Reviews

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

tessa3768's review

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

5.0

full body goosebumps at finishing this book, it's going to sit with me for a while
highly recommend

candelibri's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

Holy shit. 

Why is this not more popular than A Handmaid’s Tale. 

Holy shit. 

eephus19's review

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

sailorsazzle's review

dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

elenasl's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

this book fed the reader in me that loves a ishiguro-esque winding mystery that is unveiled to the reader as it is being revealed to the narrator.

and it is challenging to read a book with as imaginative a premise as this and never find out why things are the way they are.

nevertheless, i enjoyed greatly. was surprised to find it was written in 1995. but like the characters, i can see this book remaining eerily suspended in time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide

iamspoderman's review

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.25

cphyvr's review

5.0

Genuinely surprised with how much I enjoyed this book and how hooked I was. Great piece of literature, so thought provoking! Explores so many themes and asks big life questions. 

cecilielj's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

bdschepper2001's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I was smiling and crying at the same time. It is one of the most beautiful stories I have read and will read.

catherinemcfall's review

dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0