Wake the Wild Creatures, by Nova Ren Soma

Raised in a abandoned and abandoned vacation resort in the Catskills, Talia spent the first thirteen years of her life cut off from the world.  Her mother, a fugitive from justice, sheltered them in this place (called the "Neves"), which somehow was invisible to outsiders.  With time, other women (and their children) were selected to join them.  Each woman, like Talia's mother, fleeing from men -- fathers, brothers, husbands, etc. -- who have hurt them.  At the Neves, they can live in a sorority of consensus decision making and peace.

But as the community grows, its tensions grown and its contradictions start to tear it apart.  And then one day they are betrayed.  Her mother is arrested and the sanctity of the place is violated.  Captured and forced to live with an unknown aunt, Talia tries to acclimate into a new life in the outside world.  Never fitting in, she bides her time and tries to find a way to reunite with her mother and return to the Neves.

A beautifully-told magical realist novel that combines striking naturalism with Talia's keen and stark perceptions of human behavior.  Talia is the star of the show and one of the stronger and more captivating heroines that I've seen in recent YA stories.   There's plenty here about the struggles of mothers and daughters, the way women and girls mistreat each other, and a bit about sibling rivalry.  What's strikingly absent is any sort of romantic angle.  The fact that you won't miss it is testament to a story that has something meaningful to say about girls that doesn't involve angst over boyfriends (or girlfriends).  Strikingly original ideas combined with strong lyrical prose makes this an engrossing read.  It's one of those deep thinking books that will leave you pondering its meaning and messages long afterwards.  Strongly recommended.