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whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition
5.0
Smart, wicked, and wickedly funny. I’m so glad I listened to the audiobook. It wouldn’t have been the same without her amazing narration.
ali_winden11's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
4.0
bookph1le's review against another edition
3.0
This book is an excellent example of how you can really like something, think it has plenty of good points, yet still find things about it that need to be critiqued. I am alarmed whenever someone thinks that pointing out and discussing the problematic elements in things you enjoy is a bad thing. Blind allegiance to anything is bad, in my opinion.
Moran isn't saying much here that's new or that hasn't been covered by other feminists. So what? I don't get that view. Should feminism books be one and done, game over? Moran has a particular skill set that I think will help her reach audiences other feminist voices might not reach. That's a GOOD thing. We want that to happen. There can't be too many people out there reading feminist critiques and thinking, "Huh, you know, there might be something to that!" If Moran's books reaches people who didn't think much about feminism before, I'm all for it. Maybe they'll pick up books by other feminists and learn even more.
Her writing is both hilarious and painfully honest. She talks about all kinds of taboo topics here, and I think she particularly shines with chapters like Abortion. Sometimes you have to slay a few sacred cows to get to the heart of a matter, and I think it's commendable that Moran has the courage to stand up and do it. I also thought her pointed commentary on plastic surgery was well worth reading. Sure, we do want to encourage an atmosphere where women feel free to do what they like, dress how they want, and have all the surgery they can get, should they so desire, but I agree with her that it's important to look at the root cause driving those decisions. Do women really want to wear high heels that mutilate their feet, or do they really want to have painful, invasive surgery for themselves? If so, go for it. But the way society is does bear a lot of soul-searching on these issues.
What I don't like about her book is I think it has a tendency to demean transgender people and it's rather reductionist when it comes to other members of the LGBT community. I also intensely dislike the use of the word "retard" as an adjective. It's offensive, every bit as offensive to me as racist or sexist slurs. I don't think Moran is claiming to have all the answers, and it seems pretty clear to me she could use some more information about people who aren't white, cis-gendered, heterosexual, and able-bodied but, then, couldn't a great many of us? Even though I think these are serious flaws in her book, I don't think they negate the many good points she's making here.
I find it heartening that feminist theory and feminism itself is rearing its head more and more often. Like everyone else, feminists are a wide, varied group that cover the whole spectrum of socio-economic status, race, sexual orientation, etc. Feminism is not any one thing, and trying to define it as such risks making it irrelevant. To me the most important thing is to get the conversation started, and I think Moran's book can be a very good place for the novice to start.
Moran isn't saying much here that's new or that hasn't been covered by other feminists. So what? I don't get that view. Should feminism books be one and done, game over? Moran has a particular skill set that I think will help her reach audiences other feminist voices might not reach. That's a GOOD thing. We want that to happen. There can't be too many people out there reading feminist critiques and thinking, "Huh, you know, there might be something to that!" If Moran's books reaches people who didn't think much about feminism before, I'm all for it. Maybe they'll pick up books by other feminists and learn even more.
Her writing is both hilarious and painfully honest. She talks about all kinds of taboo topics here, and I think she particularly shines with chapters like Abortion. Sometimes you have to slay a few sacred cows to get to the heart of a matter, and I think it's commendable that Moran has the courage to stand up and do it. I also thought her pointed commentary on plastic surgery was well worth reading. Sure, we do want to encourage an atmosphere where women feel free to do what they like, dress how they want, and have all the surgery they can get, should they so desire, but I agree with her that it's important to look at the root cause driving those decisions. Do women really want to wear high heels that mutilate their feet, or do they really want to have painful, invasive surgery for themselves? If so, go for it. But the way society is does bear a lot of soul-searching on these issues.
What I don't like about her book is I think it has a tendency to demean transgender people and it's rather reductionist when it comes to other members of the LGBT community. I also intensely dislike the use of the word "retard" as an adjective. It's offensive, every bit as offensive to me as racist or sexist slurs. I don't think Moran is claiming to have all the answers, and it seems pretty clear to me she could use some more information about people who aren't white, cis-gendered, heterosexual, and able-bodied but, then, couldn't a great many of us? Even though I think these are serious flaws in her book, I don't think they negate the many good points she's making here.
I find it heartening that feminist theory and feminism itself is rearing its head more and more often. Like everyone else, feminists are a wide, varied group that cover the whole spectrum of socio-economic status, race, sexual orientation, etc. Feminism is not any one thing, and trying to define it as such risks making it irrelevant. To me the most important thing is to get the conversation started, and I think Moran's book can be a very good place for the novice to start.
robinhood2000's review against another edition
2.0
I read it first in 2019. Reread it a month ago and was disappointed I remembered it wrong. The references are mostly to british stuff that fly over my head, making large parts of the book unrelatable. I understand that this is the authors perspective of womanhood but it is not universal. Not all are white, or cis or straight etc. The first time I read it it seemed like a feminist manifesto. Now that I have studied gender studies I am a bit disappointed in the book.
bookyanna's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
2.0
I do like Caitlin Moran and I adore her fiction. That said, this book isn't for me. It was published in 2011, and it's very clear to me that feminism has changed a great deal since then. The feminism in this book is very optimistic, white, heteronormative and trans-exclusionary. It's not for me; it doesn't represent me.
Naturally, the causal ableism, racism, weird jokes about empire, and very prescriptive view of what women are/should be made me wince.
I would have enjoyed it more if it were presented as more of a memoir; I adore Moran's stories and reflections (sans ableism and racism). I just don't think said experiences and worldviews can be so readily translated to the experiences of black women, queer women, trans women, or disabled women. It just reads as a very privledged and rosy viewpoint, that many women will not and cannot share.
Naturally, the causal ableism, racism, weird jokes about empire, and very prescriptive view of what women are/should be made me wince.
I would have enjoyed it more if it were presented as more of a memoir; I adore Moran's stories and reflections (sans ableism and racism). I just don't think said experiences and worldviews can be so readily translated to the experiences of black women, queer women, trans women, or disabled women. It just reads as a very privledged and rosy viewpoint, that many women will not and cannot share.
jennrocca's review against another edition
3.0
When I agreed with what she was saying I cracked up. When I didn't agree with her, I chuckled. When I found her flat out annoying, I huffed and sighed. Lots of it I enjoyed, even if I don't agree with her perspective or her way of expressing it all of the time.
thesimplereader's review against another edition
1.0
First of all, let me preface this by saying if you could give less than one star, I would.
This book was so difficult for me to get through. There was not one thing I agreed with this woman on, and she was offensive about absolutely everything. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be distasteful, and that is putting it lightly. When I was not appealed by her behavior, opinions, or flat out pissed at what I was reading... then I was annoyed with her.
Now, let's break it down. Shall we? To begin, Moran's writing is not good. She is crass, without flow or beauty in any of this work. I would have given it at most three stars, even if I had really enjoyed it simply based on the writing skill.
Positives:
As a memoir, it succeeded. It did. There were stories from her life through the entire book.
Negatives: Oh here we go.
Using capitol letters for entire sentences (or in some cases paragraphs) is obnoxious. If you cannot get what you're trying to say across with regular sentence structure, you need some help getting your thoughts across.
Objectiveness. The woman is not only biased in every subject, she is overly judgmental. There are number after number of large groups which she attacks in her book without any reason or evidence. One example of this is Moran's definition of a feminist. Please. Let's just think about everyone she leaves out here:
“So here is the quick way of working out if you're a feminist. Put your hand in your pants.
a) Do you have a vagina? and
b) Do you want to be in charge of it?
If you said 'yes' to both, then congratulations! You're a feminist.”
And this:
“What is feminism? Simply the belief that women should be as free as men, however nuts, dim, deluded, badly dressed, fat, receding, lazy and smug they might be. Are you a feminist? Hahaha. Of course you are.”
I know. It's hefty. Anyway. She considers herself a feminist and attempts to motivate others to become one as well. However, tell me something. Is this motivational to you ladies?:
“For throughout history, you can read the stories of women who - against all the odds - got being a woman right, but ended up being compromised, unhappy, hobbled or ruined, because all around them, society was still wrong. Show a girl a pioneering hero - Sylvia Plath, Dorothy Parker, Frida Kahlo, Cleopatra, Boudicca, Joan of Arc - and you also, more often than not, show a girl a woman who was eventually crushed.” How about giving us examples of successful women?
As another reviewer, Beth, put it perfectly: "She has the over-eager, juvenile, puerile, irritating narrative voice of someone who is convinced of their opinion despite not having a) real evidence to back it up or b) a real understanding of the opposing viewpoint. There is no real reflection or evaluation. Her opinions can just be summarised as, 'I believe this because I believe that X is awesome.'"
Now, seeing as I could go on and on and on about my dislike for this woman and this book, I'll cut it here.
This book is worth reading to be aware of views and beliefs which exist today. However, if you agree with even one of the points I touched on above... be prepared to yell about this book, and throw it once you have finished.
This book was so difficult for me to get through. There was not one thing I agreed with this woman on, and she was offensive about absolutely everything. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be distasteful, and that is putting it lightly. When I was not appealed by her behavior, opinions, or flat out pissed at what I was reading... then I was annoyed with her.
Now, let's break it down. Shall we? To begin, Moran's writing is not good. She is crass, without flow or beauty in any of this work. I would have given it at most three stars, even if I had really enjoyed it simply based on the writing skill.
Positives:
As a memoir, it succeeded. It did. There were stories from her life through the entire book.
Negatives: Oh here we go.
Using capitol letters for entire sentences (or in some cases paragraphs) is obnoxious. If you cannot get what you're trying to say across with regular sentence structure, you need some help getting your thoughts across.
Objectiveness. The woman is not only biased in every subject, she is overly judgmental. There are number after number of large groups which she attacks in her book without any reason or evidence. One example of this is Moran's definition of a feminist. Please. Let's just think about everyone she leaves out here:
“So here is the quick way of working out if you're a feminist. Put your hand in your pants.
a) Do you have a vagina? and
b) Do you want to be in charge of it?
If you said 'yes' to both, then congratulations! You're a feminist.”
And this:
“What is feminism? Simply the belief that women should be as free as men, however nuts, dim, deluded, badly dressed, fat, receding, lazy and smug they might be. Are you a feminist? Hahaha. Of course you are.”
I know. It's hefty. Anyway. She considers herself a feminist and attempts to motivate others to become one as well. However, tell me something. Is this motivational to you ladies?:
“For throughout history, you can read the stories of women who - against all the odds - got being a woman right, but ended up being compromised, unhappy, hobbled or ruined, because all around them, society was still wrong. Show a girl a pioneering hero - Sylvia Plath, Dorothy Parker, Frida Kahlo, Cleopatra, Boudicca, Joan of Arc - and you also, more often than not, show a girl a woman who was eventually crushed.” How about giving us examples of successful women?
As another reviewer, Beth, put it perfectly: "She has the over-eager, juvenile, puerile, irritating narrative voice of someone who is convinced of their opinion despite not having a) real evidence to back it up or b) a real understanding of the opposing viewpoint. There is no real reflection or evaluation. Her opinions can just be summarised as, 'I believe this because I believe that X is awesome.'"
Now, seeing as I could go on and on and on about my dislike for this woman and this book, I'll cut it here.
This book is worth reading to be aware of views and beliefs which exist today. However, if you agree with even one of the points I touched on above... be prepared to yell about this book, and throw it once you have finished.
eggjen's review against another edition
3.0
This book had a lot of Laugh of Loud moments and a truly insightful look into the world of women, feminism and life. There were also a lot of uncomfortable, pervy, crass moments. Caitlin Moran tells it like it is and has nothing to hide - so brace yourself. But on the whole, I did really enjoy this book and would recommend it with caution to anyone who is or will be a woman.
lenaoknihach's review against another edition
1.0
A to jsem si myslela, jak se u knihy zasměju.
Bohužel, kniha mi vůbec nesedla, proto ani nebudu psát recenzi, poněvadž ke konci už jsem ani nečetla všechny kapitoly a jen jsem si vybírala podle názvu..