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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
Wow. I'm probably going to have a book hangover after this one. This made me far more emotional than I expected. It was gripping and I read it in one day. The ending surprised me.
I loved this so much, it hurts but I loved it. I’m feeling so many things right now, help
This story was so somber, but incredibly crisp. Every detail seemed to snap into place. SO good. Definitely very dark, but also filled with real hope.
I don’t even know if I have the words to properly describe how much this book means to me. It is one of those rare books for me that I genuinely feel like five stars does not even accurately describe. This is truly the type of book that sticks with you ingrained in your soul for years to come. It is intense and heartbreaking yet so powerful. I read this book for the first time in 10th grade and it is rare for me to re-read a book yet I have read this six times now. I think this is a book that all young adults need to read. I genuinely think the first time I read was at the perfect time in my life but it is such a gut wrenching story I think all ages would enjoy it despite it being labeled as young adult. It is just such an incredibly powerful story about how men treat women about how women treat women about the complexities of love and friendship and life in general and is a book that I recommend everyone reads.
My favorite quote: “But boys will be boys, our favorite phrase that excuses so many things, while the only thing we have for the opposite gender is women, said with disdain and punctuated with an eye roll.”
My favorite quote: “But boys will be boys, our favorite phrase that excuses so many things, while the only thing we have for the opposite gender is women, said with disdain and punctuated with an eye roll.”
"But boys will be boys, our favorite phrase that excuses so many things, while the only thing we have for the opposite gender is women, said with disdain and punctuated with an eye roll."
I put a Post-It flag next to this paragraph while I was reading The Female of the Species because those words ring so true. And like that passage, Mindy McGinnis's novel is uncomfortable, intense, important, and blistering. And as far as the novel itself goes, those words--as voiced by central character Alex Craft--are in fact some of the less graphic, sinister ones in the book. McGinnis presents in this book an unflinching, incredibly graphic examination of rape culture and gender roles in a small-town high school setting--but the implications of the themes explored here extend far beyond the pages of this book. McGinnis's prose is straight-forward, compelling, and finely crafted. The Female of the Species is a challenging read--as it should be--but it's also a real page turner. This is an important Y.A. read for the current cultural moment, and McGinnis is unafraid to be blunt in her examination of the issues at hand.
I put a Post-It flag next to this paragraph while I was reading The Female of the Species because those words ring so true. And like that passage, Mindy McGinnis's novel is uncomfortable, intense, important, and blistering. And as far as the novel itself goes, those words--as voiced by central character Alex Craft--are in fact some of the less graphic, sinister ones in the book. McGinnis presents in this book an unflinching, incredibly graphic examination of rape culture and gender roles in a small-town high school setting--but the implications of the themes explored here extend far beyond the pages of this book. McGinnis's prose is straight-forward, compelling, and finely crafted. The Female of the Species is a challenging read--as it should be--but it's also a real page turner. This is an important Y.A. read for the current cultural moment, and McGinnis is unafraid to be blunt in her examination of the issues at hand.
This book was excellent. It surprised me. The story is about a girl named Alex . It has three points of view .It deals with issues of rape culture . It has a surprising twist that i didn't see coming . This book is a must read for any teenager or mother of teenager. Five Stars Plus
Omg!! Will definitely not be the last book from McGinnis that I will read. Loved it
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
What a ride.
I went into this one with a pretty unclear notion of what I was getting myself into, and it took a while for the thrust of the thing to become clear to me. But once it got going (maybe 50-75 pages in), it really took off.
This is a book about women and the things that happen to them-- and how they choose to respond and build their lives and circumstances and legacies afterward.
This is also, peripherally, a book about the men that want, abuse, and protect them.
This is also, centrally, a book about the relationships and understandings between women (of all species) that sustain them through all of the above.
I appreciated the nuance attended to most characters (though stereotypes were nevertheless in play-- the rapey addict, the slutty hot girl, the genius sports boy... while most of them had attempts at transcending their stereotype, ultimately they can be boiled down to their trope). I appreciated the Dexter references, and the author's fearlessness, especially.
4 stars.
PS- I can't help imagining how different my high school would have been if there had been a copy of this in the library, or even on a syllabus. I'll sign any petition that arises to make sure it gets there for this and forthcoming generations.
ETA: I strongly disagree with some folks' categorization of this book as mystery or thriller. Maybe it has thrilling episodes, but it is not a mystery. We know whodunit at all times-- the only mystery is how the him who dun it will be (or has been) dealt with. I liked that the author didn't let this stray into suspense. It kept the integrity of her message far more intact.
I went into this one with a pretty unclear notion of what I was getting myself into, and it took a while for the thrust of the thing to become clear to me. But once it got going (maybe 50-75 pages in), it really took off.
This is a book about women and the things that happen to them-- and how they choose to respond and build their lives and circumstances and legacies afterward.
This is also, peripherally, a book about the men that want, abuse, and protect them.
This is also, centrally, a book about the relationships and understandings between women (of all species) that sustain them through all of the above.
I appreciated the nuance attended to most characters (though stereotypes were nevertheless in play-- the rapey addict, the slutty hot girl, the genius sports boy... while most of them had attempts at transcending their stereotype, ultimately they can be boiled down to their trope). I appreciated the Dexter references, and the author's fearlessness, especially
Spoiler
dealing Alex the death blow that the Dexter writers fumbled unforgivably4 stars.
PS- I can't help imagining how different my high school would have been if there had been a copy of this in the library, or even on a syllabus. I'll sign any petition that arises to make sure it gets there for this and forthcoming generations.
ETA: I strongly disagree with some folks' categorization of this book as mystery or thriller. Maybe it has thrilling episodes, but it is not a mystery. We know whodunit at all times-- the only mystery is how the him who dun it will be (or has been) dealt with. I liked that the author didn't let this stray into suspense. It kept the integrity of her message far more intact.