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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
Story: 1 / 10
Characters: 2
Setting: 3
Prose: 2
Literally, the worst book I've ever read [ Sin noticias de Gurb was the previous worst ]. A feminist science fiction book sounded interesting, mostly because the genre is dominated by male leads. However, The Female Man doesn't have a story at all. A lot of books will have no direction, but the story continues on nevertheless. However, Russ simply introduces a few characters and places without creating any events. The characters do not do anything. Compound that with a lot of jumping around and a critically-reflective narrator and the worst book ever written results.
Do not read unless paid...
Characters: 2
Setting: 3
Prose: 2
Literally, the worst book I've ever read [ Sin noticias de Gurb was the previous worst ]. A feminist science fiction book sounded interesting, mostly because the genre is dominated by male leads. However, The Female Man doesn't have a story at all. A lot of books will have no direction, but the story continues on nevertheless. However, Russ simply introduces a few characters and places without creating any events. The characters do not do anything. Compound that with a lot of jumping around and a critically-reflective narrator and the worst book ever written results.
Do not read unless paid...
I really struggled to find info on this before starting this book so let me start with this: Russ believes in the transphobic concept of the biological woman. Women who have not had bottom surgery adhere to male pronouns, and she uses the phrase “real woman” a pain staking number of times.
I was barely able to follow this story. I understand that the structure in itself was meant to be a rebellion, but as a reader I found it borderline unintelligible at points.
With that said, some of the commentary about living under patriarchy was very precise and these bits I did enjoy. Shame that this was all ruined by transphobia in the last 50 pages. Wouldn’t recommend this to read.
I was barely able to follow this story. I understand that the structure in itself was meant to be a rebellion, but as a reader I found it borderline unintelligible at points.
With that said, some of the commentary about living under patriarchy was very precise and these bits I did enjoy. Shame that this was all ruined by transphobia in the last 50 pages. Wouldn’t recommend this to read.
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
This book is written very confusingly with switching between first person and third person omniscient. Also, switching between multiple worlds as this parallel universe plot requires wasn’t explained well and it was easy to get lost. The plot lends itself well to an interesting discussion of gender but there were parts of that discussion that felt off putting and not subversive in a good way.
A tad difficult to keep the characters straight, like who's narrating when, and who's with who at any given time ... but lots of things to like about the book, quote-worthy and what not, to come ...
Gonna keep this short bc it’s 12:30 am. Why do I do this to myself.
I liked the book a lot, I mostly just took a star off because it was pretty confusing and a bit difficult to really get into. I also felt like it repeated itself a lot in certain places. So four out of five stars for themes I liked a lot, I think it was well done and it had a lot of really important things to say and it clearly felt very strongly about them, but the actual reading experience was just bit confusing for me. I imagine it’s the kind of book I’ll get more out of if I read it a second time.
I liked the book a lot, I mostly just took a star off because it was pretty confusing and a bit difficult to really get into. I also felt like it repeated itself a lot in certain places. So four out of five stars for themes I liked a lot, I think it was well done and it had a lot of really important things to say and it clearly felt very strongly about them, but the actual reading experience was just bit confusing for me. I imagine it’s the kind of book I’ll get more out of if I read it a second time.
Este libro es más un tratado feminista con toques de ciencia ficción que cualquier otra cosa.
La parte central me resultó muy confusa porque las cuatro mujeres protagonistas (que no dejan de ser la misma en diferentes realidades paralelas) confluyen en el tiempo y lugar, a veces no tienes claro quién está hablando, o cuando, o cómo xD
Aún así, me parece un libro rompedor en muchos aspectos, experimental, muy divertido y que sí, que han pasado 50 años, pero en muchas cosas es alucinante cómo de fácil es encontrar coincidencias en ciertas conversaciones y reflexiones, y sentirte identificada.
Hay que pillar el libro con ganas y sabiendo lo que vas a leer, pero la experiencia merece la pena.
La parte central me resultó muy confusa porque las cuatro mujeres protagonistas (que no dejan de ser la misma en diferentes realidades paralelas) confluyen en el tiempo y lugar, a veces no tienes claro quién está hablando, o cuando, o cómo xD
Aún así, me parece un libro rompedor en muchos aspectos, experimental, muy divertido y que sí, que han pasado 50 años, pero en muchas cosas es alucinante cómo de fácil es encontrar coincidencias en ciertas conversaciones y reflexiones, y sentirte identificada.
Hay que pillar el libro con ganas y sabiendo lo que vas a leer, pero la experiencia merece la pena.
Like Bel Canto or Douglas Coupland's Microserfs, this book is so familiar to me, so entwined with who I am, that any sort of criticism is impossible. First encountered in the greatest of all possible college electives, English 420: Feminist Science Fiction, The Female Man amuses, enrages, and undoes me every time I read it. I am Laur. I am Jael. I am Jeannine. I am Janet. I hope, one day, to be Joanna.
Do not complain when at last you become quaint and old-fashioned, when you grow as outworn as the crinolines of a generation ago and are classed with Spicy Western Stories, Elsie Dinsmore, and The Son of the Sheik; do not mutter angrily to yourself when young persons read you to hrooch and hrch and guffaw, wondering what the dickens you were all about. Do not get glum when you are no longer understood, little book. Do not curse your fate. Do not reach up from readers' laps and punch the readers' noses.
Rejoice, little book!
For on that day, we will be free.
An interesting feminist time capsule, this one - a lot that's relatable, but more that isn't, or that I remember relating to in the past but haven't thought about in years now (every instance of men mocking women but not you, you know, those other women, you're not like those shrill nagging women...). It's easy to get wrapped up in the still-existent imbalances but it's also nice to see how far we've come - with every venomous rant from Joanna, Jael and Jeannine about something I don't worry about, I found myself a little happier, a little more hopeful.
The narrative structure is weird as all hell though (almost - almost! - too weird even for me) and it's kind of pretentious, but if anything that just made me like it all the more since I myself am weird and pretentious.
Not at all relevant to the review but I thought it was funny: my mum gave this to me as a birthday gift; it was given to her by a man she didn't know, who said that it completely changed the way he viewed women, and bought multiple copies to hand to strangers in public. So, good work Ms Russ on converting at least one man to the radical notion that women are people, and thank you to that man for bringing this book into my orbit.
That was quite a ride. What is sad is how relevant it still feels. Sigh.