A review by keepreadingbooks
The Bass Rock by Evie Wyld

challenging dark mysterious sad tense 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? It's complicated

3.75

I think there are two types of feminist novels – the empowering, bad-ass ones (like Joan, which I read prior to this one) and the heartbreaking, depressing and/or angry ones. 

 

The Bass Rock falls firmly into the latter category. Every other page makes you think, “fucking men”, and in all honesty, it can be a little overwhelming. There are the big things, like femicide, violence, abuse (both physical and psychological), but in-between are also all the little things, like subtle threats, humiliations, belittling, disregard, neglect and blind male entitlement and privilege. There are all of two decent male characters in this book, and I can’t help but think that that’s not very representative of real life – in any of the three time periods. Personally, I think the point could still have come across with a much subtler approach. 

 

That being said, there is no question this book is written from a place of anger and injustice and of wanting to hammer the full truth of the female experience into the head of anyone reading it, and I can empathise with that. It feels important. And while I think it’s occasionally excessively bleak, I still became sort of fond of this book and especially the mid-1900s timeline. It really left a mark, and it gives a (perhaps slightly intense) idea of what it means and has meant throughout history to be a woman. Prepare to get angry. 

 

My two big grievances are the sheer volume of misery at the hands of men (so make sure to read it when you’re in the right headspace for it) and the fact that the 1700s storyline felt lazy and underdeveloped. It was needed for the ghost element, but otherwise could easily have been left out.