xexemang 's review for:

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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i was sooooo close to dnf this book but am so glad i stuck with it. after the first 40 or so pages, i was hooked and couldn’t stop. 

the main character, often referred to as child, wow. the fact the whole story is her writing down her recount as her life draws to an end.. crazy. 

the author did something amazing with this book. there’s so many questions and not one definitive answer of why or where or how. it leaves you with SO many questions, truly an amazing sci-fi book. simply because this could be going on right now. or 100 years ago or 100 from now. it is just so fucking good and hasn’t really aged from when it was written almost 100 years ago. 

i do love that the child has a drive to continue searching even after she has lost everyone she has ever known, especially anthea. 

the author having her die from a diseased womb. even though she’s never been touched by a man or had sex. is just, wow. a choice and crazy. 

i’m glad men aren’t really a focal point of this story, and that the child is the focus. 

i am just so fucking curious as to why that bunker at the end was there.