Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino
In one of those “I wish I had all the time in the world” fits I occasionally throw, I wish I could learn Japanese. My aptitude for languages is terrible; I’ve never tried learning anything remotely far east Asian. But I want to do it just to read Natsuo Kirino’s amazing books in their original form. Like her stellar work Out, which was one of the best things I read last year and would have been the best thing I read most other years, Natsuo Kirino […]
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
I ended up pre-ordering this novel based on llp’s review of this last year. It was published in Canada long before the Kindle version was available in the United States because I didn’t even remember what this was about by the time it downloaded onto my reader. Toews wrote this novel as a fictional reaction to the horrifying events that happened in a Mennonite community in Bolivia. I had actually read about the rapes that had plagued the women of the community before llp’s review. […]
Feminasty: The Complicated Woman's Guide to Surviving the Patriarchy Without Drinking Herself to Death by Erin Gibson
Jen and I read Erin Gibson’s fantastic book for the Two Heads Are Better Than One bingo square. Teresa: I’ve been a big fan of Erin Gibson from her podcast, Throwing Shade. I also attended her LA Festival of Books panel where she promoted this book. I was delighted beyond measure and regret holding off on a signed book. The audiobook version though was such a fun ride. Part feminist history, part humorous memoir, this book is a great way to discuss the darkest timeline […]
I’m reviewing these two books together because despite their opposite takes on speculative futures, they use similar storytelling techniques to describe how women’s lives might be different in both the near, and far future. Naomi Alderman’s The Power imagines a future where women develop an ability to physically harm others with electric shocks. Due to the release and dispersion of an environmental hazard, women begin to develop a “skein” within their bodies which allows them to physically overpower people (men) with a jolt of energy. The strength of […]
Hey you. You. I’m talking to you. A human living in the world in 2017 who takes things like The Handmaid’s Tale incredibly personally. A human living in the world in 2017 who is horrified by what has been happening for centuries in a very real, cold-blooded, and methodical way to the Native American community. A human living in the world in 2017 who cannot believe that people don’t believe in science and climate change. A human living in the world in 2017 who still finds […]
Faithful followers of my must-read, brilliantly executed, and always punctual reviews will know that I only recently discovered Roxane Gay last year, with Bad Feminist. And you will know that based on reading only that collection of essays, I will follow her to the ends of the earth, shout her name from the rooftops, aspire to be as articulate, hilarious, and honest as she, and never be dissuaded from my undying love for her. Difficult Women is haunting and beautiful. I was nervous. My expectations […]
