Reviews

Betraying Big Brother: The Feminist Awakening in China by Leta Hong Fincher

lberestecki's review

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informative medium-paced

3.25

noanana's review

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5.0

Very interesting book, fascinating to learn about feminism & surveillance in China, which I knew nothing about before. Quite academic at some times, but really enjoyed it! Super important contribution.

maxcarwile's review against another edition

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informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

4.5

sjbshannon's review

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3.0

3.5/5 stars.
Incredibly informative and definitely worth a read. The main reason it isn't a 4 star read is I wish the author had expanded on some historical context, and provided more examples/cited more sources. It's still very much an important read.

hollygjayy's review

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informative medium-paced

3.75

izzcharles's review

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emotional informative tense fast-paced

4.5

siria's review

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4.0

A short but compelling look at contemporary feminist activism in China, focusing on the so-called "Feminist Five": a group of young women arrested and mistreated for protesting against sexual harassment on public transport. Their treatment is emblematic of the Chinese government's increasing repression of feminists—and indeed women more generally—in recent years. Leta Hong Fincher makes a strong case that this repression is tied to the government's attempt to shore up its own power base. The subordination of women to men—socially, legally, and economically—gives men an investment in supporting the status quo, while feminists make a convenient scapegoat on which to take out societal frustrations. As misogynistic, authoritarian regimes multiply across the globe—those of Putin, Orban, Trump, Xi, etc—this is a timely and relevant read.

nat_montego's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

emilysh's review

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4.0

This book is a comprehensive and grinning history of the budding feminist movement in China. It follow the feminist 5, a group of 5 women imprisoned, detained, threatened, and punished in many awful ways for simple feminist protests (such as handing out anti-domestic violence stickers in the subway).
These brave women then because the figurehead for feminism in China and are trying to spread confidence and independence to Chinese women despite constant government crack down and persecution.

This is such a good read, I recommend it to anyone interested in international feminism, China, and Chinese politics.

theedness's review

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad fast-paced

4.75

Leta Hong Fincher brilliantly illuminates the state of women's rights in China, by tightly focusing on the stories of the feminist five's detention she close reports their experiences in modern day China as feminist activists, while also effortlessly and accessibly giving the reader wider context and history. Its a brilliant example of how non fiction reportage can be a lens for so much more, I loved it