Reviews - Period. It's About Bloody Time

227 reviews for:

Period. It's About Bloody Time

Interesting, well researched and well put together, this book just seemed to be slightly lacking on occasion. To write about periods is quite a small subject for an entire book and it just seemed to be missing some wider cultural scope. A good read for anyone interested in the political nature of periods and how they're still seen as taboo by modern society.

sophiehreads's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny informative medium-paced

arachan's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

A blunt look at the problem of periods and the widespread taboos surrounding it that make open discussion of periods difficult and shameful.

It is very cis-centric and solidly addressed towards heterosexual women who are, or intend to be, in relationships with cisgender men but within those limitations, it's a very timely book and a good place to start the conversation.

gretasbookclub's review against another edition

4.0

Synopsis: At a time when women are raising their voices in the fight for equality, there is still one taboo where there remains a deafening silence: periods. This book is an agenda-setting manifesto to remove the stigma and myths continuing to surround the female body.
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My Review:

As well as making me look at my own attitude to periods, this book made me realise how backwards the world's attitude to periods really is.

Just a snippet of what this book taught me:
- Over 1.25 billion people do not have access to a toilet when they're on their period
- Period poverty is a massive issue in all countries across the world. This involves many women using socks/rags as replacements, or having to run the risk of stealing sanitary items
- HALF of all women have missed at least an entire day of school due to their period
- Apple genuinely forgot about periods when making their health app and have refused to issue a period emoji

The book looked at females who don't have periods but want them, people who do have periods that don't want them (mainly focusing a non-binary trans activist), period sex, importance of educating girls AND boys on periods. This book completely opened my mind to various angles from which I had never considered periods. I have seen some criticisms of the book not being inclusive enough, however I think that Barnett did a great job at exploring periods from as many angles as she could.

This book made me realise so many small things that I haven’t thought of before e.g. constantly worried I might be leaking, the mental energy of constantly thinking ahead to pack tampons and pads, remembering too regularly change tampons. Having your period can be a huge mental and physical strain which most men don’t understand nor appreciate, and this needs to change. Books such as this one which speak up and encourage an open conversation are a great way to do so.
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When To Read: One of the best and most interesting non-fiction books I have read this year (excluding memoirs, because well, they are god-tier non-fiction!!). Highly recommend for anyone looking to normalise periods (aka everyone)

booklady72's review against another edition

5.0

A really interesting read about periods. It is trying to break the massive taboo about menustration and periods. We should all be talking about it openly and without shame. This book is full of facts, some jaw dropping moments, funny moments and some very sad ones. I really enjoyed reading this.