"The Water Cure": What if masculinity was literally toxic?

The phrase “toxic masculinity” takes on a literal meaning in the new book The Water Cure.

In author Sophie Mackintosh’s debut novel, which was nominated for the Man Booker Prize, men make women physically ill; the title refers to the Victorian-like methods used to cleanse the toxins that result from any contact.

The main characters, a trio of sisters, live on an island in near-isolation, with only their mother and their father figure, known as King.

And then, one day, King disappears, to be replaced by a few adult men. Each sister responds differently, setting the meat of the plot into motion.

Mackintosh discusses her inspiration for this novel, her general writing influences, and how her book fits into the greater feminist-dystopia genre with Weekend Edition’s Leila Fadel.

You can listen below or read the transcript on NPR’s website.