Scan barcode
A review by vengefuldime
The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
4.0
It has an easy and inviting style, in a kind of smooth and meandering way. I kept having moments of recognition- I’ve felt this, I’ve thought of this, or I recognize this. It’s very blatant, and highlights the unfortunate similarities in current racial/gender/political topics. There is a deep love for stories and stories within stories. It’s not all a terrible, terrible time, but the the framework for the entire fictional society is alarming. Actions do not have to be logical, they have to conform and uphold the existing power structures (and foster self-policing). I was half-waiting for a reveal that magic was not real in this world either. In the end, the combination of real magic and nonsense fears may as well have been one concrete thing. The women’s lives were affected so deeply anyway. Although there are several intersectional issues at hand, I thought they were intertwined together well, given breathing space in such a vibes book.
The individual, relationship, and family-ruining effects of the society they are trapped in are very detailed and saddening. The protagonist’s mother was a terrible mother, but she was also never set up for success (and pushed towards an expected child). That doesn’t mean I wasn’t becoming incensed at times. The feeling of not being able, and never going to be able, to get all that someone need from a person is such a frustrating feeling. Her relationship with what could be an optimal partner, maybe, also couldn’t truly get off the ground with the unchangeable imbalance between them. The protagonist just does what she can in a world outside of her full control. I can’t say that the witch world seemed very personally appealing-but it seems to be what she would need and is so different from the alternative. A few things were negative for me- I am skeptical on the existing gay culture in the world mirroring the real one so well with the historical setup, and I have no idea how her mother accomplished the will and doll. Other than that, although it was a surprise literary book for my book club that I wouldn’t have picked for myself, it was stressful, sweeping, clear.
The individual, relationship, and family-ruining effects of the society they are trapped in are very detailed and saddening. The protagonist’s mother was a terrible mother, but she was also never set up for success (and pushed towards an expected child). That doesn’t mean I wasn’t becoming incensed at times. The feeling of not being able, and never going to be able, to get all that someone need from a person is such a frustrating feeling. Her relationship with what could be an optimal partner, maybe, also couldn’t truly get off the ground with the unchangeable imbalance between them. The protagonist just does what she can in a world outside of her full control. I can’t say that the witch world seemed very personally appealing-but it seems to be what she would need and is so different from the alternative. A few things were negative for me- I am skeptical on the existing gay culture in the world mirroring the real one so well with the historical setup, and I have no idea how her mother accomplished the will and doll. Other than that, although it was a surprise literary book for my book club that I wouldn’t have picked for myself, it was stressful, sweeping, clear.