Reviews

Women Lovers, or The Third Woman by Melanie C. Hawthorne, Chelsea Ray, Natalie Clifford Barney

f18's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Love is heavy for two to carry, and happiness is monotonous.

I don't have patience for messy relationship drama, but if that's your thing this novelette has it in SPADES.

I hated all three of the main characters and read N's behavoir and thoughts as narcissistic (maybe a result of it being compiled from journals which are by nature internal and focus back on one's self) and had trouble empathizing even when N/Natalie confronted her own flaws. On the other hand, I read it compulsively to find out what wild shit these women would do next.

The two introductory essays and the discussion of La Troisième as a concept (both in the novel and the accompanying material) were incredibly interesting. Really enjoyed those bits. 

Plus the few sex scenes were pretty great c:

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcohol

gannent's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.75

Really enjoyed this. The stylistic experiments, the insertions of letters and poems, and the transitions between first and third person were engaging and interesting. And I love a book that’s exclusively about women. Definitely one I can imagine going back to again. 

bgibs122's review

challenging funny reflective slow-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

3.75

The introductory essays set the stage for this inventive and stylistically varied read. Definitely one I ended up blasting through for a book club, but want to come back to—I think I’d get more on a reread. I like that it deals with romance across a few different styles; it hits the romantic and aching parts of my brain in an appreciative way.

anniclls's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

thebankofbooks's review

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

k_strau's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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

A truly brilliant roman a clef, finally translated & published almost a century after being written. Natalie Barney cleverly uses multiple genres and writing styles in one novel and shows a side of herself few throught possible. The autobiographical novel shows the author, her lovers, and literary Paris of the 1920s in a new light. Beautiful, witty, decadent, sexy - a pleasure to read.

paige394's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0