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archaicrobin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First of all, if you’re someone that needs answers I’d caution you on reading this one. Everything is ambiguous and speculative and there are no clear cut answers or revelations, only theories. I love speculative fiction and while I do love answers, I can still appreciate a good book that gives you nothing but questions.
I Who Have Never Known men is a feminist dystopian tale from the 90s that starts with questions and ends with questions, all asked and attempted to be answered by the main character who has no name and is only referred to as “the child”. She is the youngest of 40 women trapped in a cage, in an unknown location, tormented by unknown men, for unknown reasons, until one day…. They’re not.
This one kept me reading in hopes of figuring out what was going on, and what felt at first felt like your normal dystopian quickly turns into a speculative story about what it means to be a human. I loved this one and am still thinking about it!
I Who Have Never Known men is a feminist dystopian tale from the 90s that starts with questions and ends with questions, all asked and attempted to be answered by the main character who has no name and is only referred to as “the child”. She is the youngest of 40 women trapped in a cage, in an unknown location, tormented by unknown men, for unknown reasons, until one day…. They’re not.
This one kept me reading in hopes of figuring out what was going on, and what felt at first felt like your normal dystopian quickly turns into a speculative story about what it means to be a human. I loved this one and am still thinking about it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Abandonment, Confinement, and Death
morgan_gensler's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Stunned. This will be a book I think about for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Grief, Death, Torture, and Abandonment
sakisreads's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I had seen this all over BookTok and I am easily influenced so I bought a copy immediately when I saw a copy at a book fair 😂
I’m puzzled by this one. I could not put it down, even though it explained NOTHING (e.g. why were these women trapped in the bunker?!). I was upset by some of the more graphic scenes (which I’ll detail in the content warnings below), but still wanted it to keep going 😳 Literature is so powerful.
I’m giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something with a Margaret Atwood energy. Fascinating!
I’m puzzled by this one. I could not put it down, even though it explained NOTHING (e.g. why were these women trapped in the bunker?!). I was upset by some of the more graphic scenes (which I’ll detail in the content warnings below), but still wanted it to keep going 😳 Literature is so powerful.
I’m giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something with a Margaret Atwood energy. Fascinating!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Moderate: Misogyny
janaptrsn's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Death, and Torture
amharless417's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
annaavian's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
"I Who Have Never Known Men" by Jacqueline Harpman is a haunting and mesmerizing novel that captivates readers with its unique blend of bleakness and beauty. This thought-provoking story drew me in from the very beginning and held me captive until the very last page. The author's masterful storytelling and compelling prose make this book unlike any other I have read.
Harpman skillfully weaves a narrative that delves into themes of isolation, identity, and the resilience of the human spirit. The way she captures the struggles and hopes of the characters in a stark and mysterious setting is both haunting and beautiful. The novel's ambiance and depth make it a truly distinct reading experience.
Harpman skillfully weaves a narrative that delves into themes of isolation, identity, and the resilience of the human spirit. The way she captures the struggles and hopes of the characters in a stark and mysterious setting is both haunting and beautiful. The novel's ambiance and depth make it a truly distinct reading experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Torture, Suicide, Confinement, and Death
Minor: Cancer
sldccc's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Death, Torture, Violence, Mental illness, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Grief, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse
beatingaroundthebooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Blood, Terminal illness, Infertility, Death, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Confinement
Moderate: Torture, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia, Child death, Cancer, Abandonment, Deportation, Violence, and Emotional abuse
radtj's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really liked the author’s take on what it means to be human and time as a construct of humanity. This book leaves you with some unanswered questions, but it’s the feeling the book leaves you with that feels more important. The format and voice the author writes in compels you to be just as curious as the main character, and it definitely gives you some interesting topics to think about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Death, Infertility, Grief, Confinement, Suicide, Physical abuse, and Genocide
zarlynsnook's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
another read added to my all-time faves list ✨
i was moved and humbled by this book. reading this was like a free-flowing river that never stops. i just want to know how the story would end,if there's a future that lies ahead until i realized i'm nearing the end.
the ending gave me a feeling of epiphany.despite having an unclear resolution, it made me realize a lot of things,about our society,about being a woman,about being human.
i was moved and humbled by this book. reading this was like a free-flowing river that never stops. i just want to know how the story would end,if there's a future that lies ahead until i realized i'm nearing the end.
the ending gave me a feeling of epiphany.despite having an unclear resolution, it made me realize a lot of things,about our society,about being a woman,about being human.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Abandonment