This book involves a caravan of people who are formerly exiles due to being considered "mad" by society traveling across a desert towards some unknown thing. During their journey, there is a massive storm and, after sheltering in tents for many days, when they emerge the main character discovers that some soldiers raped the women who were in a tent with them. Subsequently one of those women starts having sex with men in the caravan for favors, and the way the other women react to that exemplifies the (negative) way that survivors are slut-shamed or their behavior is not seen through the lens of trauma. It felt like crucial and traumatic events once again just being thrown in to add "realism" to a fantasy or scifi setting. There are well-written female characters and positive depictions of consenting sex in this book as well.