A review by stuartmarkpiper
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

5.0

This patchwork quilt of a novel might be my favourite read of last year (I was a little late to the party). I have keen interest in stories of inequality and social injustice so am drawn to literature about feminism and race. However, I didn’t expect, as a white male, to identify with so many characters: I suppose, like the protagonists, I have been a struggling penniless theatre company founder ending up at the National complete with secret imposter syndrome paranoia, but more universally: have been faced with dilemmas of whether to remain politically pure or to ‘sell out’, worried about who’s guidance to follow, and I’ve certainly lived in close proximity to all of the novel’s main themes… all Londoners have. This novel presents us with so many interesting stories, that you hope will interconnect: it’s a bit like going speed dating and realising you’re actually at a school reunion.