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A review by fleeno
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
5.0
“My memory begins with my anger.”
A girl who is only referenced to as "the child", lives in a bunker with 39 older women. They are provided food each day by guards who never speak to them or look at them. They are forced to sleep at certain times, exercise and eat. There is nothing to read, no crafts, no singing. Attempts to escape are futile, attempts at suicide are thwarted. The women have lost hope and accepted they are to live in this cell, with no way out and no way to truly live, until they slowly die. No one remembers how they got there or why they are there and while some of the women have a vague memory of life before the bunker, the child has only known the bunker. Then one day an alarm sounds, the guards disappear, and the women escape into a strange world.
This was such a beautifully written book for a story which is truly bleak and oppressive. It is surprising that despite the bleakness, the child has such hope and eagerness to learn, even though there is no point to learning anything. In a world of nothingness, what’s the point of your knowing? Knowing however is the key to everything- to communication, community, and connection. It is difficult to discuss the book without spoiling it and it is much better to read this unspoiled. I will say however that while there is a plot, this is very character driven and don't expect any answers on literally anything. Normally not having an answer would annoy me but I was left with the same contradictory feelings of sadness, confusion, and contentment as the child. A great novel if you are done with society and want to feel a bit melancholy
A girl who is only referenced to as "the child", lives in a bunker with 39 older women. They are provided food each day by guards who never speak to them or look at them. They are forced to sleep at certain times, exercise and eat. There is nothing to read, no crafts, no singing. Attempts to escape are futile, attempts at suicide are thwarted. The women have lost hope and accepted they are to live in this cell, with no way out and no way to truly live, until they slowly die. No one remembers how they got there or why they are there and while some of the women have a vague memory of life before the bunker, the child has only known the bunker. Then one day an alarm sounds, the guards disappear, and the women escape into a strange world.
This was such a beautifully written book for a story which is truly bleak and oppressive. It is surprising that despite the bleakness, the child has such hope and eagerness to learn, even though there is no point to learning anything. In a world of nothingness, what’s the point of your knowing? Knowing however is the key to everything- to communication, community, and connection. It is difficult to discuss the book without spoiling it and it is much better to read this unspoiled. I will say however that while there is a plot, this is very character driven and don't expect any answers on literally anything. Normally not having an answer would annoy me but I was left with the same contradictory feelings of sadness, confusion, and contentment as the child. A great novel if you are done with society and want to feel a bit melancholy