grace_ezri's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.0
The yellow wallpaper is an iconic short story that I love! Its creepy and intriguing and has such a cool role in history. So when I saw that this author has written more short stories I had to read this book. All of her stories share similar themes surrounding feminism such as Independence, Voting, Working Rights, "Wifely Duties", and more. It was an interesting peek into feminist thinking of that time. Towards the end of the book the stories all started to bleed together and appear very similar. This of course also came from a very white upper class feminist perspective and had a tendency to ignore race or class issues. But overall I think Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a great writer and it was nice to see someone fighting for women's rights
aroomofonesown's review
4.0
herland 3/5
this is a utopian novel, depicting a land where there are no men. here, we follow the story of three men and their journey into discovering this land and it’s civilizations.
in this novel, charlotte perkins gilman decides to criticize our societies through the ‘innocent’ and curious questions of the women as the men attempt to explain their lands to them. by having them question everything, the reader themselves begins to question our world too, and as we follow along with the narrator (one of the men) as he grows more and more conscious of the defects of our world and how unfair and inhumane it actually is, we begin to create the same conclusions. however, Charlotte offers us an additional two perspectives on it; one from an extremely misogynistic man and the other a man who idealizes women. through such extreme views, it’s as if she attempts to communicate to us that balace is essential and that neither sex should be glorified or demonized in such extremities.
the yellow wallpaper 5/5
this is one of Charlotte’s most famous short stories, following some short enetries written by an unnamed woman struggling with mental illness while she stays at some ancestral halls for the summer time with her husband, child and maid.
this story was absolutely amazing and i loved it. it felt like this woman’s fascination and obsession with furniture was simply a reflection of her own mental state. she refers to ‘plain’ and ‘blank’ furtinure being mesmerizing to her as a child, and now this intricate and deteriorating wallpaper being her main focus in life, as she herself deteriorates from mental health issues. it’s a really interesting piece because it’s very short and leaves you with so many questions.
this is a utopian novel, depicting a land where there are no men. here, we follow the story of three men and their journey into discovering this land and it’s civilizations.
in this novel, charlotte perkins gilman decides to criticize our societies through the ‘innocent’ and curious questions of the women as the men attempt to explain their lands to them. by having them question everything, the reader themselves begins to question our world too, and as we follow along with the narrator (one of the men) as he grows more and more conscious of the defects of our world and how unfair and inhumane it actually is, we begin to create the same conclusions. however, Charlotte offers us an additional two perspectives on it; one from an extremely misogynistic man and the other a man who idealizes women. through such extreme views, it’s as if she attempts to communicate to us that balace is essential and that neither sex should be glorified or demonized in such extremities.
the yellow wallpaper 5/5
this is one of Charlotte’s most famous short stories, following some short enetries written by an unnamed woman struggling with mental illness while she stays at some ancestral halls for the summer time with her husband, child and maid.
this story was absolutely amazing and i loved it. it felt like this woman’s fascination and obsession with furniture was simply a reflection of her own mental state. she refers to ‘plain’ and ‘blank’ furtinure being mesmerizing to her as a child, and now this intricate and deteriorating wallpaper being her main focus in life, as she herself deteriorates from mental health issues. it’s a really interesting piece because it’s very short and leaves you with so many questions.
elenanoa's review against another edition
4.0
three stars for Herland and five stars for The Yellow Wallpaper
hmkervin98's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
sinefant's review against another edition
4.0
(This review focuses mainly on Herland)
Herland was first published in 1915 and it is important to keep that in mind while reading the utopian story of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In that sense, the author was definitely ahead of her time and to a great extent her text is still relatable to contemporary readers. However, it is also lacking in some parts,
The imagination of the author and the setting she created are fascinating. At times, the writing can feel a bit lengthy. Regardless, I can recommend Herland to anyone interested in early feminist literature.
Herland was first published in 1915 and it is important to keep that in mind while reading the utopian story of Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In that sense, the author was definitely ahead of her time and to a great extent her text is still relatable to contemporary readers. However, it is also lacking in some parts,
Spoiler
e.g. it seems rather old-fashioned that a land of only women would strictly focus on motherhood and disregard sexuality in its entirety.The imagination of the author and the setting she created are fascinating. At times, the writing can feel a bit lengthy. Regardless, I can recommend Herland to anyone interested in early feminist literature.
calli's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
moinfemme's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
thecharnelraven's review against another edition
Racist themes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism