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stephrobin's review
4.0
This was an interesting feminist read that turned the patriarchal male gaze on its head, and focused instead on women observing other women. I found the concept really fascinating, that Lydia, the protagonist of this novel eavesdrops on different women who enter her favourite bar, and each chapter is focused on these women's backstories in precise detail, as imagined by Lydia. Often these observations Lydia makes bleed into details of her own backstory, so it begs the question of where reality ends and fantasy begins. I also loved how this book's setting of Montreal explored the growing language and identity politics on the cusp of the second referendum for Quebec's separation (this book was published in 1993). These looming tensions cast a shadow over the bilingual city to this day, which makes this book still highly relevant. And of course as a Montreal native, I appreciated all the references to streets, landmarks, and the legendary arts scene. Another aspect I really appreciated was the exploration of the queer female identity. The fact that there were several lesbian characters in these stories made for great representation. And furthermore, I noticed how in the earlier stories, the queer characters seemed more reserved about expressing their identities, but in later stories, Lydia expresses her desire for multiple women, and the walking woman towards the end mentally declares herself as unambiguously a lesbian. The writing style of "Main Brides" was highly descriptive and poetic, and jumped between narratives, blurring the stories of some characters. While I appreciated many of the descriptions, particularly of the women's fashions, I find it made for a bit of a slower read. The experimental style of storytelling made reading this book almost like observing an art piece, so for me, this book was more thought-provoking and cerebral rather than entertaining, yet certain passages certainly kept me engaged, and always made me reflect. While not the most accessible read, I still really appreciated the experience of having read "Main Brides" and the thoughts and ideas behind it. I would give this a strong 3.5-light 4/5
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