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A review by sarahholliday
A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The last 20% of this book saved it for me. Up until that point, I vacillated between sympathizing with Jillian and her disdain for the elite women of the Nevertheless club, and getting tired of hearing Jillian's rantings without any suggestion of how to do better.
But then...
The "plot twist" mid-way through the story didn't come as much of a surprise. What did catch me off guard was the ending. Seeing Jillian develop a nuanced understanding of class dynamics and individual responsibility kept the story from becoming overly moralistic or judgmental. I could've done with more of that nuance sooner, but in the end I think A Special Place for Women is a funny, entertaining, smart, snarky take on modern womanhood, notions of sisterhood, and class dynamics.
But then...
The "plot twist" mid-way through the story didn't come as much of a surprise. What did catch me off guard was the ending. Seeing Jillian develop a nuanced understanding of class dynamics and individual responsibility kept the story from becoming overly moralistic or judgmental. I could've done with more of that nuance sooner, but in the end I think A Special Place for Women is a funny, entertaining, smart, snarky take on modern womanhood, notions of sisterhood, and class dynamics.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood