Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Was wir Frauen wollen

Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Was wir Frauen wollen by Isabel Allende

17 reviews

thewordsdevourer's review against another edition

emotional funny informative medium-paced

2.75

the soul of a woman is part memoir, part feminism treatise, and while an interesting enough read, imo it doesnt offer anything new. allende's feminist passions in her childhood and adolescence yrs are relatable and oft true yet hilarious, however the section in regards to real-world facts, figures and statistics often read like a simple regurgitation. this isnt a decent enough book, but there are better offerings for those looking for a book specifically abt feminism.

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jdrosario_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

i’ve never really read many non fiction, but this one is absolutely amazing. it’s brutally honest, it doesn’t skate over any fundamental truths of the book. it talks about women’s sexuality, promiscuity, misogyn, feminism (obviously), machoism, rebellion, age, sexual violence and torture of women, reproducitge rights and gender identity. it’s so informative but somehow keeps a witty humour to it, i highly highly recommend!!!

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halkid2's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.75

Part autobiography and part feminist treatise, THE SOUL OF A WOMAN is unlike the novels of Isabel Allende that I have read. It's much more the personal reflection of an older woman looking back at her own life and the current world that surrounds us.

There is lots to learn about what the author's has lived through, including:

• the traditional values held by her parents and grandparents,

• the violence associated with Chile's repressive political history,

• her early determination to achieve financial independence through her writing,

• two divorces and the death of her much-loved daughter, Paula,

• and finally, at the age of 82, a reflective review of her own success, lifelong commitment to feminism, and contentment in her senior years.

At the same time, there is much in the book that can be universally applied to the lives of women in all strata of society. Particularly our skills, interests, and concerns.

I didn't find the writing as lyrical as Allende's novels. THE SOUL OF A WOMAN is more straightforward, even didactic. Her arguments in favor of making women fully equal to men (around the world) are persuasive and read, in many places, like she's delivering a political speech. I happen to agree with her so that made it easier for me to enjoy the book. If I hadn't, I might have stopped reading.

It's a relatively short book (175 pages) but quite powerful. As she explains near the end of the book, Allende wrote his one in 2020, near the beginning of the global pandemic. And it's clear that timing influenced the book -- since she writes about the opportunity we will all have when the pandemic ends. A fresh chance to remake a better world. Of course now, three years later, it doesn't appear to me that gender equality has been targeted as an important worldwide goal. In fact, you could well argue many countries are in a period of regression where women have less control, rather than more.

Nevertheless, I recommend the book for its reasoned arguments, for its optimism, and for the image Allende offers of a world populated by equals.

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marlenebrennt's review

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emotional hopeful fast-paced

3.75

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bookswithbront's review against another edition

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funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.0

Reading this felt like talking to a very cool, progressive grandmother: winding and rambling and not always aligned with how I see the world, but ultimately full of beautiful insight. I think this is a book I’ll want to revisit when I’m older, too.

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fatima_ff's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

5.0

If I could package this book up and re read it to people everywhere I would. If I could play this book in short bite-sized tiktok shaped pieces all over the internet I would. If I could reel-ify this for Instagram I would.

It said everything. Every single thing you could possibly wanna say or hear from an elderly woman who has fought the good fight and stayed on the right side of history no matter the hardship or calamity that came for her.

“There is no feminism without noise”

“Defy. Disobey. And disrupt” the only way to end the patriarchy.

I cannot believe this would be my jump into nonfiction! I’m SO in!

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caroline_rt's review

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informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25

I like that worldwide numbers, statistics and facts were presented in an easily understandable way and also non-western circumstances were described. It is very inspiring that a woman from an “older“ generation & from a conservative country like Chile is fighting for feminism her whole life. The book gives away motivation to keep standing up for oneself and other women even though it often is frustrating.

What I did not like: Some statements were surprisingly conservative and did not really fit to the rest, e.g. feeling sorry for a man who cannot handle his girlfriend‘s interest in sexual psychology, or reproducing narratives about women (being sensitive/empathic, able to love unconditionally or aiming to protect their children at all cost which was presented as kind of „life goal“). In general, the book is written out of an hetero cis perspective only and might therefore not be very relatable for LGBTQIA+ persons.

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