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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
Listened to the audio book of this. It's a compilations of several women's stories. Interlinked but able to stand alone. Really interesting to view a hundred year history of racism, feminism, the changing face of gender difference, and immigration prejudice in the UK from a lived experience perspective. Some sexually explicit scenes, and mention of drug abuse and racial violence.
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The writing about a non-binary character was very problematic. Otherwise, I enjoyed it.
I love books where there's crossover between different characters' storylines, so this book was perfect for me! It took a couple of chapters for this book to warm up, I enjoyed Amma and Yazz's stories but it was Dominique's that really drew me in. My other favourites were Carole, Bummi, and Megan/Morgan, but I love how well all of the stories worked together.
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF
It was just so painstaking to listen to, without much substance, and in a way that makes losing the story way too easy. I hate to leave a book unfinished, but I didn’t foresee how it could bounce back after such a boring start.
It was just so painstaking to listen to, without much substance, and in a way that makes losing the story way too easy. I hate to leave a book unfinished, but I didn’t foresee how it could bounce back after such a boring start.
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I don't know how to feel about this book. I enjoyed the weaving connections but there was too much stream of consciousness going on that just added a ton of descriptive nonsense to the stories. And many of the descriptions felt demeaning and dismissive and added no texture to the point of the stories.
The writing style took a couple pages to get used to, but it settles in to feeling natural and well suited. Some readers might not take to it if they prefer a more conventional format, though it doesn't stray that much.
The range of themes, identities, backgrounds and experiences makes for a good cast and is nice to see.
What got me down from the outset though, and more so for the first half of the book, was the wide ranging stereotyping combined with a sort of condescending negativity. I think the theory is to present different perspectives on the character's lives, both from within their on perspective and from those around them. Yet in practice the descriptions are consistently judgmental and aimed toward shallow caricatures which seem to be set up with explicit intention of tearing into them.
For me it makes the author come across as snide and smug, even though it may be well intended. Perhaps they are trying to remind everyone that we are all fallible and to have humility, to show that perception is relative. But it doesn't come off that way to me. I haven't seen negativity of this sort so bad since The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.
The second half of the book tones it down a lot (until near the end), which makes it easier to keep reading. Perhaps someone with more interpretative ability can perceive a reason or subtext for this transition.
Ooooof!
Update: I read Training School for Negro Girls directly after this, which was quite a contrast. The format isn't exactly the same, but is similar. In TSfNG the writing and characters have more feeling and depth, the tone and mood are more subtle and varied, it's more immersive and substantial.
The range of themes, identities, backgrounds and experiences makes for a good cast and is nice to see.
What got me down from the outset though, and more so for the first half of the book, was the wide ranging stereotyping combined with a sort of condescending negativity. I think the theory is to present different perspectives on the character's lives, both from within their on perspective and from those around them. Yet in practice the descriptions are consistently judgmental and aimed toward shallow caricatures which seem to be set up with explicit intention of tearing into them.
For me it makes the author come across as snide and smug, even though it may be well intended. Perhaps they are trying to remind everyone that we are all fallible and to have humility, to show that perception is relative. But it doesn't come off that way to me. I haven't seen negativity of this sort so bad since The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.
The second half of the book tones it down a lot (until near the end), which makes it easier to keep reading. Perhaps someone with more interpretative ability can perceive a reason or subtext for this transition.
Ooooof!
Update: I read Training School for Negro Girls directly after this, which was quite a contrast. The format isn't exactly the same, but is similar. In TSfNG the writing and characters have more feeling and depth, the tone and mood are more subtle and varied, it's more immersive and substantial.
this book is a great story—it’s feminist to the core and integrates all sorts of intersectional identities