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4 reviews
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN MEN
JACQUELINE HARPMAN
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5/5
wow. wow wow wow. this book is incredible. go read it.
jacqueline harpman's 'i who have never known men' follows a young woman, one of 40 locked in a cage underground, with no recollection of how or why they got there. without warning, or explanation, they are released, and have to navigate a world from which they were cut off from for so long.
i picked this one up randomly at a WHSmiths in a london train station last autumn, and has been sitting in my tbr since then. i am now kicking myself that i didn't pick it up sooner.
this isn't your typical action-packed dystopian fiction with a stereotypical epic, strong, powerful female protagonist. it's quiet, and, at its core, a bleak study of what it is like to be human, and what happens when we strip everything back. it is a character study, and a genius one at that. answers are not necessary; it is open-ended and unassuming. the readers make up their own mind, and forge their own connections and opinions about the plot and characters with what little information we are given.
there is not an ounce of happiness present in this book, but you still feel an overwhelming sense of hope. the narrator is unnamed, free from human corruption and a blank slate. we lack context, a satisfactory beginning and a conclusion. this leaves so much to the imagination and it's perfect.
this is a bleak but powerful tale of a young woman's fight for survival. it is sad. it is melancholic. it is science fiction at its very best. 'genre-defying' is possibly the best description for this book.
andrew wyeth's 1948 painting 'christina's world' was at the back of my mind the entire time. one of my favourite paintings with one of my new favourite books.
i don't think i can say too much more. go read it!!
(instagram: @avareads)
JACQUELINE HARPMAN
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5/5
wow. wow wow wow. this book is incredible. go read it.
jacqueline harpman's 'i who have never known men' follows a young woman, one of 40 locked in a cage underground, with no recollection of how or why they got there. without warning, or explanation, they are released, and have to navigate a world from which they were cut off from for so long.
i picked this one up randomly at a WHSmiths in a london train station last autumn, and has been sitting in my tbr since then. i am now kicking myself that i didn't pick it up sooner.
this isn't your typical action-packed dystopian fiction with a stereotypical epic, strong, powerful female protagonist. it's quiet, and, at its core, a bleak study of what it is like to be human, and what happens when we strip everything back. it is a character study, and a genius one at that. answers are not necessary; it is open-ended and unassuming. the readers make up their own mind, and forge their own connections and opinions about the plot and characters with what little information we are given.
there is not an ounce of happiness present in this book, but you still feel an overwhelming sense of hope. the narrator is unnamed, free from human corruption and a blank slate. we lack context, a satisfactory beginning and a conclusion. this leaves so much to the imagination and it's perfect.
this is a bleak but powerful tale of a young woman's fight for survival. it is sad. it is melancholic. it is science fiction at its very best. 'genre-defying' is possibly the best description for this book.
andrew wyeth's 1948 painting 'christina's world' was at the back of my mind the entire time. one of my favourite paintings with one of my new favourite books.
i don't think i can say too much more. go read it!!
(instagram: @avareads)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Grief, and Suicide
To Kill a Man by Sam Bourne
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
to kill a man, sam bourne
CW; SEXUAL ASSAULT, RAPE
⭐⭐
2/5
my reaction to this book is pretty much summed up in the last slide. this one was a speed read, mostly because i wanted to just get through this novel so i can go onto others. i just want to preface this by saying that thriller is not my genre of choice, but the blurb sounded interesting so i gave it a shot. i kind of wish i didn't. that being said, i do like the look of 'to kill a president', so i am willing to give him another shot.
'to kill a man' follows Natasha Winthrop, a lawyer and potential future presidential candidate, who is sexually assaulted in her own home and defends herself, leaving her attacker dead. she installs the help of Maggie Costello, a 'fixer' in an attempt to save her candidacy and reputation, thus uncovering the truth as to what happened that night.
my main qualms with this book do not lie with how it is written. sam bourne can write, and i felt that this was well paced. the characters were interesting and at moments i thought they were cool. the issues that i have with it regard the subject matter and how it was dealt with. the first half had me intrigued, and then it swiftly depleted in credibility in the second half.
sexual assault is a difficult subject matter to deal with, but the random snippets of sexual assaults happening every other chapter seemed overboard. i understand that they meant to represent the pretty universal experience of sexual violence at the hands of powerful men, but they seemed to be unnecessary detail, and detracted attention from Natasha and her story of sexual violence. i did not want to read about an underage girl in Moscow being sexually assaulted when i was reading it for the fallout around the protagonist being sexually assaulted. it (tenuously) connected at the end, which seemed rushed, but then the plot twists seemed to be in the wrong places, far-fetched and jumbled the plot. they took me to places i did not want to go. it detracted from the story of a survivor of attempted rape.
maybe i just had high hopes, or thrillers aren't my genre, but this had massive potential and fell flat.
(instagram; @avareads)
CW; SEXUAL ASSAULT, RAPE
⭐⭐
2/5
my reaction to this book is pretty much summed up in the last slide. this one was a speed read, mostly because i wanted to just get through this novel so i can go onto others. i just want to preface this by saying that thriller is not my genre of choice, but the blurb sounded interesting so i gave it a shot. i kind of wish i didn't. that being said, i do like the look of 'to kill a president', so i am willing to give him another shot.
'to kill a man' follows Natasha Winthrop, a lawyer and potential future presidential candidate, who is sexually assaulted in her own home and defends herself, leaving her attacker dead. she installs the help of Maggie Costello, a 'fixer' in an attempt to save her candidacy and reputation, thus uncovering the truth as to what happened that night.
my main qualms with this book do not lie with how it is written. sam bourne can write, and i felt that this was well paced. the characters were interesting and at moments i thought they were cool. the issues that i have with it regard the subject matter and how it was dealt with. the first half had me intrigued, and then it swiftly depleted in credibility in the second half.
sexual assault is a difficult subject matter to deal with, but the random snippets of sexual assaults happening every other chapter seemed overboard. i understand that they meant to represent the pretty universal experience of sexual violence at the hands of powerful men, but they seemed to be unnecessary detail, and detracted attention from Natasha and her story of sexual violence. i did not want to read about an underage girl in Moscow being sexually assaulted when i was reading it for the fallout around the protagonist being sexually assaulted. it (tenuously) connected at the end, which seemed rushed, but then the plot twists seemed to be in the wrong places, far-fetched and jumbled the plot. they took me to places i did not want to go. it detracted from the story of a survivor of attempted rape.
maybe i just had high hopes, or thrillers aren't my genre, but this had massive potential and fell flat.
(instagram; @avareads)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Sexual violence
Minor: Alcohol
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cleopatra and frankenstein, coco mellors
⭐⭐⭐⭐
4/5
what a book to get me out of my reading slump! i haven't read a full length novel in a couple of months, and this one was kind of perfect for the occasion.
cleopatra and frankenstein follows the impulsive marriage between 24-year-old cleo and 43-year-old frank, to, broadly, secure cleo a green card. their marriage (inevitably) has far-reaching consequences, and the novel explores themes such as loss, complex relationships and addiction.
this beautifully vivid portrayal of the new york of the early 2000s makes me feel nostalgic for a time i don't remember, and the central characters lead a glamorous life of art, culture, drink and drugs. i loved how the characters felt painfully real - although the plot, at times, seemed almost unbelievable, readers recognise that they lead a ridiculous life. almost certainly backed up by a hefty trust fund, many of the characters don't seem to be burdened by student loans, paying the rent and bills, and can therefore gallivant around new york city. despite the perhaps unrealistic lack of financial struggles, this places emphasis on the mental and emotional journeys of the characters, which is objectively far more important. the characters are far from simple, and can be perceived to be both protagonists and antagonists, having both a positive and negative impact on each other. i love the unrealistic realism, it gives the novel an ethereal quality.
for me, the most interesting storyline was that of zoe's, the younger sister of frank. she is broke, nineteen years old and navigating a large city. i seemed to identify with her, whether that's because we are similar in age or i deeply sympathise with her and her situation i don't know. i hope she is happy, she deserves the world 🤍
it certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea, and definitely feeds into the 'sad girl' trope (i was delighted with the lana reference, or just delusional). regardless, i ate this the fuck up.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
4/5
what a book to get me out of my reading slump! i haven't read a full length novel in a couple of months, and this one was kind of perfect for the occasion.
cleopatra and frankenstein follows the impulsive marriage between 24-year-old cleo and 43-year-old frank, to, broadly, secure cleo a green card. their marriage (inevitably) has far-reaching consequences, and the novel explores themes such as loss, complex relationships and addiction.
this beautifully vivid portrayal of the new york of the early 2000s makes me feel nostalgic for a time i don't remember, and the central characters lead a glamorous life of art, culture, drink and drugs. i loved how the characters felt painfully real - although the plot, at times, seemed almost unbelievable, readers recognise that they lead a ridiculous life. almost certainly backed up by a hefty trust fund, many of the characters don't seem to be burdened by student loans, paying the rent and bills, and can therefore gallivant around new york city. despite the perhaps unrealistic lack of financial struggles, this places emphasis on the mental and emotional journeys of the characters, which is objectively far more important. the characters are far from simple, and can be perceived to be both protagonists and antagonists, having both a positive and negative impact on each other. i love the unrealistic realism, it gives the novel an ethereal quality.
for me, the most interesting storyline was that of zoe's, the younger sister of frank. she is broke, nineteen years old and navigating a large city. i seemed to identify with her, whether that's because we are similar in age or i deeply sympathise with her and her situation i don't know. i hope she is happy, she deserves the world 🤍
it certainly won't be everyone's cup of tea, and definitely feeds into the 'sad girl' trope (i was delighted with the lana reference, or just delusional). regardless, i ate this the fuck up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Drug use, Drug abuse, Cursing, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
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