Reviews

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

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moon_spilling's review

4.0

Loved the tone of the mc, it perfectly described her unique disposition. This book hit too close at times when it discusses soul death & the loss of hope.

oqjsnsbd's review against another edition

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3.0

“(…) sobreviver não passa de adiar o momento de morrer.”

contrary's review

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challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

lives up to the hype 10,000%

apriladventuring's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

📚 2024 #69: “I Who Have Never Known Men” by Jacqueline Harpman

📕 This book is about 40 women held in a bunker, who have no recollection of how they got there. The few men who guard them deal out severe punishments for breaking any number of arbitrary rules. Our unnamed narrator is the youngest of the group and lacks any memory of life outside this cage. We follow her as she tries to make sense of their reality and the purpose of their captivity.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5: This was a captivating story, condensed into just a couple hundred pages. It's bleak, dystopian, and emotional without being overly dramatic. There's a lot to unpack in this book and I'd definitely reread it in the future.

🤓 You should read this if you enjoyed "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel or the Silo Trilogy by Hugo Howey.