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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
I was never really interested in reading about feminism, but I had much to learn from this book. It is so well written and the timelines are solid and well constructed. It was amazing to be able to jump between one timeline to another and to know this characters. Vee is an organized, focused and talented photographer. She is amazing at what she does and that inspires me to continue to take photographs.
The book has a lot of feminist references. It shows us that the modern world still has a lot to evolve and that women are still not 100 percent respected.
I would like this book to talk more about photography than it did and that is the reason I classify it with 3.5 starts.
Altogether, If you like the concept of feminism and if you like photography, this could be a great read for you.
The book has a lot of feminist references. It shows us that the modern world still has a lot to evolve and that women are still not 100 percent respected.
I would like this book to talk more about photography than it did and that is the reason I classify it with 3.5 starts.
Altogether, If you like the concept of feminism and if you like photography, this could be a great read for you.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am so glad I stumbled upon this book by accident on Amazon. Stephanie Butland has created a book that speaks so much to how so many women feel and is so easily relatable, especially at this point in time. Veronica Moon is probably my favourite character in a book for a long time. She is well written, develops well and there is no point where you question what is written or her reactions. I found myself questioning whether she was actually fictional by the time I had finished the book. If you want a book that questions what it is like to be a woman in society, that makes you really think about what has led us to this point, but in a beautiful way that shows also the true power of friendship and speaking truth even when it is tough, I suggest taking the time to read this book.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The friendship between Veronica and Leonie as it threads through the days of Women's Lib is the backbone of this book. It's a raw, very believable relationship and I think I would almost rather that story fully formed than the flashbacks that we see throughout. The mystery of what the final photograph was and why it was so problematic dragged on a bit too long for me and while I loved the women's issues parallels that marked the passage of time I did think in the second act the story struggled a bit with pacing.
I did find some moments very touching though and of course enjoyed reading about strong, able women. Even as fictional characters they had moments of real inspiration.
I did find some moments very touching though and of course enjoyed reading about strong, able women. Even as fictional characters they had moments of real inspiration.
I’m so torn on how many stars to give this but I think I’m settled for 3.5 as it left me with mixed feelings!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I do think that it’s an important read, that gives a deep insight inside the second wave feminism. It’s clever how the time jumps between the 60s, 70s, 80s and 2018 help to show the change in society through the years. I enjoyed the structure being divided in seven parts, and every part starting with a photograph from the exhibition. I thought the writing was beautiful and it flowed very easily, so much that I ended up reading over 100 pages in one sitting and only had to put it down because it was so late at night that my eyes were closing. There was clearly a huge amount of research behind this book and it comes through every page, very clearly.
All the characters we met were fairly well delineated, but sometimes I struggled to empathise with them. I tried but I didn’t really like Leonie at all. The only time I found her enjoyable was through the Dear John columns. Sometimes I felt like Vee was trying too hard to do anything just to please Leonie and that put me off a bit. I didn’t like how judgemental she was at the beginning when she meets Erica, but I’m glad that we see a shift in her perspective and she shows more understanding. I felt that in certain points, the author’s voice was a bit too aggressive and it got rather repetitive, and that almost made me stop reading the book however I’m glad I carried on.
This book was not what I expected when I first picked it up, and it was surprising in a good way. Overall I’m glad I finished it, and hadn’t it been for the cons listed above I’d have gladly given it 4stars. But I really liked her writing style, so I will happily read more of her books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I do think that it’s an important read, that gives a deep insight inside the second wave feminism. It’s clever how the time jumps between the 60s, 70s, 80s and 2018 help to show the change in society through the years. I enjoyed the structure being divided in seven parts, and every part starting with a photograph from the exhibition. I thought the writing was beautiful and it flowed very easily, so much that I ended up reading over 100 pages in one sitting and only had to put it down because it was so late at night that my eyes were closing. There was clearly a huge amount of research behind this book and it comes through every page, very clearly.
All the characters we met were fairly well delineated, but sometimes I struggled to empathise with them. I tried but I didn’t really like Leonie at all. The only time I found her enjoyable was through the Dear John columns. Sometimes I felt like Vee was trying too hard to do anything just to please Leonie and that put me off a bit. I didn’t like how judgemental she was at the beginning when she meets Erica, but I’m glad that we see a shift in her perspective and she shows more understanding. I felt that in certain points, the author’s voice was a bit too aggressive and it got rather repetitive, and that almost made me stop reading the book however I’m glad I carried on.
This book was not what I expected when I first picked it up, and it was surprising in a good way. Overall I’m glad I finished it, and hadn’t it been for the cons listed above I’d have gladly given it 4stars. But I really liked her writing style, so I will happily read more of her books.
Absolutely wonderful. The writing is so beautiful, the characters feel so real and raw which makes the imagery in your head feel so much more alive and exciting.
Maybe as a feminist and photographer I am bias but the book spoke to me personally as it was perfect to have a novel so well done about two issues I deeply care about and was amazed how well Butland was able to describe photographs as if Veronica Moon was a real person and her archive something you’d physically seen.
By far one of my favourite books this year I feel such an immense joy and sadness that I’d finished it and inspired me to keep taking photography seriously, fighting for a change of equality and kept me grounded.
Maybe as a feminist and photographer I am bias but the book spoke to me personally as it was perfect to have a novel so well done about two issues I deeply care about and was amazed how well Butland was able to describe photographs as if Veronica Moon was a real person and her archive something you’d physically seen.
By far one of my favourite books this year I feel such an immense joy and sadness that I’d finished it and inspired me to keep taking photography seriously, fighting for a change of equality and kept me grounded.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4/5
I did not expect to enjoy this book as I had never heard of it before. However, The Woman in the Photograph was a pleasant surprise as I found myself enjoying it straight away. It's split into two different time-frames - Vee's past with Leonie, and her present with Erica. I was definitely a lot more invested in her past as that's where most of the 'action' happened, but I did enjoy how the past played such a big role in her present with Erica!
Personally, I felt that this book did a decent job at speaking on intersectional feminism throughout the late 20th century. Women from different backgrounds and classes fought for their rights throughout this book, and Butland did a fabulous job of expressing women's plight so close as 50 years ago. However, I would have liked a bit more diversity in the characters so as to truly emphasise the intersectionality. We definitely got some LGBT representation, but I would have liked an exploration of women from different races and ethnic backgrounds to really show, for example, how black women were doubly persecuted as lesbian or transgender women were doubly persecuted.
I have to admit that I teared up in the final few pages. The revelations of Vee's past and Erica's life were so heartbreaking and emotional. I thought Stephanie Butland did a great job throughout this book, and that I will absolutely be trying to read more of her works!
I did not expect to enjoy this book as I had never heard of it before. However, The Woman in the Photograph was a pleasant surprise as I found myself enjoying it straight away. It's split into two different time-frames - Vee's past with Leonie, and her present with Erica. I was definitely a lot more invested in her past as that's where most of the 'action' happened, but I did enjoy how the past played such a big role in her present with Erica!
Personally, I felt that this book did a decent job at speaking on intersectional feminism throughout the late 20th century. Women from different backgrounds and classes fought for their rights throughout this book, and Butland did a fabulous job of expressing women's plight so close as 50 years ago. However, I would have liked a bit more diversity in the characters so as to truly emphasise the intersectionality. We definitely got some LGBT representation, but I would have liked an exploration of women from different races and ethnic backgrounds to really show, for example, how black women were doubly persecuted as lesbian or transgender women were doubly persecuted.
I have to admit that I teared up in the final few pages. The revelations of Vee's past and Erica's life were so heartbreaking and emotional. I thought Stephanie Butland did a great job throughout this book, and that I will absolutely be trying to read more of her works!
I thought the opening to this book was as engrossing as anything I've read in a while, with an intriguing set up, historical notes and a heroine off to do her own thing in the face of her father's and fiance's disapproval. Veronica Moon is a photographer, one who rose to fame in the heady days of feminist Seventies Britain but has now been forgotten and lives a reclusive life alone. A retrospective exhibition, the work of a tired mum and the relative of Veronica's great friend and love Leonie, is about to open in London and bring Veronica back to life. Will it help solve the mystery of why she faded from public life and help heal old rifts?
The book is split into flashback scenes from Veronica's and Leonie's friendship, and modern scenes as preparations for the exhibition go ahead. Each chapter also has historical notes and writings from Leonie and Veronica, both of them mainly unpublished. It focuses on the British feminist movement, starting with the Ford Dagenham strikers, before looking at Miss World protests, Greenham Common and many things in between, such as the more private and violent side of the women's movement - Veronica documents injuries caused by domestic abuse to potentially use as evidence in court. It makes a positive change to read about the British wave of protests, since so many historical moments always seem to look at America - it's good to remember how radical British women were at the time. And how we still need them.
I enjoyed Veronica's growth as a character very much, and her encouragement of the younger woman to go to a protest, and to have confidence in her self was fun to read. Leonie's chapter were a little hectoring, but she's an old school feminist and there are still plenty of those around.
This is a great book - if you want to learn more about the women's movement of recent times, or remind yourself why it's so important for us all to don our DMs and take to the streets - but it's also well written, intricately researched and full of authenticity.
The book is split into flashback scenes from Veronica's and Leonie's friendship, and modern scenes as preparations for the exhibition go ahead. Each chapter also has historical notes and writings from Leonie and Veronica, both of them mainly unpublished. It focuses on the British feminist movement, starting with the Ford Dagenham strikers, before looking at Miss World protests, Greenham Common and many things in between, such as the more private and violent side of the women's movement - Veronica documents injuries caused by domestic abuse to potentially use as evidence in court. It makes a positive change to read about the British wave of protests, since so many historical moments always seem to look at America - it's good to remember how radical British women were at the time. And how we still need them.
I enjoyed Veronica's growth as a character very much, and her encouragement of the younger woman to go to a protest, and to have confidence in her self was fun to read. Leonie's chapter were a little hectoring, but she's an old school feminist and there are still plenty of those around.
This is a great book - if you want to learn more about the women's movement of recent times, or remind yourself why it's so important for us all to don our DMs and take to the streets - but it's also well written, intricately researched and full of authenticity.