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itsmejett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: War, Genocide, Rape, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Blood
kayleigh214's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Pedophilia, Murder, Slavery, War, Violence, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Hate crime, Gun violence, Genocide, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Domestic abuse, Rape, Xenophobia, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Blood, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
zzara's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Death, and Child abuse
greenmind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I liked the premise, the structure and the prose style itself. But I'm not necessarily sure that a matriarchy would behave like this so I struggled a bit with the idea - it's a book inside a book though, so maybe it works better in that regard - it's written by a fictional man, so maybe his idea of a matriarchy can only be considered from a patriarchal fantasy? Or maybe it really is that hard to imagine a true matriarchy which could function differently than what we ourselves know after thousands of years... It made me think about the ideas brought up in here a lot though, so I think it's successful speculative fiction, in that sense. Personally, I found it lacking believability at times and it also grossed me out in a way which surprises me because I've read a lot of disgusting writing which hasn't caused that reaction. I'm just convinced women would gang-rape, slave-own and murder men, women and children for fun and with glee in the way that men regularly behave in warzones. I think the power would be wielded differently, and we can see how in the handful of matriarchal cultures around today or documented. Mothers still love and protect their sons, but the boys are socialised very differently and the older men behave differently within that... but I'm still unsure what I make of all of this. The "end notes" chapter from the female writer to the "male writer" character of the fictional book we've just read say much of the sorts of thing which run through my mind... but I'm unconvinced still, even though I feel made fun of by the author for that in a way. I still think the fact men don't get pregnant and give life makes them more likely to want to control women as a resource for reproduction all the more - and you can see that trend with the push towards normalising surrogacy and artificial womb science, in their interfering superstition in female healthcare, the power structures and beliefs of all major religions. The power isn't so literal as a jolt of physical electricity, but more the creator power which woman demonstrate when they grow new humans. Men are very uncomfortable with women controlling their own reproductions, as this would control all reproduction globally. One could argue that the effort to cut women from motherhood through tech and brothel-market capitalism hints at where essential power really lies, but the story has no space for mothers and babies here. It is certainly all very thought-provoking. The Father and The Son makes less sense to me than The Mother and Her Children in terms of creation myths, but... that's patriarchy for you. I’ve never heard of an equivalence of the violence men perpetrate towards women and female children daily being something women do when they are able to. I find those who argue that “woman totally would” are revealing themselves as naive about the reality of sex differences in crime statistics - 98% male for violent crimes.
Graphic: Sexism, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Murder, Ableism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, War, Forced institutionalization, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Torture, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
whailey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Torture, War, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexism, Trafficking, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Slavery, Bullying, Gore, and Sexual content
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Genocide, Confinement, and Police brutality
isabezza's review against another edition
3.75
There are many notable and positive features of this story. I had my pen handy for underlining the powerful clauses, and I enjoyed the steady pace. Particularly, I enjoyed the underlying structure of the plot. Having a different narrator and POV for each area life the Girls' power effects, the reader is shown how the military, people's religion, World politics, the criminal underworld, and the media are slowly transformed and dominated by Women's power in this dystopian science fiction.
However, this book was difficult to pick up again or stay engaged with for a long period of time. I personally found the story impossible to devour in a day or two; I had to keep putting it down. Although there are some very distressing chapters, my aversion was often due to disinterest in the character's themselves. Similarly, the ending was confusing and disappointing - it seems there was not an ending at all - as if it were rushed.
Overall, an amazing plot (which I would recommend) but poor execution of the characters and the ending.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Misogyny, Torture, War, and Violence
obfuscatress's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, and Child abuse
Moderate: Trafficking, Domestic abuse, War, and Drug use
Minor: Sexism and Transphobia
nikitagroot's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Classism, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Death
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gun violence, Murder, and Blood
Minor: Slavery, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Drug use, and Kidnapping
kerfhufflepuff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Murder, Drug use, and Sexism
thissagreads's review against another edition
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, and Sexual violence