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A review by alexampersand
Animal: The Autobiography of a Female Body by Sara Pascoe
5.0
This book was... not what I was expecting. I was essentially expecting "How To Be A Woman" but with a few more jokes. A pretty base-level feminist gender exploration, by a stand-up comedian. So I was pleasantly surprised to see how in-depth it was, both in terms of detail and also inclusivity.
It covers how bodies have evolved, the science behind our chosen sexual and romantic partners, as well as treatment of women within society. It was way more knowledgeable than I was ever expecting, yet still managed to not feel heavy and dry. So that is a pretty high accomplishment.
My only slight complaint is with the ordering of sections; specifically the end section. The book ends with the section on 'consent', including some pretty graphic and shocking facts and stats about rape and sexual assault. And then the book pretty much ends. And while I definitely think that these things are important to discuss - and I am so glad they had their place within this book - I think that it felt a little abrupt to discuss the most personal and difficult section, and then just bring the book to a close.
It covers how bodies have evolved, the science behind our chosen sexual and romantic partners, as well as treatment of women within society. It was way more knowledgeable than I was ever expecting, yet still managed to not feel heavy and dry. So that is a pretty high accomplishment.
My only slight complaint is with the ordering of sections; specifically the end section. The book ends with the section on 'consent', including some pretty graphic and shocking facts and stats about rape and sexual assault. And then the book pretty much ends. And while I definitely think that these things are important to discuss - and I am so glad they had their place within this book - I think that it felt a little abrupt to discuss the most personal and difficult section, and then just bring the book to a close.