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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
My cat refreshed my computer, taking my review with it, so, to paraphrase (I'm not rewriting all of that):
Despite its subject, I found this book incredibly easy to get through. It's a fantastic starting point for a necessary conversation about our culture & it's shown through compelling characters. However, by the end, I started to dislike some of their characterizations. I stand by the idea that Branley deserved better.
Despite its subject, I found this book incredibly easy to get through. It's a fantastic starting point for a necessary conversation about our culture & it's shown through compelling characters. However, by the end, I started to dislike some of their characterizations. I stand by the idea that Branley deserved better.
Wow. I was totally expecting another punch in the feels from Mindy McGinnis. What I wasn't expecting was an insightful, agonizing look at what it takes to dismantle rape culture.
After Alex's sister is murdered, Alex hunts down and murders her killer in turn. That's a pretty bleak premise, but it sucked me in from the start. I loved that Alex was the kind of girl who simultaneously refused to fall victim to bystander syndrome, while also acknowledging that it isn't normal or well-adjusted to take action the way she does. The very short scene in which she draws the distinction between herself and a sociopath because she "feels too much" hurt my heart. Alex's volunteer work at the local animal shelter provided an excellent context for how her mind works and how her protective instincts work, although I would've loved to have seen more of her interacting with wounded dogs and stray cats.
I also appreciated that McGinnis avoided including an actual rape scene in the story, and that she wrote several different types of girls with different values--from Peekay, the preacher's kid to Branley, who sleeps around--without demonizing any of them. That said, my biggest complaint about THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES is how little Peekay's perspective added to the story as a whole. Her friendship with Alex was one of my favorite things about the book, but I would've been content to learn about her and watch her evolve without being inside her head.
Part of me also wishes that Alex had been given the opportunity to rejoin high school society without the encouragement of a boyfriend, or that she'd been a little more hesitant about getting involved with Jack in the first place. Don't get me wrong - I was glad that McGinnis chose to include a male POV in a book about sexual violence, and I was glad to see Jack unpacking some of his own misconceptions about rape and misogyny, but Alex was such a force of nature that I kind of hated to see her softened so much by their romance.
These are minor complaints, though, compared to how much this book made me feel and think. Nobody is a villain here EXCEPT the rapists, which was such an important distinction to draw. Because even though the rest of the characters make plenty of bad decisions, they're also the ones who can choose to be better. To speak out when their friends are in danger and call out their peers for normalizing sexual assault. If anything, THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES serves as an important reminder that it isn't rapists who promote rape culture. It's the rest of us. And for that, I'd recommend it to everyone.
After Alex's sister is murdered, Alex hunts down and murders her killer in turn. That's a pretty bleak premise, but it sucked me in from the start. I loved that Alex was the kind of girl who simultaneously refused to fall victim to bystander syndrome, while also acknowledging that it isn't normal or well-adjusted to take action the way she does. The very short scene in which she draws the distinction between herself and a sociopath because she "feels too much" hurt my heart. Alex's volunteer work at the local animal shelter provided an excellent context for how her mind works and how her protective instincts work, although I would've loved to have seen more of her interacting with wounded dogs and stray cats.
I also appreciated that McGinnis avoided including an actual rape scene in the story, and that she wrote several different types of girls with different values--from Peekay, the preacher's kid to Branley, who sleeps around--without demonizing any of them. That said, my biggest complaint about THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES is how little Peekay's perspective added to the story as a whole. Her friendship with Alex was one of my favorite things about the book, but I would've been content to learn about her and watch her evolve without being inside her head.
Part of me also wishes that Alex had been given the opportunity to rejoin high school society without the encouragement of a boyfriend, or that she'd been a little more hesitant about getting involved with Jack in the first place. Don't get me wrong - I was glad that McGinnis chose to include a male POV in a book about sexual violence, and I was glad to see Jack unpacking some of his own misconceptions about rape and misogyny, but Alex was such a force of nature that I kind of hated to see her softened so much by their romance.
These are minor complaints, though, compared to how much this book made me feel and think. Nobody is a villain here EXCEPT the rapists, which was such an important distinction to draw. Because even though the rest of the characters make plenty of bad decisions, they're also the ones who can choose to be better. To speak out when their friends are in danger and call out their peers for normalizing sexual assault. If anything, THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES serves as an important reminder that it isn't rapists who promote rape culture. It's the rest of us. And for that, I'd recommend it to everyone.
For most of this book I was intrigued, considering the various perspectives on rape culture from three high school seniors (two female, one male). I did not anticipate that I would cry through the last 30 minutes of the audiobook, simultaneously regretting and appreciating the ending, including the most poetic use of Windex and graffiti. And I absolutely love the way they wove together the girls experiences volunteering at the animal shelter. I thought the use of the sheltered animals was particularly well done. This book certainly grapples with morality, and self-imposed morality and justice, guilt, shame, and mistakes. Both the mistakes of what was done and what was not done. It also reflects on the trauma of a life marked by vengeance. I think McGinnis made the best choice of endings she could make.
I do not particularly enjoy YA novels with gratuitous sexual slang and that part did turn me off a bit, but it also served a purpose towards the end as well. The book is short, so there are times when it perhaps could be more developed, but not in ways that felt like serious flaws to me.
This book would make for good discussion at a book club. And there's plenty in here for various character studies, despite the fact that it is relatively short.
I do not particularly enjoy YA novels with gratuitous sexual slang and that part did turn me off a bit, but it also served a purpose towards the end as well. The book is short, so there are times when it perhaps could be more developed, but not in ways that felt like serious flaws to me.
This book would make for good discussion at a book club. And there's plenty in here for various character studies, despite the fact that it is relatively short.
Tldr- jack is human garbage and the narrative is totally fine with that, even rewards him for the bare minimum
I really wanted to like this book. I really, really wanted to like this book. But jack was such a massive piece of human garbage, and the narrative seemed pretty okay with that! I thought at the end he was finally getting his narrative punishment, but no! He was forgiven by our main girl and seems to have no guilt for how he used Branley, “not like other girls’d” Alex, and a million other things. By the way, he was just as bad as Branley maybe worse but he’s just ✨misunderstood✨ while she’s a whore, I guess. I’ll admit Branley sort of got her redemption and human moments, but too little too late.
Going back to “not like other girls” it was BAD. Awww I told my girlfriend that I’m okay with not getting laid for a while and OTHER GIRLS would take offense but not Alex she’s speciallll. Guess what bucko! Most people would take offense to that because it’s offensive!! Women don’t love to be seen as a means to get your rocks off. With Alex he’s “not just logging his time” when he talks to her like he did with his PAST BORING GIRLFRIENDS. Always bringing up how she was soo superior to those shallow OTHER girls. Admits to “talking pussy”. Gets “bored with [girls] as a hookup and cuts them loose”. “One body is as good as another once the lights go out”. Ew. He checks out another girl and goes “it’s not like I’ve gone blind or anything, I just don’t care” this is supposed to be his declaration of devotion to his girlfriend. He ALMOST cheats on her a bunch of times but he’s sooooo noble that he just about manages not to. A girl sends him a nude video, he watches it then degrades her for making it. Made fun of that same girl’s sex sounds. He makes fun of branley but keeps stringing her along. He says he just can’t get away, or that he misses who she used to be, but his contempt is obvious. News flash buddy, you didn’t deserve any of the women that you so carelessly brush off. He could not be more of a douche and no amount of decorated Christmas trees can distract from that.
I really wanted to like this book. If jack hadn’t been in there I would have liked it a lot but the author has some internalized misogyny of her own if she thinks that he’s okay to do what he did without once being punished for it or even bothering to redeem himself. I really thought he was going to see some punishment, realize he’s being a shit, and maybe earn back forgiveness, or have a fitting bad ending? But nope. He’s fine. Yes he got to be a tragic sadboi in the end but not in like, a consequences for his actions way. Branley gets a lot of grief for her actions (she deserved better writing-wise btw) but he doesn’t need to face consequences for his actions. I was totally ready for him to face the error of his ways and do better but he simply didn’t????? Not a great look for a supposedly woman-empowering book.
I really wanted to like this book. I really, really wanted to like this book. But jack was such a massive piece of human garbage, and the narrative seemed pretty okay with that! I thought at the end he was finally getting his narrative punishment, but no! He was forgiven by our main girl and seems to have no guilt for how he used Branley, “not like other girls’d” Alex, and a million other things. By the way, he was just as bad as Branley maybe worse but he’s just ✨misunderstood✨ while she’s a whore, I guess. I’ll admit Branley sort of got her redemption and human moments, but too little too late.
Going back to “not like other girls” it was BAD. Awww I told my girlfriend that I’m okay with not getting laid for a while and OTHER GIRLS would take offense but not Alex she’s speciallll. Guess what bucko! Most people would take offense to that because it’s offensive!! Women don’t love to be seen as a means to get your rocks off. With Alex he’s “not just logging his time” when he talks to her like he did with his PAST BORING GIRLFRIENDS. Always bringing up how she was soo superior to those shallow OTHER girls. Admits to “talking pussy”. Gets “bored with [girls] as a hookup and cuts them loose”. “One body is as good as another once the lights go out”. Ew. He checks out another girl and goes “it’s not like I’ve gone blind or anything, I just don’t care” this is supposed to be his declaration of devotion to his girlfriend. He ALMOST cheats on her a bunch of times but he’s sooooo noble that he just about manages not to. A girl sends him a nude video, he watches it then degrades her for making it. Made fun of that same girl’s sex sounds. He makes fun of branley but keeps stringing her along. He says he just can’t get away, or that he misses who she used to be, but his contempt is obvious. News flash buddy, you didn’t deserve any of the women that you so carelessly brush off. He could not be more of a douche and no amount of decorated Christmas trees can distract from that.
I really wanted to like this book. If jack hadn’t been in there I would have liked it a lot but the author has some internalized misogyny of her own if she thinks that he’s okay to do what he did without once being punished for it or even bothering to redeem himself. I really thought he was going to see some punishment, realize he’s being a shit, and maybe earn back forgiveness, or have a fitting bad ending? But nope. He’s fine. Yes he got to be a tragic sadboi in the end but not in like, a consequences for his actions way. Branley gets a lot of grief for her actions (she deserved better writing-wise btw) but he doesn’t need to face consequences for his actions. I was totally ready for him to face the error of his ways and do better but he simply didn’t????? Not a great look for a supposedly woman-empowering book.
I loved this. The plot. The characters. The themes the book brought up and discussed in such a great way. This is an important book to read. However, be aware of the trigger warnings before reading this book.
Also, the quotes in this book, I live for them.
Also, the quotes in this book, I live for them.
4.5 stars.
Alex was a freshman in high school when her sister was murdered, and the killer went free for lack of evidence. Not that he got away with it - Alex murdered him, and got away with it. Now she's a senior, still an outsider, just trying to get through. Then theres PK, the preacher's kid (real name Claire), who works with her at the animals shelter, and Jack, the jock/smart kid (he has it all) who has an undeniable attraction to Alex. This story is told in these three voices - their senior year, fitting in, changing relationships.
I was hesitant to read this, because coming of age novels (even those with murder) aren't my favorite thing. But once I started, I couldn't put it down. It wasn't perfect, wasn't totally realistic, but it was good.
Alex was a freshman in high school when her sister was murdered, and the killer went free for lack of evidence. Not that he got away with it - Alex murdered him, and got away with it. Now she's a senior, still an outsider, just trying to get through. Then theres PK, the preacher's kid (real name Claire), who works with her at the animals shelter, and Jack, the jock/smart kid (he has it all) who has an undeniable attraction to Alex. This story is told in these three voices - their senior year, fitting in, changing relationships.
I was hesitant to read this, because coming of age novels (even those with murder) aren't my favorite thing. But once I started, I couldn't put it down. It wasn't perfect, wasn't totally realistic, but it was good.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book but it made me really uncomfortable at times and I kind of wish it came with trigger warnings. I think this book really highlighted feminine rage and the effects of sexual violence and violence against women and girls.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Torture, Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse, Abandonment
this book makes me bawl ever time i read it also i love pk and alex so much<3
I loved this book and I didn’t want to put it down. Alex is a force to be reckoned with and I loved her character and storyline. Mindy McGinnis can expertly weave many storylines, each one special and important yet they all are entangled together. Lots of strong female characters in this novel