prosecco_auntie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Fantastic book. A refreshingly honest look at the sexual choices and practices of African people.
shonatiger's review against another edition
5.0
My review is not going to do justice to this book. I am so blown away.
This is a beautifully curated collection of stories of African women (and women of Afrodescent). It is about their sex lives, yes; but it is about whole persons, about their lives, struggles, and dreams.
I was deeply moved, very surprised (how naive I am! LOL. More things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio!), and inspired. I could relate to many stories. I also empathised deeply, because some of these stories are incredibly sad, with no neat conclusion. How liberated some of these women are! How inspiring their freedom is!
I’ve never read a book like this before, which tells me a lot about how contemporary African women’s voices are curated, how the narrative is controlled, and about the gatekeeping in the publishing industry. That’s one of the reasons this book was so stunning for me. African women speaking so freely about subjects that are normally taboo? Amazing. For this alone, read the book.
But read it also because it’s really well-written, and will open your eyes. It’s like African women finally in colour, after years of grainy black and white.
(I will just acknowledge here that some of my awe may be because I have not been exposed to similar writing before; it may be out there, so please point me to it.)
It receives my highest commendation.
Trigger warnings for sexual abuse, other forms of abuse, domestic violence, pregnancy loss, abortion, FGM. This is necessary because of the subject, and because these are real stories, and is not in any way gratuitous.
This is a beautifully curated collection of stories of African women (and women of Afrodescent). It is about their sex lives, yes; but it is about whole persons, about their lives, struggles, and dreams.
I was deeply moved, very surprised (how naive I am! LOL. More things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio!), and inspired. I could relate to many stories. I also empathised deeply, because some of these stories are incredibly sad, with no neat conclusion. How liberated some of these women are! How inspiring their freedom is!
I’ve never read a book like this before, which tells me a lot about how contemporary African women’s voices are curated, how the narrative is controlled, and about the gatekeeping in the publishing industry. That’s one of the reasons this book was so stunning for me. African women speaking so freely about subjects that are normally taboo? Amazing. For this alone, read the book.
But read it also because it’s really well-written, and will open your eyes. It’s like African women finally in colour, after years of grainy black and white.
(I will just acknowledge here that some of my awe may be because I have not been exposed to similar writing before; it may be out there, so please point me to it.)
It receives my highest commendation.
Trigger warnings for sexual abuse, other forms of abuse, domestic violence, pregnancy loss, abortion, FGM. This is necessary because of the subject, and because these are real stories, and is not in any way gratuitous.
henriettaenam's review against another edition
The Sex Lives Of African Women
Shocking. Raw. Fascinating. Brutally honest
I learnt so much from this book. New terms especially concerning identities and how various people experience pleasure. ; swinging, tribbing, fisting, kink and amongst others.
You’d see in this book how much of damage seeing sex as a taboo in African culture does so much more harm than good.
Topics ; rape, female genital mutilation, abortion , sex workers, disability, HIV, queerness.
I’d make a post of my favourite quotes soon too.
The essays were gripping and in parts: Self-discovery, Freedom and Healing
I actually enjoyed the first parts of the book more especially because the experiences get similar by the time the end approaches. Unique but similar.
I was literally screaming when I saw @salmaelwardany in there . I love her so much
Shocking. Raw. Fascinating. Brutally honest
I learnt so much from this book. New terms especially concerning identities and how various people experience pleasure. ; swinging, tribbing, fisting, kink and amongst others.
You’d see in this book how much of damage seeing sex as a taboo in African culture does so much more harm than good.
Topics ; rape, female genital mutilation, abortion , sex workers, disability, HIV, queerness.
I’d make a post of my favourite quotes soon too.
The essays were gripping and in parts: Self-discovery, Freedom and Healing
I actually enjoyed the first parts of the book more especially because the experiences get similar by the time the end approaches. Unique but similar.
I was literally screaming when I saw @salmaelwardany in there . I love her so much
jasmijnreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
catherinet's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
I laughed out loud, I shed a tear, I physically recoiled at some descriptions, I had to google a few things, overall I learnt a lot about these women and myself. What an important and brave book. Everything “Three Women” is billed as but much much better. There’s no judgement or dramatisation. This is just life. Life includes sex and huge diversity. And hopefully, with more books like this, life will include more acceptance and openness.
readingnomad's review against another edition
4.0
Never read a book like this. Reading African women speak about a subject considered taboo in many African communities, in their own voice is so powerful, so liberating. This book is relevant and necessary. Thank you to the author of providing space for these women to just be and to the brave women who shared their stories. Definitely worth a read!
nadine7's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship
aliciae08's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book.
1. There were a number of similar essays
2. I was surprised by the number of stories by people in the diaspora, when I was expecting mostly people from the continent.
3. The essays were grouped by sections that I didn’t always find accurate—example, the section on healing, there’s an essay where the woman talks about struggling to figure out what she should do next in her polyamorous relationships where her partners don’t actually know about each other.
That being said, I still liked this book. I liked reading the essays where women talked about discovering themselves and how their sexuality shapes them. I loved reading about the “radical” acts people do that make them feel whole.
It was just refreshing that the point of this wasn’t the conservativeness most of the outside world thinks when they think about African/Black family structures. It also wasn’t about the pervasive stereotype of promiscuity of African/Black women. It was (to me) about these women becoming.
I read 1 or 2 essays at a time. I’m glad I did that or I might’ve really hated the book. I reflected on some of my own experiences based on the essays—especially if they resonated.
1. There were a number of similar essays
2. I was surprised by the number of stories by people in the diaspora, when I was expecting mostly people from the continent.
3. The essays were grouped by sections that I didn’t always find accurate—example, the section on healing, there’s an essay where the woman talks about struggling to figure out what she should do next in her polyamorous relationships where her partners don’t actually know about each other.
That being said, I still liked this book. I liked reading the essays where women talked about discovering themselves and how their sexuality shapes them. I loved reading about the “radical” acts people do that make them feel whole.
It was just refreshing that the point of this wasn’t the conservativeness most of the outside world thinks when they think about African/Black family structures. It also wasn’t about the pervasive stereotype of promiscuity of African/Black women. It was (to me) about these women becoming.
I read 1 or 2 essays at a time. I’m glad I did that or I might’ve really hated the book. I reflected on some of my own experiences based on the essays—especially if they resonated.
garlicgrl's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0