vanessa_issa's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to 404 Ink for the ARC via NetGalley!
This book is a must read for all the people who feel lost and scared reading the news lately. You're not alone.
It's not a book only about politics. It's more about all the issues we have to face for being a woman in a modern society.
And also, this book isn't just for women, you should read it too if you're guy. And please learn something from it.
This book is a must read for all the people who feel lost and scared reading the news lately. You're not alone.
It's not a book only about politics. It's more about all the issues we have to face for being a woman in a modern society.
And also, this book isn't just for women, you should read it too if you're guy. And please learn something from it.
daynpitseleh's review against another edition
3.0
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a collection of essays regarding what it's like to be a woman in today's world - the collection does a pretty good job regarding representation and covers a lot of different topics from around the world. The edition I read did not include two essays that will appear in the final edition (pieces by Kaite Welsh and Anna Cosgrave). Overall, this is a good collection.
This is a collection of essays regarding what it's like to be a woman in today's world - the collection does a pretty good job regarding representation and covers a lot of different topics from around the world. The edition I read did not include two essays that will appear in the final edition (pieces by Kaite Welsh and Anna Cosgrave). Overall, this is a good collection.
carlaonion's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant collection of essays! Challenging and comforting to read at the same time.
instn's review against another edition
3.0
This book was my first real experience of reading essays (outside of an academic context). While I appreciated the intention behind it, I felt that its claim to be a collection of essays and accounts on what it is to be a woman in the 21st century missed the mark. At least three essays looked at feminism and punk rock music, while a large remainder centred on Scottish female experience. Although I can understand the latter considering 404 Ink's origins, as many other reviews have pointed out, there is a sense of haphazardness when reading. The anthology does well in covering numerous topics from immigration, contraception, motherhood, weight loss and religion, however, there were some essays that I struggled to really connect to or see the point of, and at times, felt more like an outlet for the writer rather than an insight into the multiple facets of being a woman.
A bit disappointing, but some absolutely standout essays that definitely made an impact for me were 'The Difficulty in Being Good' by Zelba Talkhani, 'The Rest is Drag' by Kaite Welsh, 'On Naming' by Nadine Aisha Jassat, 'Adventures of a Half-Black Yank in America' by Elise Hines.
A bit disappointing, but some absolutely standout essays that definitely made an impact for me were 'The Difficulty in Being Good' by Zelba Talkhani, 'The Rest is Drag' by Kaite Welsh, 'On Naming' by Nadine Aisha Jassat, 'Adventures of a Half-Black Yank in America' by Elise Hines.
girlglitch's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this insightful collection of essays by women, covering a wide spectrum of feminist issues. It always seems a little hyperbolic to describe a book as 'essential', but Nasty Women is a genuine exception to this rule. It's at once a familiar and enlightening read - reflecting my own experiences back at me with new clarity, whilst also, crucially, opening my eyes to experiences other than my own.
Such an inclusive, intersectional account of young women's experiences in the world today has rarely been more relevant or more needed.
Such an inclusive, intersectional account of young women's experiences in the world today has rarely been more relevant or more needed.
wanderlustlover's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to 404 Ink and NetGalley for this free honest reviewer copy of "Nasty Women: A Collection of Essays and Accounts on What It Is To Be a Woman in the 21st Century."
As a side admission: I kickstarted this book before it ever found its way to NetGalley, but I love it so much that I want people to be seeing reviews of this book everywhere that it is possible for them to be. This book does not disappoint on any level.
Everytime you think you've discovered an issue the book hasn't covered or that any type of woman isn't being properly discussed and shown, you'll turn the page, or ten, or twenty, and they will have that and then raise it by five or ten more things you never even thought you needed.
Nasty Woman looks at the experiences of all women, in all walks of life, and discusses where they all intersection, how they all are impacted and impact each other. It's not just based on the election that spawned (and spurned, I dare say with pride) it into being, but about several of the issues facing women, all races, all sexes.
As a side admission: I kickstarted this book before it ever found its way to NetGalley, but I love it so much that I want people to be seeing reviews of this book everywhere that it is possible for them to be. This book does not disappoint on any level.
Everytime you think you've discovered an issue the book hasn't covered or that any type of woman isn't being properly discussed and shown, you'll turn the page, or ten, or twenty, and they will have that and then raise it by five or ten more things you never even thought you needed.
Nasty Woman looks at the experiences of all women, in all walks of life, and discusses where they all intersection, how they all are impacted and impact each other. It's not just based on the election that spawned (and spurned, I dare say with pride) it into being, but about several of the issues facing women, all races, all sexes.
daria_nedelcu19's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
As is the case with most story/essay collections, I enjoyed some more than others. Nevertheless, the breadth of experiences makes it a worthwhile read, regardless of literary enjoyment.
Choices by Rowan C. Clarke will haunt me for a good, long while.
As is the case with most story/essay collections, I enjoyed some more than others. Nevertheless, the breadth of experiences makes it a worthwhile read, regardless of literary enjoyment.
Choices by Rowan C. Clarke will haunt me for a good, long while.
ellenorange's review against another edition
4.0
Published by 404 Ink, this collection of essays illustrates the issues which are affecting women in the modern day West. The essays are expansive - covering everything from women's reproductive health to witchcraft. It testifies to the plurality of experience, with stories from women with completely different identities, with perspectives from women of colour and those from LGBTQ+ communities.
The stories that these women tell are enlightening and stand out examples are Jen McGregor's highly personal account of how her contraceptive has physically harmed her. This sense of believing you are protecting your body while in fact inadvertently damaging it is poignant through her letter writing style, scattered through her account of what happened. It is also a sharp reminder of how research into women's health and how we deal with this is appallingly poor.
There are a number of pieces which explore musical communities, particularly the punk rock scene, perhaps offering a slightly disproportionate perspective towards this - although since the book and writers are Scottish, this may be something that is more prevalent there. However, it is interesting to explore this scene as a microcosm for wider society.
The perspectives of women of colour are particularly interesting from exploring the importance of names to that of online spaces where people of colour can find representation and expand their communities. These essays were enlightening in highlighting the experiences of British women of colour, so often overlooked in conversations around race where American stories are the primary focus.
The book is short and each writer's style is refreshingly different. However, all converge around one central theme - 'nastiness'. What does it mean to be nasty? In what ways are women labelled as nasty? All of these writers are dealing with the issue of being too outspoken, committing practices others don't like, being in places others don't want them - ultimately all 'nasty' acts. The defining achievement of this is that it reminds us just how far we still have left to go in the fight for equality and is a must read for anyone who doesn't quite feel they understand the issues of modern feminism.
I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
The stories that these women tell are enlightening and stand out examples are Jen McGregor's highly personal account of how her contraceptive has physically harmed her. This sense of believing you are protecting your body while in fact inadvertently damaging it is poignant through her letter writing style, scattered through her account of what happened. It is also a sharp reminder of how research into women's health and how we deal with this is appallingly poor.
There are a number of pieces which explore musical communities, particularly the punk rock scene, perhaps offering a slightly disproportionate perspective towards this - although since the book and writers are Scottish, this may be something that is more prevalent there. However, it is interesting to explore this scene as a microcosm for wider society.
The perspectives of women of colour are particularly interesting from exploring the importance of names to that of online spaces where people of colour can find representation and expand their communities. These essays were enlightening in highlighting the experiences of British women of colour, so often overlooked in conversations around race where American stories are the primary focus.
The book is short and each writer's style is refreshingly different. However, all converge around one central theme - 'nastiness'. What does it mean to be nasty? In what ways are women labelled as nasty? All of these writers are dealing with the issue of being too outspoken, committing practices others don't like, being in places others don't want them - ultimately all 'nasty' acts. The defining achievement of this is that it reminds us just how far we still have left to go in the fight for equality and is a must read for anyone who doesn't quite feel they understand the issues of modern feminism.
I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
ni_kola's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25