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A review by bookishcritiques
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
3.0
I who have never known men is a novel by Jaqueline Harpman. Originally written in French and translated into English, the novel set in a dystopian timeline follows a group of 40 women who are trapped inside a cage armed by guards since the protagonist has been a young child. One day, as a mysterious siren echoes across the cage, all the guards abandon the women, leaving them to escape with the help of the youngest woman locked inside the cage.
What originally brought me to purchase harpman’s novel was the unique storyline and plot that she was able to create. I found myself reading page after page, curious about what was going to happen next and what answers could be given for the women to be locked up. Ultimately, this was the downfall for this book. I can appreciate the fact that this is a literary fiction novel but for myself personally, when I read a book, i would prefer to get answers about the plotline. I wanted my questions answered. unfortunately, this didn’t happen. I know that literary fiction has deeper meanings and usually I’m able to pick up on it. For this book, it wasn’t the case. While i did enjoy the content of the novel, it merely warranted a 3 stars for me.
What originally brought me to purchase harpman’s novel was the unique storyline and plot that she was able to create. I found myself reading page after page, curious about what was going to happen next and what answers could be given for the women to be locked up. Ultimately, this was the downfall for this book. I can appreciate the fact that this is a literary fiction novel but for myself personally, when I read a book, i would prefer to get answers about the plotline. I wanted my questions answered. unfortunately, this didn’t happen. I know that literary fiction has deeper meanings and usually I’m able to pick up on it. For this book, it wasn’t the case. While i did enjoy the content of the novel, it merely warranted a 3 stars for me.