent from this vision.
Maybe it's too much for me to want this book to be a manual for all the things we need to address. But I'm still a bit surprised that I'm not seeing this question arise from other reviewers. Maybe only white folks are reading this book?
January 9, 2016
I read this book as someone familiar with Starhawk's political and spiritual writing, and also with The Fifth Sacred Thing, so there was nothing here that surprised me on those counts. As a novel, I think this is a stronger effort than Fifth Sacred Thing: the characters are more three-dimensional and the world-building is fuller than in the previous one (there are even a few places where people in the southlands note that the northerners are overly preachy about their own ways of doing things; I live in the Bay Area and am a fan of much of Starhawk's vision for post-apocalyptic San Francisco, but this made me laugh in recognition just the same :)) This book is not for everyone, but if you enjoyed the other books in the series, you won't be disappointed.
September 17, 2016
It's not often that a sequel is just as good as the first book.
In the case of City of Refuge, the #3 in Starhawk's urban fantasy series, it's actually better. How incredible to pick up with these characters 25 years after falling in love with them the first time.
In the case of City of Refuge, the #3 in Starhawk's urban fantasy series, it's actually better. How incredible to pick up with these characters 25 years after falling in love with them the first time.
February 14, 2016
I am a huge fan of the Fifth Sacred Thing and had been excitedly awaiting City of Refuge. Starhawk delivered on an engaging, enchanting tale. I spent several nights up until the wee hours of the morning and had a severe "book hangover" when it was done. I love being in this world created by Starhawk, where the characters are complex and genuine, and hope abounds in spite of "post-apocalyptic" setting. Starhawk has an inspiring vision and she is an amazing storyteller.
September 9, 2016
I read the previous books in the series long ago, and the rule of the Stewards is becoming daily more believable as a near-future dystopia. One thing, though. I kept seeing descriptors of peoples' skin as chocolate or coffee or caramel and remembering this article: https://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/if-w...
...and it threw me out of the story. Every time. Writers, please don't do this. People are not food.
...and it threw me out of the story. Every time. Writers, please don't do this. People are not food.
January 19, 2016
An evocative, descriptive, thrilling look at an alternate future - let's not call it a dystopian novel since it allows so much more room for hope than most of that genre.
Although it is a sequel to The Fifth Sacred Thing, it is also a very strong stand alone novel.
I recommend this novel for anyone who liked The Hunger Games or Divergent - they all share strong women protagonists. City of Refuge is a novel for anyone concerned about our future, hopeful for the promise of community solutions to climate change and ready to be inspired by a visionary look at what is possible. Not just theoretically possible but actually possible, especially with solutions like permaculture, water reuse, alternate forms of energy and different methods of sharing power and responsibility.
Graphic violence is integral to plot, but mean that some sensitive readers should be forewarned.
This book is a GREAT read!
Although it is a sequel to The Fifth Sacred Thing, it is also a very strong stand alone novel.
I recommend this novel for anyone who liked The Hunger Games or Divergent - they all share strong women protagonists. City of Refuge is a novel for anyone concerned about our future, hopeful for the promise of community solutions to climate change and ready to be inspired by a visionary look at what is possible. Not just theoretically possible but actually possible, especially with solutions like permaculture, water reuse, alternate forms of energy and different methods of sharing power and responsibility.
Graphic violence is integral to plot, but mean that some sensitive readers should be forewarned.
This book is a GREAT read!
June 27, 2016
Starhawk says that the question that animates City of Refuge is, "How do you build a new world when people are so deeply damaged by the old?"
I loved the parts of the book that were about the community in the north and creating the new community in the south - and all the problems that went with that.
However, while maybe it was necessary to give full scope to the work, there was too much warfare, violence, disturbing graphic details and death for my liking.
I loved the parts of the book that were about the community in the north and creating the new community in the south - and all the problems that went with that.
However, while maybe it was necessary to give full scope to the work, there was too much warfare, violence, disturbing graphic details and death for my liking.
October 26, 2019
It took me a while to get through this because the beginning dragged a lot. Overall, I enjoyed the story and appreciated reconnecting with the characters. But I think Starhawk would have benefitted from a harsh editor who would have kept the plot moving.
October 21, 2022
Lovely and important except the absence of a grappling with racism is glaring.
February 13, 2017
Well, reading this during the rise of the new US administration seemed... a propos. I'm glad I did. I think Starhawk has a lot to teach us. And, I think this book could have used an aggressive editor. It's longer than necessary and all the various sub-plots can be hard to keep up with. It's less witchy and magical than Fifth Sacred Thing, I would say. It's more complex. And it's obvious that it was written 20 years later, which makes sense. A lot has changed since then. I would say it didn't have the same hard hitting impact on me that Fifth did when I read it as a 21 year old. But that's to be expected. I'm a jaded 37 year old now. ;)
September 7, 2018
What a great surprise to find out that, over twenty years after The Fifth Sacred Thing was published, there is now a sequel! And a second surprise that it was done well. It must be a challenge to return to a world you've written about 20 years ago and keep it consistent, and she did. I was amused that, since Starhawk couldn't introduce any "futuristic" technologies that she hadn't foreseen in the first book, nobody had anything resembling a smartphone. She really stuck to the intention of keeping the story consistent.
Not only that, but the premise was not contrived. The Fifth Sacred Thing had always felt to me like it ended and didn't need a sequel, but once this book got started I thought, "oh, of course. They defeated the Stewards in one battle, but the war isn't over." From there, the unfolding of this book's plot made total sense. It was a little lacking in ups and downs - basically everything went well until the last dramatic battle. But I loved how she delved into the ways the aftermath of the first battle had influenced the characters psychologically, and the difficulties of people raised in violence learning not to be violent anymore.
A few things did not sit right with me. One was the decision to use violence. The first book focused heavily on non-violence, not only as a form of resistance but a principle in all interpersonal interactions. In this book, everyone seems to be fairly easily won over to the idea of using targeted violence - odd, given how many people sacrificed themselves in acts of non-violent resistance and how vehemently that strategy was debated. Furthermore, the specific principles were never really spelled out, like how much violence is too much? Who is a legitimate target? How do you keep yourself from starting to enjoy it and using more than is necessary? It seemed like a big omission.
My second issue was with River's journey to become a "real person." I loved his character and loved seeing him develop an identity and self-respect while struggling to unlearn the violence he was taught. But when he kept giving speeches to the "sojuhs" and telling them they were real people, too, it felt off. I don't think the issue in any real-life situation is that the downtrodden and enslaved don't think of themselves as real people. What message was she going for there?
Lastly, and this is somewhat trivial, the relationship between Bird and Madrone was not portrayed well. In the first book they were separated most of the time, so it was a neat idea to let them journey and work together in the book ... but it seemed like all they did was fight and then switch to talking dirty about their lust for each other. We never really saw what their relationship was built on.
Overall, I'd say it's a good story, not as much of an "ideas book" as The Fifth Sacred Thing.
Not only that, but the premise was not contrived. The Fifth Sacred Thing had always felt to me like it ended and didn't need a sequel, but once this book got started I thought, "oh, of course. They defeated the Stewards in one battle, but the war isn't over." From there, the unfolding of this book's plot made total sense. It was a little lacking in ups and downs - basically everything went well until the last dramatic battle. But I loved how she delved into the ways the aftermath of the first battle had influenced the characters psychologically, and the difficulties of people raised in violence learning not to be violent anymore.
A few things did not sit right with me. One was the decision to use violence. The first book focused heavily on non-violence, not only as a form of resistance but a principle in all interpersonal interactions. In this book, everyone seems to be fairly easily won over to the idea of using targeted violence - odd, given how many people sacrificed themselves in acts of non-violent resistance and how vehemently that strategy was debated. Furthermore, the specific principles were never really spelled out, like how much violence is too much? Who is a legitimate target? How do you keep yourself from starting to enjoy it and using more than is necessary? It seemed like a big omission.
My second issue was with River's journey to become a "real person." I loved his character and loved seeing him develop an identity and self-respect while struggling to unlearn the violence he was taught. But when he kept giving speeches to the "sojuhs" and telling them they were real people, too, it felt off. I don't think the issue in any real-life situation is that the downtrodden and enslaved don't think of themselves as real people. What message was she going for there?
Lastly, and this is somewhat trivial, the relationship between Bird and Madrone was not portrayed well. In the first book they were separated most of the time, so it was a neat idea to let them journey and work together in the book ... but it seemed like all they did was fight and then switch to talking dirty about their lust for each other. We never really saw what their relationship was built on.
Overall, I'd say it's a good story, not as much of an "ideas book" as The Fifth Sacred Thing.
February 13, 2016
I loved it! I kind of consider The Fifth Sacred Thing the permaculture 'bible'. It's beautiful allegory and stories about the characters that represent parts of our own psyche, and about the world that we want to create. (Not to diss Mollison's Designer's Manual, but it's a how-to, rants, and not story-telling) But now I think City of Refuge might have a stronger claim to that title. The basic question it explores "how to create a more just, sane, beautiful world within the greater destructive systems around us?" is I think more a core question for me than what she explored in the Fifth "is it possible to win non-violently?" although they are both beautifully paired. I'll be recommending this book everywhere and thank you to Starhawk for writing more of this adventure!!
Over and over again she hits the nail on the head as characters explore the obstacles, hilarious roadblocks, consensus problems, and personal trauma that make doing this work so difficult. Thank you for creating a vision of how we can see our way through this!
Over and over again she hits the nail on the head as characters explore the obstacles, hilarious roadblocks, consensus problems, and personal trauma that make doing this work so difficult. Thank you for creating a vision of how we can see our way through this!
March 7, 2021
First of all, it feels worth saying that in any and every way, this is a GOOD sequel. There’s a level of growth and development not just in the characters or the plot, but the underlying perspectives and ideologies this series explores. They felt much more grounded and fleshed out through this novel; in all of their messy, complex, multidimensional facets. The City Of Refuge makes for a captivating and satisfying continuity of the characters, communities, and conflicts first introduced to the reader in The Fifth Sacred Thing. Underlined further by beautiful poetry, and a nice touch of metaphysical fantasy.
My only discomfort came from certain instances or ways Starhawk writes sexual intimacy between BIPOC characters. There were times when it felt almost fetishizing, if only out of a well intended clumsiness. That said there are other times sex and sexuality were really beautifully portrayed so, take it as you will.
My only discomfort came from certain instances or ways Starhawk writes sexual intimacy between BIPOC characters. There were times when it felt almost fetishizing, if only out of a well intended clumsiness. That said there are other times sex and sexuality were really beautifully portrayed so, take it as you will.
April 19, 2021
I was tossing up between rating this three or four but there were some elements that made me rate it down (and thanks to my friend for letting me talk this through with them! It was a huge help).
City of Refuge is Starhawk's third book in her Fifth Sacred Thing series. It's divided between being set in Califia (San Francisco) where an anarchist society has developed, and the Southlands (Los Angeles), where the people are ruled by s fascist state. The story mostly follows Madrone and Bird as they try to provide material aid to the people of the Southlands so they might have the ability to fight back.
I absolutely LOVED the conversations about how the Califian society worked and how the Southlands could implement some of their ideas in order to create a fairer society. I really liked that it showed how hard it is to organise people who have been victims of a system that takes away their power, and how they might find it hard to imagine a new way of organising with the power shared horizontally. I also loved that Starhawk seemed to have changed perspectives since The Fifth Sacred Thing, and now appreciates that violence is usually necessary when fighting fascists.
However, I really couldn't get into the way sex was used in this book. It discusses a lot of really difficult topics around sexual abuse, and quite graphically just to warn you. At a lot of points Starhawk wrote about characters who had been victims of sexual abuse being "healed" with "good sex", and she also wrote about a sexual abuser learning how to have "good sex" and then had him try to use it on a victim. It just made me feel extremely uncomfortable, and this made me rate the book lower.
Overall I would recommend this to you if you're interested in seeing how an anarchist society might battle with a fascist one, though I'd caution people to keep in mind that it does graphically talk about sexual abuse.
City of Refuge is Starhawk's third book in her Fifth Sacred Thing series. It's divided between being set in Califia (San Francisco) where an anarchist society has developed, and the Southlands (Los Angeles), where the people are ruled by s fascist state. The story mostly follows Madrone and Bird as they try to provide material aid to the people of the Southlands so they might have the ability to fight back.
I absolutely LOVED the conversations about how the Califian society worked and how the Southlands could implement some of their ideas in order to create a fairer society. I really liked that it showed how hard it is to organise people who have been victims of a system that takes away their power, and how they might find it hard to imagine a new way of organising with the power shared horizontally. I also loved that Starhawk seemed to have changed perspectives since The Fifth Sacred Thing, and now appreciates that violence is usually necessary when fighting fascists.
However, I really couldn't get into the way sex was used in this book. It discusses a lot of really difficult topics around sexual abuse, and quite graphically just to warn you. At a lot of points Starhawk wrote about characters who had been victims of sexual abuse being "healed" with "good sex", and she also wrote about a sexual abuser learning how to have "good sex" and then had him try to use it on a victim. It just made me feel extremely uncomfortable, and this made me rate the book lower.
Overall I would recommend this to you if you're interested in seeing how an anarchist society might battle with a fascist one, though I'd caution people to keep in mind that it does graphically talk about sexual abuse.
November 18, 2025
aahhhhhhhh this one kept me on the edge of my seat bracing for something painful to come
it was so long and winding in the beginning and at the end i found myself wishing it wouldn’t end so quickly and hoping for more!!!!! many of the characters feel really three dimensional and real.
overall powerful comments on building a resistance based on earth based spirituality and nonviolence. the coordination, the pain, the transformation! many tears shed
it was so long and winding in the beginning and at the end i found myself wishing it wouldn’t end so quickly and hoping for more!!!!! many of the characters feel really three dimensional and real.
overall powerful comments on building a resistance based on earth based spirituality and nonviolence. the coordination, the pain, the transformation! many tears shed
January 3, 2023
When I started reading The Fifth Sacred Thing, I dove in so completely that I didn’t want it to end. Luckily, I found out about that book a little late in the game, so you can imagine my happy surprise that it was part of a series. I then read Walking to Mercury, and finally City of Refuge. I’ve never read a series in which I don’t know which book is my favorite because I love them all so much! I really loved City of Refuge but by the end, I suppose I was glad it was done. What a beautiful ending to the story that began in The Fifth Sacred Thing! And although Walking to Mercury was more of a prequel to the story, I’m glad I read it between these two books because I think it made me feel more connected to Maya’s character and the whole idea of revolution and starting a new world. Overall, I love Starhawk’s writing and look forward to reading more.
May 18, 2019
By far the strongest book in the series. Not a comfortable read, especially with what is going on politically as of late, but a good one.
April 13, 2016
City of Refuge is the sequel to The Fifth Sacred Thing, Starhawk's utopian/dystopian novel set in a future California. I'd say it makes the most sense to read these books in the order they were written, starting with The Fifth Sacred Thing, then the prequel, Walking to Mercury, and then ending with City of Refuge. Out of the three, I liked The Fifth Sacred Thing the best, but am very glad there was a sequel. (Alas, no mainstream publisher wanted to publish it, so it was funded via Kickstarter.)
While The Fifth Sacred Thing focused a lot on the power of non-violence and non-violent direct action, in City of Refuge Starhawk explores more of a diversity of tactics - non-violence and invitations to "take a seat at our table" with the creation of an alternate "City of Refuge" within the heart of the dystopian LA along with the parallel use of guns and a ragtag army and navy in order to help liberate the debt slaves of the Southlands. Also, the theme of how to make a revolution among people who've been damaged by capitalism, patriarchy, etc. was explored.
Lots of food for thought here.
Occasionally I felt like the main characters were a bit too heroic, and I wish Bird could've forgiven himself (not that I think he needed forgiveness) sooner, but those are minor quibbles.
While The Fifth Sacred Thing focused a lot on the power of non-violence and non-violent direct action, in City of Refuge Starhawk explores more of a diversity of tactics - non-violence and invitations to "take a seat at our table" with the creation of an alternate "City of Refuge" within the heart of the dystopian LA along with the parallel use of guns and a ragtag army and navy in order to help liberate the debt slaves of the Southlands. Also, the theme of how to make a revolution among people who've been damaged by capitalism, patriarchy, etc. was explored.
Lots of food for thought here.
Occasionally I felt like the main characters were a bit too heroic, and I wish Bird could've forgiven himself (not that I think he needed forgiveness) sooner, but those are minor quibbles.
February 21, 2017
I loved this book so much! It's very inspirational for those of us who are passionate about revolution and rebuilding the world in compassionate and collaborative ways. There's such beauty to be found in the potential for how things could be, but Starhawk doesn't shy away from the brutal reality of what battle and hatred and cruelty is like as well. I highly recommend this to anyone who needs a shot in the arm about why we need to keep caring about people above money and keep working to make the world better for everyone.
"What comes after the revolution? You do well to ask that question before you wage one. Easier to bring the old system down than to create the new. Growth and evolution take time. We learn by trial and error, by making mistakes and trying again. Revolution, when it comes, is sometimes swift. Rebuilding, reshaping, is always slow. And change brings questions difficult to answer. How do we create justice? Do we hold the perpetrators accountable for the crimes? If we forgive, does that let the injustice continue? If we exact revenge, who do we become?"
"What comes after the revolution? You do well to ask that question before you wage one. Easier to bring the old system down than to create the new. Growth and evolution take time. We learn by trial and error, by making mistakes and trying again. Revolution, when it comes, is sometimes swift. Rebuilding, reshaping, is always slow. And change brings questions difficult to answer. How do we create justice? Do we hold the perpetrators accountable for the crimes? If we forgive, does that let the injustice continue? If we exact revenge, who do we become?"
August 31, 2016
graded on a curve
it's not a great book... but it's actually surprisingly satisfying, and the characters are vivid and three-dimensional. I've loved Starhawk for so many years and the vision is really compelling to me, so what I'm saying is that I am copping to gross rating-inflation here.
but there is all the woo you would expect from a story written by a Northern California witch, and so much prolix sex-positivity that it's like yo Starhawk, maybe dial it back a bit... and still, it works as story. it is a significantly better read than Fifth Sacred Thing, anyway.
it's not a great book... but it's actually surprisingly satisfying, and the characters are vivid and three-dimensional. I've loved Starhawk for so many years and the vision is really compelling to me, so what I'm saying is that I am copping to gross rating-inflation here.
but there is all the woo you would expect from a story written by a Northern California witch, and so much prolix sex-positivity that it's like yo Starhawk, maybe dial it back a bit... and still, it works as story. it is a significantly better read than Fifth Sacred Thing, anyway.
July 31, 2019
Starhawk is a good writer. And she can get preachy at times. That being said, I did get into the book and as it starts moving faster I had a harder time putting it down. At first I was daunted by the size, but the story was good and I cared about the characters, so the length turned into an asset.
Because I grew up in the Southland and now live in Oakland, the tension between northern and southern california was more real to me in personal ways.
Because I grew up in the Southland and now live in Oakland, the tension between northern and southern california was more real to me in personal ways.
May 26, 2020
I was late getting to The Fifth Sacred Thing, and it was such a treat being able to seamlessly read its sequel City of Refuge back to back. I fell in love with the characters, the revolution, felt a pant of connected sorrow for the epidemics their communities suffer through as we all struggle with COVID-19. These books have been such a gift to see the power of love, nonviolence, community and connectedness. Thank you, Starhawk for sharing your gift of story with us!
February 10, 2020
Intelligent interesting and powerful
A good follow up to Fifth, heartbreaking and powerful. I would love to keep going in this series but it must end at some point and this was a perfect ending.
A good follow up to Fifth, heartbreaking and powerful. I would love to keep going in this series but it must end at some point and this was a perfect ending.
June 22, 2016
Loved it, but it could have used less very descriptive sexual violence parts. unnecessary
August 19, 2020
"Choices. The somebody you become is the sum total of the choices you make"
Every City needs three things, a plaza, a hearth and a sacred tree. This is what Madrone and Bird are called to do in the middle of the Southlands. We've seen the healer, and the healing. We've seen the terrible things that have happened to what we currently know of as California, divided into two oppositional "lands"- Califia and the Southlands. In Califia, "everyone is welcome at the table". In the Southlands, those in charge got there with anger, division, usury and hatred.
Madrone and Bird have buried Maya. Now, they can go forth to make the change they talk about, they begin to explore the idea of building a refuge in what is called the "Dead Zone" in the Southlands and slowly healing begins; not only for others, but also for Madrone and Bird. Slowly, the rag-tag bunch of refugees fight themselves, each other and the world. Will their vision come to pass? And if it does, will it be sustainable?
Starhawk self-published this book through Kickstarter while raising money to bring "The Fifth Sacred Thing" to the screen. This book was written in 2015, 20 years after "Fifth Sacred Thing" was published. Even Starhawk admits that makes it different. We are in a very different place now in 2020 than five years ago, and those are the eyes I read this with. It was a very difficult book for me, and took a very long time to read. I love Starhawk's work, but this book was a difficult read for me, akin to the end of "The Lord of the Rings"....she's trying to hard to put legs on her own vision, and this time, although I've really wanted to read this since it was published, I was disappointed. Maybe it's because I've matured. It's a good read, but not a great one. 3/5
Every City needs three things, a plaza, a hearth and a sacred tree. This is what Madrone and Bird are called to do in the middle of the Southlands. We've seen the healer, and the healing. We've seen the terrible things that have happened to what we currently know of as California, divided into two oppositional "lands"- Califia and the Southlands. In Califia, "everyone is welcome at the table". In the Southlands, those in charge got there with anger, division, usury and hatred.
Madrone and Bird have buried Maya. Now, they can go forth to make the change they talk about, they begin to explore the idea of building a refuge in what is called the "Dead Zone" in the Southlands and slowly healing begins; not only for others, but also for Madrone and Bird. Slowly, the rag-tag bunch of refugees fight themselves, each other and the world. Will their vision come to pass? And if it does, will it be sustainable?
Starhawk self-published this book through Kickstarter while raising money to bring "The Fifth Sacred Thing" to the screen. This book was written in 2015, 20 years after "Fifth Sacred Thing" was published. Even Starhawk admits that makes it different. We are in a very different place now in 2020 than five years ago, and those are the eyes I read this with. It was a very difficult book for me, and took a very long time to read. I love Starhawk's work, but this book was a difficult read for me, akin to the end of "The Lord of the Rings"....she's trying to hard to put legs on her own vision, and this time, although I've really wanted to read this since it was published, I was disappointed. Maybe it's because I've matured. It's a good read, but not a great one. 3/5
April 20, 2025
Another Starhawk book that I really enjoyed, but that didn't quite make it to five stars. She is nothing if not consistent!
The book contains brief excerpts from a section of Maya's autobiography called "How to Make a Revolution" and in many ways the entire book could be read as that. It is fiction and definitely narrative, but it is a story that tells how to make revolution. From all different sides and in all different ways, some leaning more towards non-violence than others. I found the nitty gritty details around what happens when the first random recruit finds the way to your secret revolutionary refuge particularly fascinating. What do you do when enough people are there to start disagreeing with each other and some of them you don't even like?
The book is self-published, but other than, perhaps, being a little too long, it is remarkably well-edited and produced.
Having finished this series, I may try some of Starhawk's non-fiction next.
The book contains brief excerpts from a section of Maya's autobiography called "How to Make a Revolution" and in many ways the entire book could be read as that. It is fiction and definitely narrative, but it is a story that tells how to make revolution. From all different sides and in all different ways, some leaning more towards non-violence than others. I found the nitty gritty details around what happens when the first random recruit finds the way to your secret revolutionary refuge particularly fascinating. What do you do when enough people are there to start disagreeing with each other and some of them you don't even like?
The book is self-published, but other than, perhaps, being a little too long, it is remarkably well-edited and produced.
Having finished this series, I may try some of Starhawk's non-fiction next.
July 21, 2017
I loved this story just as much as the Fifth Sacred Thing, but I was a little wary as I was reading. I've heard a little bit about Starhawk possibly having traditional/Dianic/non-intersectional views, so every time one of the "uneducated" people uses a pejorative term for a woman or a non binary person and is not challenged, I cringed. I recognize why these characters might have been taught those views, but it still bothered me that in a story filled with inclusivity of other kinds, there was still this unchallenged hurtful language. ETA: maybe the purpose of it was to illustrate just what a hurdle the Insurrection from the North faced. Not merely enough to show the wage slaves freedom; there's also a long road ahead in improving their values and vision.
December 23, 2017
I gave up. Yawn. I loved THE FIFTH SACRED THING although it took me a while to get into it. I value and respect Starhawk as a Pagan leader and visionary. I contributed to the Kickstarter for this book...and boy, now that I'm several chapters into it....I just don't care. It's not her best writing, either; she needed a better editorial team. It just should be better. It's too earnest. Maybe I'll come back to it in the future and give it another go; if I have a different response then I'll update/replace this review.
December 24, 2018
I love this book, possibly more than the first in the series - the Fifth Sacred Thing (which was also amazing, but a bit heavy on polyamory for those who don't lean that way). Starhawk's prose is beautiful, and the story is action packed - full of love, passion, adventure, rebellion and everything else you need to keep you turning pages, while also feeling inspired as to how us humans might survive the social chaos lurking behind our current environmental crises.
April 12, 2022
Starhawk is amazing. All the way through this book it felt like a prediction of what is likely to happen if things don't change and very quickly. While it gives hope for a future on this planet, it also shows what can happen if The People don't wake up now and demand changes, both in government and sustainable living.
This book should be required reading.
This book should be required reading.
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