A review by serendipitysbooks
The Change by Kirsten Miller

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 The Change was fabulous, fiesty, furious, feminist fun. Three menopausal women who are tired of all the sexist, misogynistic, patriarchal crap in the world, channel their powers and combine forces to burn it all down. Literally. While I couldn’t in good faith recommend their approach in the real world, I certainly understand their motivations. And it was cathartic to read and to fantasise about being able to join in. Not only did I love seeing menopause portrayed as a source of power, I loved that Harriet, Nessa and Jo weren’t focused solely on themselves but wanted to right the wrongs down to other women - sisters supporting sisters - since the system, both formal and informal, had no interest in doing so.

This book is not all fun. The fun is in seeing revenge and retribution exacted but reasons it is needed are not fun at all. There is a very heavy storyline at the core of the book - think Epstein like sex-trafficking combined with murder so reader beware, although thankfully that is not directly depicted on the page. The added vulnerability of women on the margins of society, poor women, young women, women of colour is rightfully highlighted.

This wasn’t a perfect book. It did drag a little for me in the middle. Certainly don’t pick it up looking for subtlety and nuance. But if you are in the mood to rage and see some bad ass women do some of things you wish you could do in the name of revenge then this is the book for you. 
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