A review by readingoverbreathing
Bitter Medicine by Sara Paretsky

4.0

"I hardly like to deny an allegation of prettiness. On the other hand, when you are fantastically beautiful, you have to be careful not to use it to dazzle people into overlooking the law."

Last week for my crime fiction module we read [b:Cop Hater|425164|Cop Hater (87th Precinct, #1)|Ed McBain|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1237947350l/425164._SY75_.jpg|935077], which I decried for its packaging, that mass-market paperback with the author's name dwarfing the novel's actual title. While it wasn't terrible, I still wasn't the biggest fan of it. So when we turned here to Bitter Medicine, I honestly expected, even knowing we were doing feminist interpretations of the genre, much of the same.

But boy, was I wrong. Bitter Medicine really did surprise me. Its legacy in crime fiction is easily traceable, but even at over three decades old, it reads so freshly and so modernly. Its female characters are the real stars here; they all feel so real, and are so automatical from their male counterparts in a way that hasn't been seen yet on this module. Even V.I., tough detective she was, stayed far away from any sort of stereotype. She's a strong, independent woman, yes, but in a way that feels natural and real, rather than as some empowered-seeking construction on the part of the author.

I was also impressed by how much representation was present here, and, again, in a way that felt natural, rather than forced for the sake of saying so. This book was unafraid to tackle instances of racism, classism, and everyday misogyny, not in any kind of vigilance, but because these are issues which do permeate the everyday lives of so many.

I really did have a lot of fun with this one. It was gripping, fast-paced, and just so smart and real. I already know we're going to be having a great class discussion on this later in the week.