Reviews

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

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jessar's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

Girl, Woman, Other is a beautiful, intersectional book with black stories that encompass the diaspora and I really wish I had liked it more and that it hadn't felt like so much of a chore to read the first half of it. It is a great book that was just not for me.

read_n_wright's review against another edition

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5.0

I have never been a fan of anthologies. Too many characters to navigate; having to start all over again once you finally become invested in a storyline...

I adored this book. Each story was so real and interesting. Even the most mundane sounding characters had profoundly interesting stories. The author has a gift of allowing us to really see through the eyes of so many different and oftentimes contrary characters: an old lady living alone on a farm, a woke teen in first years at university, a self-absorbed social commentator more concerned with his looks than his culture, a 50 year old lesbian playwright...it goes on there are endless characters with incredible stories and I loved all of them. Was genuinely so interested in each person and wished there was more as I was left hungering.

The characters in this book entwine and this allows for a greater level of discovery as you learn more about the character in chapter one, say, through the eyes of her great-granddauggter who is the protagonist of chapter 4, for example.

This book taught me empathy and compassion. Taught me that life will surprise you, that you can surprise yourself, that you may never know who you are and that you can change.

I would recommend this to everyone. An instant favourite (which is ironic since i avoided this book for years thinking it would be way to political for me). :)