Published in April 2017, "Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women," by Renee Engeln, is a nonfiction book full oPublished in April 2017, "Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women," by Renee Engeln, is a nonfiction book full of the most obvious takeaways and well-known advice about beauty culture over the past few decades.
For me, "Beauty Sick" was not a great read, and I had to push myself to finish this book over a period of eight months in 2023. "Beauty Sick" reads like a stale, child-friendly middle-grade version of Naomi Wolf's 199o bestseller, "The Beauty Myth."
And for anyone subscribed to Jessica DeFino's perspicacious Substack, "Beauty Sick" is really limping along in elementary school by comparison.
This is not a bad book. I appreciate all that Dr. Engeln stands for and is doing. This particular text just didn't give me any new information. And I found some things missing from the end of the book, regarding the young woman whose story is the focus of the last 20 percent or so, that really pushed my enjoyment into a free-falling tailspin.
I know there are readers for this book. It just wasn't my thing.
Published in 2017, "Aesthetic Labour: Rethinking Beauty Politics in Neoliberalism," is an absolutely excellent collection of academic essays about gloPublished in 2017, "Aesthetic Labour: Rethinking Beauty Politics in Neoliberalism," is an absolutely excellent collection of academic essays about global beauty culture.
Published in June 2022, I bought a copy of "Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship," by Terrence Real, after beginning Real'sPublished in June 2022, I bought a copy of "Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship," by Terrence Real, after beginning Real's groundbreaking book, "I Don't Want to Talk About It."
This was definitely a great book. It isn't as moving or as deeply impactful as "I Don't Want to Talk About It," but it's certainly one of the absolute best therapy books I've ever read.
I've read and loved Xavier Amador's excellent self-help book, "I'm Right, You're Wrong, Now What?" and the principles in Real's "Us" all build on the same foundation, but the examples in "Us" are all solely focused on a marital context: on watching a married couple (most of whom are on the verge of divorce) grapple with trying to heal their relationship and stay in their marriage or not.
I love Real's approach and his accessible prose. Real makes it clear that he does not take on clients who are physically abusive at all. Which means that there are a lot of hard limits on how helpful this book may or may not be for any reader.
As a therapist, Real has never been one to turn his back on the cold facts of societal oppression: he understands that not every client who comes to his office is facing the same set of traumas or hardships in life, and that many of our traumas are completely out of our control. That awareness is front and center throughout the pages of "Us." Since so many psychiatrists and counselors seem, at best, to be completely oblivious to overt forms of oppression, it's a relief to read the work of a therapist who takes oppression seriously, and incorporates feminism, anti-racism, anti-ableism, and other such worldviews into his practice.
"Us" is not a book that delves a whole lot into inner healing and inner wholeness. There is some of that here, but the bulk of this book is focused on the daily actions people need to take -- especially couples -- to stop treating each other like garbage and have a loving relationship. None of those changes need to take years to make. Real shows that these vital changes can happen within the space of a few minutes, and be permanent, given a change in mindset. That change in mindset can come with the assistance of a trained therapist. Or, as in the hope of this book: people might change their own mindsets, based on the wisdom shared in this text.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with shitty relationships. The book is going to be most directly applicable to anyone struggling with their marriage, especially those who are on the verge of divorce. I read this book to help me with my brothers, and I do think the book was helpful for me. But I know that mileage will vary, when it comes to making a book applicable to your own situation or not.
Five stars. I really love this author. I cherish him. ...more
Published in 1997, "I Don't Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression," by Terrence Real, is a phenomenally excellent reaPublished in 1997, "I Don't Want to Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression," by Terrence Real, is a phenomenally excellent read. Part memoir, part therapy how-to, this is an empowering work of nonfiction.
Absolutely one of the best books I've ever read about masculinity and the damages of gender roles.
Highly recommended to anyone suffering from alienation, shame, unhealed trauma, and the like.
I learned so much and felt so much while reading this book.
Published in 1970, Kate Millett's nonfiction book, "Sexual Politics," is a seminal read in second-wave feminism, and did groundbreaking work in raisinPublished in 1970, Kate Millett's nonfiction book, "Sexual Politics," is a seminal read in second-wave feminism, and did groundbreaking work in raising awareness and providing motivation in the fight for equal rights.
I bought this book in October 2022 because I wanted to read Millett's analysis of the intensely misogynistic work of Norman Mailer.
While the essay on Norman Mailer was informative and insightful, I found the vituperative prose of this book exceptionally difficult to read. Millett's sentences veer from topic to topic so quickly, and with such elevated, bitterly emotional language, that paragraphs of text would just read as bombast to me. This book doesn't read so much as an academic text as the furious, dysregulated screed of a woman in pain.
"Sexual Politics" is based on Millett's PhD dissertation at Columbia University. I am glad that I took the time to check this one out. But it definitely wasn't for me. I only made it through a single chapter of this book, and even that was a rough and strenuous read.
Published in September 2020, the nonfiction book, "Men Who Hate Women -- From Incels to Pickup Artists: The Truth about Extreme Misogyny and How It AfPublished in September 2020, the nonfiction book, "Men Who Hate Women -- From Incels to Pickup Artists: The Truth about Extreme Misogyny and How It Affects Us All," by Laura Bates, is an important and vital examination of extremist online communities, and how those communities inspire real-world violence, including mass shootings.
My favorite chapter of the book was the last one, in which Bates questions why misogyny-motivated mass shootings aren't included as terrorist acts or federal hate crimes in U.S. legal categories. Bates isn't the first feminist to pose this question, and I very much appreciate her including it here, as the closing query of her excellent book.
I think Bates represents a more mainstream feminist voice that is a lot more palatable to a general audience than the content I usually read. "Men Who Hate Women" has a presentation style that appeals to a broad spectrum of readers, and I'm profoundly grateful for that.
First published in June 1992, the nonfiction book, "Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence -- From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror," by JudFirst published in June 1992, the nonfiction book, "Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence -- From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror," by Judith Lewis Herman, is a seminal work in the field of trauma study, and this book remains every bit as spectacular to read thirty years after it was first published.
This is the book that first introduced Complex PTSD into the medical lexicon, and thank god for that.
"Trauma and Recovery" is a brilliant, concise, and infinitely compassionate book.
First published in 2003, "We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity," is a nonfiction book centered on the issues of patriarchy and black masculinity byFirst published in 2003, "We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity," is a nonfiction book centered on the issues of patriarchy and black masculinity by the one and only bell hooks.
In the spring of 2022, I finally bit the bullet and bought this book to read on my desktop. It's really expensive to buy this one online. For an older title, I still had to pony up thirty bucks.
I can absolutely see how this book would have been a phenomenal read in 2003. But as I've become more and more familiar with the work of bell hooks, I was personally underwhelmed with this one. It was good, but not a standout title for me.
I don't disagree with bell hooks' analysis, but these concepts weren't new to me, and I also felt like the discussions of the privileges of patriarchy didn't go far enough. Things were just missing from this book, for me personally, and I felt their lack as I read. I definitely felt their lack when I finished.
It's a short book. It took me an incredibly long time to read. This one just doesn't have the power that her other books have had. By the time I was halfway through, it became more and more of a chore to finish. Though I did love her analysis of blues and hip hop near the end.
Published in November 2019, "The Witches Are Coming," by Lindy West, is a topical collection of feminist essays about various pop culture subjects. MoPublished in November 2019, "The Witches Are Coming," by Lindy West, is a topical collection of feminist essays about various pop culture subjects. Most of the book is primarily concerned with the years 2011-2018.
Even reading this in 2022, "The Witches Are Coming" already felt a bit dated. Mileage is definitely going to vary with a book like this. Whether any information in this book strikes you as a revelation or not depends upon how avidly you're attuned to the ephemera of pop culture.
Something I wasn't aware of, since I don't watch the TV show: the creators of "South Park" are proud lifetime members of the Republican Party. These two men are pro-everything-conservative and diehard fans of the GOP. I guess they lied to their fans for years, and painted themselves as "neutral" politically, so the truth comes as a bombshell to folx who thought they were like, "good people" making "lighthearted funny" on TV. Turns out: not so much.
I've always thought the vast majority of popular comedy has a heavy-handed conservative bent, since so much of comedy is about "punching down" on the oppressed and the marginalized, and then saying, "It's just a joke!" to defend racism, misogyny, transphobia, and all the other institutionalized hatreds that frame American pop culture.
Lindy West grew up revering "South Park," Howard Stern, Adam Sandler, and a whole host of other white male comedians who earn their bread and butter by mocking women and promoting conservative contempt for anyone who isn't mainlining the white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.
The fact that West came out of such a misogynistic media world, a world she wanted to emulate in all ways, and ended up becoming a feminist instead, is a tribute to how far she has come, and a shining reminder that anyone can wake up to the truth, no matter how much you've been programmed to fit in with the crowd.
There were parts of this book that dragged for me, since West and I don't share the same interests. I don't spend hours watching cat videos on YouTube, and I had no idea that Grumpy Cat's real name was "Tard," given to her because the owners knew she was mentally disabled. West spends a lot of time in the book studying this situation. I thought she could have gotten the job done in half the words. I felt that way about several of the essays in this collection.
But I still enjoyed this book a lot more than "Shrill." And West does a great job narrating the audiobook.
If you're looking for some easy feminist listening for your commute, this would be a good pick. There's nothing that will rock anyone's world in this book. I didn't find it to be anything groundbreaking. And now that Donald J. Trump is no longer President, a lot of this book felt really dated.
But it's not a bad book. It definitely has its good parts. I appreciated West's comedy about the things that deeply matter to her. She is a good writer, and I love her passion and heart.
Originally published in 2019, I first spotted a paperback copy of the nonfiction humor book, "#IMomSoHard," by comedy duo Kristin Hensley and Jen SmedOriginally published in 2019, I first spotted a paperback copy of the nonfiction humor book, "#IMomSoHard," by comedy duo Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley, in a Target store before Christmas in 2021, and then saw the audiobook at my library in June 2022. With a long road trip ahead of me, I grabbed the book for the drive.
And I am *so* glad I did!!!
This book is so funny and warm. Hensley and Smedley share stories of their lives with so much wit and humanity, listening to this book was addictive and easy. It definitely made my road trip fly by.
For the past two weeks, I've been recommending this book to all the moms I know. I loved it. I would go and see these authors on tour, and I checked their website for tour dates as soon as I finished the book, but they aren't coming anywhere close to where I live. Alas.
If you are someone looking for a book to make you laugh out loud and lift your spirits, this is definitely it. I loved it.
Published in 2013, "Paid For: My Journey Through Prostitution," by Rachel Moran, is a terrific firsthand survivor's account of being a prostituted perPublished in 2013, "Paid For: My Journey Through Prostitution," by Rachel Moran, is a terrific firsthand survivor's account of being a prostituted person.
This is a gripping and emotionally difficult read. Rachel Moran is an astoundingly good writer, and this memoir is full of deep reflection and insight.
Published in November 2021, "Feminist AF: A Guide to Crushing Girlhood," by Chanel Craft Tanner, Susana M. Morris, and Brittney Cooper, is a nonfictioPublished in November 2021, "Feminist AF: A Guide to Crushing Girlhood," by Chanel Craft Tanner, Susana M. Morris, and Brittney Cooper, is a nonfiction YA book about intersectional feminism specifically tailored for young women of color.
This book is especially aimed at young Black women. I thought it was a good book, but felt like something written for BIPOC who are already on Twitter and Reddit for at least an hour a day.
I thought this book was good, and it's important. Highly recommended for its target audience.
Published in 1999, "Woman: An Intimate Geography," by Natalie Angier, is a seminal work of feminist literature for me.
I first read this book a few yePublished in 1999, "Woman: An Intimate Geography," by Natalie Angier, is a seminal work of feminist literature for me.
I first read this book a few years after it was published, either while I was still in college or shortly after. It was a National Book Award Finalist, and was prominently displayed in bookstores at the time.
In February 2022 (almost twenty years later), I picked it up for a reread, and I'm so glad I did. Parts of this book haven't aged well, but on the whole, it remains a spectacular read.
Overall, I remembered the contents well enough that I skimmed and skipped a few parts. I also found Angier's prose style really distracting sometimes. I think that prompted so much of the skimming and skipping this time.
But Angier's zany, inventive word choice does provoke laughter at times. Her prose is also quite moving in places. This book still has the power to make me tear up and feel all the feels.
This isn't a book I would recommend to myself now; as a work of nonfiction, I've moved beyond this book. But I remain utterly grateful that this book exists, and that I read it when I did. It really shaped my worldview of how I understand -- and exult in -- women's bodies.
"Woman: An Intimate Geography" is a bit dated now, but still excellent. This book is full of wisdom, scientific research, and feminist verve.
Published in 2020, "Untamed," by Glennon Doyle, is the third book I have read by this author. I had expected this book would wow me as much as her firPublished in 2020, "Untamed," by Glennon Doyle, is the third book I have read by this author. I had expected this book would wow me as much as her first two books have.
Sadly, I didn't love it. "Untamed" felt nothing like Doyle's other work.
"Carry On, Warrior" and "Love Warrior" are both *much beloved* reads for me. Those books just speak to my soul. I still highly recommend "Carry On, Warrior" and "Love Warrior."
"Untamed" veers away from memoir/making-sense-of-my-own-life material into nonsensical (and highly frustrating) generalizations, (especially generalizations about women), and sanctimonious preaching.
I can fully understand why so many readers love this book. I can understand why Doyle included so many short essays that read like an intersectional-feminism-101-primer with a "Girl, Get Yours" message of empowerment.
But for me? I got to the end and just wish I had DNF'd.
I'm so glad that Doyle left her first marriage and married a woman she truly loves. I'm also really glad that other readers have found Doyle's third memoir to be enlightening, empowering, and transformative.
This just wasn't the book for me. Reading Doyle's newfound realizations about patriarchy and racism, written like a well-meaning Karen who assumes the reader is also a clueless and well-meaning Karen, just wasn't at all helpful or enjoyable to me.
I was determined to finish this just so I would know everything that was in this book.
For me personally, "Untamed" would be a one-star DNF.
But because I know I was definitely not the right audience, I am giving this three stars. ...more
Published in March 2021, "Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology," by Jess Zimmerman, is titled and subtitled as if the book's focus will Published in March 2021, "Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology," by Jess Zimmerman, is titled and subtitled as if the book's focus will be Greek mythology, and that the text will have an academic tone.
But that's not at all what this book is. "Women and Other Monsters" is about 90% memoir material, blended with contemporary social critique of the patriarchy. Most of these essays were previously published online. In no chronological order, Zimmerman details bad relationships, a divorce, her neutral stance toward ever having children, her disordered eating, and many other personal topics that are only loosely -- fleetingly -- structured around different female monsters from Greek mythology, which are all given brief and very basic descriptions.
While reading this book, what really came across to me was how much shame and self-loathing Zimmerman is still grappling with. Many of these essays were depressing to read, because Zimmerman's continuing lack of self-love radiated through the pages.
She describes a relationship with a professor that was incredibly toxic. Much later in the book, she describes a relationship with "a boyfriend" when she was twenty and twenty-one (it's unspecified in the text, but I believe this man might in fact be the professor, reappearing in a different essay), a man who kept in contact with all of his ex-girlfriends and an ex-wife in order to pit the women against each other, and hide his verbal abuse toward his current partner by blaming his behavior on his exes.
This asshole definitely read like someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Based on Zimmerman's descriptions, he read like a man in constant need of narcissistic supply, a man who lost his temper over any random, nonsensical "slight" to his ego, a man who was constantly suffering narcissistic injury and narcissistic rage. Zimmerman never calls him a Narcissist. It could be that she doesn't understand this particular mental illness at all. But it was plain as day to me.
I definitely think that other readers might enjoy this book far more than I did. It's very topical, and it's clear that Zimmerman excels at interacting on social media, especially Twitter.
Zimmerman also strives, as much as she can, to keep her social commentary intersectional. She also acknowledges her positions of privilege in the first essay of the book.
Each essay is preceded by an illustration of the Greek female monster being discussed. The artwork is beautiful, but I was sad to see that not a single monster had black skin or a plus-size body. Every expertly drawn "monster" that illustrates this book is white, thin, and conventionally pretty. It was certainly possible to have created artwork with black bodies and plus-size bodies. But the white male gaze still dominates these illustrations, even in a book that is striving to be intersectional. The lack of diversity in the monster illustrations made me sad.
"Women and Other Monsters" ends with a call to all women to imagine different stories one day, stories in which we let "the monsters" be "the heroes."
While I do understand *why* that is a rallying cry, I just kept waiting for Zimmerman to state that she was simply retelling popular Greek myths that *teach* the patriarchy, so in all actuality, how TF can tales that *teach* the patriarchy ever be feminist? F*ck these Greek myths, already; I'm just over this bullshit. I'd rather write women-loving feminist stories that have *nothing* to do with this "women are monsters" crap.
But Zimmerman never said such things. She just begs for people to consider the imagined lives of the monsters in more depth, and then draws parallels to women's lives in the modern world; primarily, her own.
This is not a bad book at all. It just wasn't the right book for me in particular.
Recommended for anyone interested in a feminist memoir, blended with social critique and a dash of Greek myth.
First published in 2020, "The Selected Works of Audre Lorde," by Audre Lorde, edited and introduced by Roxane Gay, is an excellent introduction to theFirst published in 2020, "The Selected Works of Audre Lorde," by Audre Lorde, edited and introduced by Roxane Gay, is an excellent introduction to the poetry and prose of Audre Lorde (1934-1992).
I confess that I found this book dark AF. Reading about Lorde's cancer, in particular, was a long, hard trek through the grim. The essays about her personal encounters with overt racism added to the visceral truth of the unfairness and brutality that surrounded Lorde's life.
The essays deservedly come down hard on mainstream white feminism. As I write this review in 2021, it feels like mainstream feminism might have finally gotten the memo about internalized racism.
Lorde remains worth reading because Lorde remains ahead of her time, and ahead of our current time (2021).
This is such a heart-wrenching book. It's chock-full of so many horrible things that make me despair, but they're always coupled with Lorde's burning passion for change and unwavering hope for a better tomorrow.
I don't feel smart enough to read Lorde's poetry. I just don't have the intellectual bandwidth to make sense of it, or to get anything out of it.
Five stars for the essays. No rating for the poetry; I can't rate something that I can't make any sense of.
Highly recommended to anyone interested in Audre Lorde. ...more
Published in 2014, the memoir, "Good Cop, Bad Daughter: Memoirs of an Unlikely Police Officer," by Karen Lynch, examines the author's childhood and adPublished in 2014, the memoir, "Good Cop, Bad Daughter: Memoirs of an Unlikely Police Officer," by Karen Lynch, examines the author's childhood and adolescence before enrolling in the San Francisco Police Academy in 1980, and being sworn in as a San Francisco Police Officer in 1981.
I really loved this book. It's a wonderful read.
I didn't expect so much of the book to be about Lynch's childhood, however. The first half of this memoir became too triggering for me, unfortunately, and I had to skip a section detailing Lynch's teenage years. Our mothers are so very similar, it was just too overwhelming for me to read about her mother's behavior, especially when Lynch never uses the word "abuse." That was exactly my problem growing up, too: I never understood what "abuse" was, because abuse was so normalized and constant. But I've learned how to use that word, and it pained me that Lynch wasn't using that word in her memoir. She just didn't seem far enough along on her journey, perhaps; it took me forty years to get to that word, and I don't know how old Lynch was when she penned this memoir.
Near the very end of the book, Lynch acknowledges that her mother has "narcissism." I would like to expand on that, since my own experiences in life have forced me to contemplate my own mother's abusive behavior to a much greater degree than Lynch does here in this book.
The only diagnosis given for Lynch's mother in the text comes from a ship's doctor in either the late 1960s or early 1970s, and he diagnoses Lynch's mother as having "manic depression with overtones of paranoid schizophrenia." This is very similar to what I thought my own mother had when I was a teenager, in the late 1990s. But in the years since, I've done much more research, and I have something different to share concerning this diagnosis.
Lynch's mother was incredibly abusive and vicious: emotionally, verbally, and physically abusive. That behavior doesn't arise from paranoid schizophrenia, or from manic depression.
It is often present in people who have Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), and I think Lynch's mother had NPD. This is much more than just saying someone has "narcissism." Many people can have narcissistic traits or "narcissism" without having the full-blown disorder.
I believe Lynch's mother also had Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and that this disorder existed alongside her NPD. Prolonged psychotic episodes can occur in untreated BPD, and Lynch's mother had many of these episodes, as did my own mother (who is still alive, and still has them). It is the untreated BPD that presents as/gives the surface appearance of paranoid schizophrenia, as well as manic depression. While many people with BPD and NPD do have depression, it's a result of their disorders, not the underlying problem.
The NPD makes it almost impossible for people with this disorder to ever admit that they have a problem; and unless you can admit you have a problem, you never seek treatment. It's why having comorbid NPD and BPD is so incredibly dangerous, especially for the children born to people who have these comorbid disorders.
If I had a way to contact Lynch, I would share that information with her. I simply wanted to share it here in this review, for anyone else who wants a better understanding of what made Lynch's mother the way she is. I just wanted people to know that when Lynch finally realizes, at the end of the book, that her mother is a "bottomless pit," that this is a 100% accurate description of someone who has NPD. But people with manic depression and schizophrenia are not "bottomless pits." When it comes to mental illness, these labels *do* matter. There is treatment for people with depression and schizophrenia. When it comes to someone with NPD, my best advice is exactly the advice that Lynch gives at the end of this book: cut the cord, and protect yourself. Expect nothing from them, because nothing is all you will get. And beware how much damage they can cause. The damage Lynch's mother caused to Lynch was just endless.
I would read an entire memoir solely about Lynch's time on the police force. The second half of this book is about her time as an adult in the police academy and becoming a rookie police officer. It was fascinating, horrifying, and uplifting. I loved it.
Five shiny gold police officer stars. A fantastic read. Lynch is an amazing human being. My heartfelt thanks to her for penning this book. ...more
First published in 1987, "Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza," by Gloria Anzaldúa, is a seminal work of queer/lesbian Chicana literature. The fiFirst published in 1987, "Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza," by Gloria Anzaldúa, is a seminal work of queer/lesbian Chicana literature. The first half of the book is a collection of essays. The second half is a collection of poetry.
The content of this book is incredibly dark. "Borderlands/La Frontera" is a soul-searching examination of classism, racism, colonialism, and the brutal effects of patriarchal religion in the most impoverished county in the United States: Hidalgo County, in southern Texas, along the U.S./Mexico border (page 120).
I'm a monolingual English speaker, and I had no trouble reading this book. But if I were bilingual, and spoke Spanish, this book would have been even more rewarding, since there are long passages of untranslated Spanish in the essays, and entire poems are written only in Spanish.
This book required a lot of emotional labor to read. It's heart-wrenching, enraging, disgusting, and horrifying. It's also deeply compassionate and full of love.
After reading the essays, I thought I would give the book four stars. Then I read the poems, and while I didn't love every poem, the ones I did love were stunning, so powerful that I could never give this book anything less than a 5-star review full of awe.
Published in 2005, "The Penelopiad," by Margaret Atwood, is the story of Penelope and Odysseus from "The Odyssey," as told by Penelope, from her pointPublished in 2005, "The Penelopiad," by Margaret Atwood, is the story of Penelope and Odysseus from "The Odyssey," as told by Penelope, from her point of view. This book is a retelling of mythology, and an examination of why Odysseus, upon his return to Ithaca, chose to kill twelve maids of his court.
As Atwood explains in her introduction: "I've chosen to give the telling of the story to Penelope and to the twelve hanged maids. The maids form a changing and singing Chorus which focuses on two questions that must pose themselves after any close reading of 'The Odyssey': what led to the hanging of the maids, and what was Penelope really up to? The story as told in 'The Odyssey' doesn't hold water: there are too many inconsistencies. I've always been haunted by the hanged maids; and, in 'The Penelopiad,' so is Penelope herself." (pg xv)
That sums up this book in its entirety: Penelope, in the afterlife, remains haunted (literally and figuratively) by the deaths of her maids. She also remains in love with her husband, Odysseus, and still has no answers as to why those twelve young women were hanged.
If you're looking for a deeper understanding of Ancient Greek patriarchy, and/or an examination of the patriarchal "necessity" of murdering "vile whores," I would suggest you read nonfiction by Andrea Dworkin, and not seek answers here. Atwood provides none. But Andrea Dworkin sure does.
Penelope's voice in this book is self-deprecating and wry. Many lines are quite humorous. The Greek chorus of the maids is both irreverent and tragic. This book is a light, easy read. The story certainly condemns the immorality of killing innocent rape victims. But it offers no logical underpinnings, no specific reasoning, as to why societies from Ancient Greece to present day continue to murder rape victims, especially female rape victims.
At least this book condemns the action as immoral. But, as in so many outwardly feminist retellings of "The Odyssey," Odysseus remains the most interesting character in this book, and it's clear that Penelope would enjoy her afterlife a lot more if the group of dead maids (who travel like a gang in the underworld) would not swarm around her husband so much, scaring him and causing him to keep seeking to be reborn on earth rather than stay in the afterlife with his wife.
I thought this book was a far more feminist work than Madeline Miller's 2018 novel, "Circe." But I'm sad I didn't learn anything, or feel more engaged, by Atwood's "The Penelopiad."
Three stars. This was fine. Not great, but not bad. Recommended for fans of Greek mythology....more
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