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A review by elizanderson1066
The Burning by Laura Bates
3.0
Having read and loved Laura Bates' non-fiction, and loving Laura Bates in general, I was very excited to read this book.
After the first couple of chapters though, I did a small inner sigh of disappointment. The writing is patchy, with some seriously unrealistic, if not downright awkward, dialogue between characters, and some pop culture references that are already dating themselves.
I also thought there would be a bit more to the plot other than highlighting slut-shaming as the huge problem it is. While this is true, and should be talked about a great deal, I couldn't really find a take home message beyond the notion that slut-shaming is disgusting, bigoted behaviour which needs stamping out in schools and taken more seriously in society. I was hoping for more of a stance of what people can do to fight against this vile, ever-present issue.
Having said that, this is in incredibly important book, particularly for the young women whom it is aimed at. And even more particularly for any young women who have been catcalled, shamed, assaulted or harassed. And especially even more particularly for anyone, male or female, who has perpetrated that behaviour.
But yeah, considering Bates isn't a first time author, and is a Guardian journalist, a few more edits wouldn't have gone a miss.
After the first couple of chapters though, I did a small inner sigh of disappointment. The writing is patchy, with some seriously unrealistic, if not downright awkward, dialogue between characters, and some pop culture references that are already dating themselves.
I also thought there would be a bit more to the plot other than highlighting slut-shaming as the huge problem it is. While this is true, and should be talked about a great deal, I couldn't really find a take home message beyond the notion that slut-shaming is disgusting, bigoted behaviour which needs stamping out in schools and taken more seriously in society. I was hoping for more of a stance of what people can do to fight against this vile, ever-present issue.
Having said that, this is in incredibly important book, particularly for the young women whom it is aimed at. And even more particularly for any young women who have been catcalled, shamed, assaulted or harassed. And especially even more particularly for anyone, male or female, who has perpetrated that behaviour.
But yeah, considering Bates isn't a first time author, and is a Guardian journalist, a few more edits wouldn't have gone a miss.