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thebigq's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This novella is bananas in the best ways. Haywood is a true delight and this edition has good notes, contextual materials along with a story I don't want to spoil because it's so wild.
elcaineelc's review against another edition
3.0
An unusual and intruiging tale about a woman's fight for agency in her restricted society. Haywood is clever and inventive, subverting fictional expectations and gender roles of her time.
jaredpence's review against another edition
4.0
I read "Fantomina" (not Haywood's other works) and found it to be an utterly fascinating and engaging story of a woman who fools her lover into thinking she is five different women. While the mother's clampdown on the central character at the end demonstrates society's (and perhaps Haywood's) disapproval of such trickery and sexual liberty, the reader can't help but find Haywood's central character to be a strong, brilliant, intriguing woman who had the wit and vivacity to take complete control of her life if it were not for her mother. A fascinating and vivid plot which I read as having a powerfully feminist message.
blue_jo's review against another edition
read the short story fantomina for my english literature class this semester but still counting the book cause why not??
lizbennett2013's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
missmeesh's review against another edition
1.0
I...I don't think I even really know what to say about Fantomina. It might be one of the strangest stories I have ever read. Not to mention that we read it in English class, and the prof scarred us all for life trying to get us to have a class discussion about it.
Let's start out with the basic plot. We have a unnamed female who just happens to be noble in some right. But, she decides that the prostitutes at the theater are having better conversations with men than she is. So, naturally, she decides one night to go ahead and pretend that she is a prostitute. She calls herself 'Fantomina', and eventually attracts the attention of another noble named Beauplaisir, who just happens to think highly of her because she 'sounds' more intelligent than the other girls. The next night, she does it again, taking her disguise too far, and dear old Beauplaisir essentially rapes her, not knowing that this woman is not, in fact, a true prostitute. However, after 'Fantomina' moans about the loss of her honor and virtue, he realizes that, oh no, this woman wasn't actually a streetwalker. He begs her of her identity, but she only gives him a fake one. Then they carry on their tryst quite happily until Beauplaisir gets bored, and leaves town.
Well, of course, there is nothing better for Fantomina to do but follow him and become his maid. Which, they do the nasty, proclaiming adoration for each other until Beauplaisir gets tired of this maid Celia, and leaves town again.
And our maid Celia follows him. Again. This time though, she disguises herself as a widow. Surprisingly (or not, depending on your outlook of life), Beauplaisir falls for it again.
When Beauplaisir gets bored again, the widow - who is really Celia who is really Fantomina who is really some noblewoman whom we know nothing about other than she is crazy as a bat - poses as a masked woman, ready for another romp.
Then, plot twist, dear Fantomina's mother shows up as Fantomina is congratulating herself on a conquest well made. And then, bang, all that unsafe sex leads to a pregnancy, which leads her poor mother to presumably grab the shotgun off the wall as she demands who did this unsavory deed to her precious unblemished flower. Fantomina answers with "Beauplaisir!", and his sorry ass is hauled in. However, Beauplaisir has no idea who this woman is. It seems her disguises were a little too well done, or he just was so involved in his sex life that he didn't notice he had had sex with the same woman in several different disguises. Fantomina is forced to reveal her dastardly plan, and her mother confused as hell, sends Beauplaisir on his way with an apology for her crazy daughter.
Then, as any good noblewoman with an insatiable sexual hunger, she is sent off to the monastery.
AND THAT'S HOW IT ENDS. Everybody goes on their merry way.
It's really not my favorite piece of literature. I had trouble swallowing it, let alone having to write a five page essay on it.
On that note, if you like strange but adventurous, sex-hungry, noblewoman, then this is the story for you!!!
Let's start out with the basic plot. We have a unnamed female who just happens to be noble in some right. But, she decides that the prostitutes at the theater are having better conversations with men than she is. So, naturally, she decides one night to go ahead and pretend that she is a prostitute. She calls herself 'Fantomina', and eventually attracts the attention of another noble named Beauplaisir, who just happens to think highly of her because she 'sounds' more intelligent than the other girls. The next night, she does it again, taking her disguise too far, and dear old Beauplaisir essentially rapes her, not knowing that this woman is not, in fact, a true prostitute. However, after 'Fantomina' moans about the loss of her honor and virtue, he realizes that, oh no, this woman wasn't actually a streetwalker. He begs her of her identity, but she only gives him a fake one. Then they carry on their tryst quite happily until Beauplaisir gets bored, and leaves town.
Well, of course, there is nothing better for Fantomina to do but follow him and become his maid. Which, they do the nasty, proclaiming adoration for each other until Beauplaisir gets tired of this maid Celia, and leaves town again.
And our maid Celia follows him. Again. This time though, she disguises herself as a widow. Surprisingly (or not, depending on your outlook of life), Beauplaisir falls for it again.
When Beauplaisir gets bored again, the widow - who is really Celia who is really Fantomina who is really some noblewoman whom we know nothing about other than she is crazy as a bat - poses as a masked woman, ready for another romp.
Then, plot twist, dear Fantomina's mother shows up as Fantomina is congratulating herself on a conquest well made. And then, bang, all that unsafe sex leads to a pregnancy, which leads her poor mother to presumably grab the shotgun off the wall as she demands who did this unsavory deed to her precious unblemished flower. Fantomina answers with "Beauplaisir!", and his sorry ass is hauled in. However, Beauplaisir has no idea who this woman is. It seems her disguises were a little too well done, or he just was so involved in his sex life that he didn't notice he had had sex with the same woman in several different disguises. Fantomina is forced to reveal her dastardly plan, and her mother confused as hell, sends Beauplaisir on his way with an apology for her crazy daughter.
Then, as any good noblewoman with an insatiable sexual hunger, she is sent off to the monastery.
AND THAT'S HOW IT ENDS. Everybody goes on their merry way.
It's really not my favorite piece of literature. I had trouble swallowing it, let alone having to write a five page essay on it.
On that note, if you like strange but adventurous, sex-hungry, noblewoman, then this is the story for you!!!