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A review by rachelemm
Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen by Alix Kates Shulman
3.0
I received this book as part of my subscription to the fabulous book box service 'Books That Matter' and decided to read it straight away.
I had never heard of this book despite it having sold over a million copies. Turns out it was a cult classic during the feminist movement of the 1970s. I can see why, the book's protagonist Sasha sticks two fingers up at the traditional role of a wife and mother. Yet despite her efforts at freedom she still ends up trapped in the double bind of wifehood and motherhood.
What stopped this from being a 4 or 5 star book for me was the disdain I felt for the main character.
The book has a lot to say about how limited the options were for women in the 1950s, the double standards around sexual freedom and parental expectations for women as compared with men. However, much of that is muted by how awful Sasha is to everyone. She was horribly self absorbed and dismissive of her family and friends. So rather than sympathize with her at the end of the book, I rather felt she was getting everything she deserved.
I had never heard of this book despite it having sold over a million copies. Turns out it was a cult classic during the feminist movement of the 1970s. I can see why, the book's protagonist Sasha sticks two fingers up at the traditional role of a wife and mother. Yet despite her efforts at freedom she still ends up trapped in the double bind of wifehood and motherhood.
What stopped this from being a 4 or 5 star book for me was the disdain I felt for the main character.
The book has a lot to say about how limited the options were for women in the 1950s, the double standards around sexual freedom and parental expectations for women as compared with men. However, much of that is muted by how awful Sasha is to everyone. She was horribly self absorbed and dismissive of her family and friends. So rather than sympathize with her at the end of the book, I rather felt she was getting everything she deserved.