A review by big__al
Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal

funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I really lovde Dhaliwal's other book of a similar style, Cylopedia Exotica, so I decided to pick up Woman World. While, as a non-binary person, I find books like this require the reader to hold a little gender essentialism to carry them through, I did still enjoy this book. Dhaliwal's characters are so charming and recognizable, and I really like they way she shows many small moments making up a larger community and time. It's clever way to point at larger systems at work in our lives, and Dhaliwal also manages to be fun a light-hearted while doing it.

This book is confident and direct about the blurriness of womanhood and I really would have liked to see that pushed a little further towards the blurriness of sex/gender in general? But then again, someone like me would think that! Narratives like this need to exist because somewhere there is a woman who needs it, regardless of the world she is experiencing now.

If you liked Woman World, definitely read Cycolopedia Exotica!