Reviews - I Who Have Never Known Men

41.3k reviews for:

I Who Have Never Known Men

Jacqueline Harpman

4.24 AVERAGE

scarlett221b's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jessmayyyyy's review

4.5

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

i who have never known men but it still seemed like men controlled her existence even after they were dead

ionaansell's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

proeliator's review against another edition

4.0

A masterpiece. I can't believe I've never heard of this book, but it is from Belgium after all and published in French originally, so I guess that might explain it. If you don't care to read about feelings of loneliness, meaninglessness and isolation, as well as imprisonment, then you may want to pass on this one -- but you really shouldn't. The main character (who narrates the story and apparently was never given a name) is one of the loneliest characters in any book I've read, even when there are other people around. Think of Raskolnikov from [b:Crime and Punishment|7144|Crime and Punishment|Fyodor Dostoevsky|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1382846449l/7144._SY75_.jpg|3393917] or Roquentin from [b:Nausea|298275|Nausea|Jean-Paul Sartre|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1377674928l/298275._SY75_.jpg|1319935], but a little more rational of a character. Some people have compared this to [b:The Handmaid’s Tale|38447|The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)|Margaret Atwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578028274l/38447._SY75_.jpg|1119185] (a book I love), but that's nonsense -- it's nothing like it at all, except for the dystopian setting. For one thing, there are no politics or religion involved, and it's also more philosophical, though not academic or overbearingly so. I guess you just have to read the book -- and you should.