I always felt a little sorry for Mary Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. It seemed to me that Mary was isolated in a way her other sisters were not; Lizzie and Jane had each other as confidants, and Lydia and Kitty were partners in crime. Mary’s biggest flaw seemed to be a lack of self-awareness that led to awkward social situations, which lacked the malice or selfishness of other character’s actions, especially Lydia’s. In The … Continue reading The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow →
Cranky Ladies of History is an anthology of short fiction about real historical women who were angry and did things with that anger. Some of these things were spectacular, and some were just spectacularly appalling (looking at you, Erszebet Báthory) (but not looking too closely, because I really don’t want to provoke you), but it makes for a fascinating anthology theme, tailor-made for fans of Carrie’s ‘Kickass Women in History’ series. In the introduction, Tansy … Continue reading Cranky Ladies of History edited by Tansy Rayner Roberts and Tehani Croft Wessely →
I have to issue every warning ever for this book: suicidal ideation, abuse, death, suicide, toxic relationships, possible animal cruelty, sexual abuse, assault, addiction, animal death, extreme depression, the worst doctor in the history of ever. … I listened to the audiobook narration of My Year of Rest and Relaxation as part of some research I’m doing on storytelling techniques, and because Julia Whelan is a wonderful narrator, especially in first person perspectives. This story is … Continue reading Audiobook Review: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh →
If you want an unrepentant, badass assassin heroine, then Milady by Laura L Sullivan is the book for you. I loved it. I gave up precious sleep for it. I want to read it again. My introduction to The Three Musketeers and therefore the Countess de Winter (also known as Milady) was through the 1993 movie that starred Chris O’Donnell as D’Artagnan and Rebecca De Mornay as the Countess de Winter. It also starred Charlie … Continue reading Milady by Laura L. Sullivan →
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters is a contemporary novel (not a romance) about three sisters who honor their mother’s last wish by going on a pilgrimage to India. At first I found the book to be too slow paced, but once I got into the flow of the story I enjoyed this book for its characters, its perspectives on culture, and its examination of family in general and sisterhood in particular. The prologue is … Continue reading The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal →
The DNA of You and Me might just as well be called “False Equivalency: The Novel.” The description on the inside front cover leads the reader to suppose that the book is about the career choices that women have to make, especially between love and work. However, the book is actually about an obsessed woman in an emotionally abusive relationship who has to decide whether to stay in the abusive relationship or stay at a research … Continue reading The DNA of You and Me by Andrea Rothman →
My Sister the Serial Killer is NOT a romance novel, but it might appeal to those of our readers with an interest in female rage and very dark humor. Set in Nigeria, the novel is narrated by a nurse named Korede. It opens as Korede is cleaning a crime scene. It’s clear that she has a lot of practice doing this: I bet you didn’t know that bleach masks the smell of blood. Most people … Continue reading My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite →
Ill Will is NOT a romance. It does not have a happy ending. It features graphic violence against animals, women, and children. In the latter cases, the violence includes rape. The ending is depressing as hell. BUT. I would recommend this book to the tiny cohort of people who share my conviction that Wuthering Heights is a gothic (and highly political) horror novel as opposed to a love story. This book begins immediately after Heathcliff … Continue reading Ill Will by Michael Stewart →
We have a guest review from Lara! Thanks so much, Lara! Lara is a teacher, feminist, knitter and proud co-parent to the greatest three-legged black cat in the southern hemisphere. … CW: There are discussions of child abuse and neglect in this novel. There is also a suicide attempt in the novel. The title is a lie, or rather, it is the lie that Eleanor tells herself. She has retreated (understandably) into a rigid routine … Continue reading Guest Review: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman →
It’s October, it is decorative gourd season, motherforkers, and time for SPOOKY STORIES and pumpkin spice and boots and scarves and right on time, we have a feminist version of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow told from the point of view of Katrina van Tassel, the woman at the point of of the love triangle between Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones. In Washington Irving’s original story, Ichabod Crane comes to the village of Sleepy Hollow … Continue reading The Spellbook of Katrina van Tassel by Alyssa Palombo →
The Enchantress of Numbers is a fictional retelling of Ada Lovelace’s life, narrated by a fictional version of herself. As far as I can tell, it’s quite faithful to the events of Ada’s life and the relationship between her and her mother. However, as the book progresses, it starts to skim over her vices and dwell on Ada as a good wife and mother who wants to do math but also do her motherly duties. … Continue reading The Enchantress of Numbers by Jennifer Chiaverini →
