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mcrespo's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
after reading and five star-ing Motherthing, i was so eager to jump into Hogarth's body of work. this one was a little bit of a let down for me unfortunately. i'm still such a lover of Hogarth's writing style, but the plot of this novel is what lost me. the plot seemed like everything and nothing all at once. while Hogarth does bring up some really compelling points -that of which call into question how we value "a woman's work" which Hogarth emphasizes includes both sex work and motherhood- the ending just kind of obscured the message that Hogarth is trying to make. it seemed unclear what Hogarth's overall messaging on gentrification, sex work, and "woman's work" was. in all, this book seemed like a worse version of Ari Aster's Midsommar, and i couldn't help but feel disappointed after coming off the heels of Motherthing, which i very much so recommend. this one is a pass, but i haven't counted Hogarth out just yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Racism and Death of parent
audreyywood's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Normal Women is unique in its story telling and was over all a pleasure to read. The book largely centers around motherhood being deeply fulfilling but not nearly enough to sustain a whole life off of. To find purpose is to find meaning and I appreciated how we saw Dani deeply explore this throughout the book, even if she is a mess through most of it. I also found the commentary on sex work refreshing and balanced. The author did a great job of representing sex workers in a fair light.
The story can drag at times and feel convoluted, but over all it was a fun read.
The story can drag at times and feel convoluted, but over all it was a fun read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Medical content, Trafficking, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Abandonment