witchhenrietta's reviews
423 reviews
Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism by Aja Barber
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Fix the System, Not the Women by Laura Bates
informative
slow-paced
3.5
I don‘t know. It IS a great book if you‘re starting out on your intersectional feminism journey. Laura Bates has done great research that went into this book and over a decade of work that is actually moving something in the UK. All of that is part of this book.
Generally, I just think we need more books from Black women and women with more marginalised identities being pushed by the media. This isn‘t the one, no matter how brilliantly the intersections are outlined. I hope that if you decide to read this book, you then go on and seek out the most marginalised voices who have been shouting for decades but aren‘t heard because of the oppression partially described in this book.
Generally, I just think we need more books from Black women and women with more marginalised identities being pushed by the media. This isn‘t the one, no matter how brilliantly the intersections are outlined. I hope that if you decide to read this book, you then go on and seek out the most marginalised voices who have been shouting for decades but aren‘t heard because of the oppression partially described in this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Violence
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
READ THIS BOOK. That is all. Such a good story effortlessly explaining what is wrong with white feminism and how deeply ingrained racism and white supremacy are in all areas of our lives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Murder, and Hate crime
The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
Did not finish book. Stopped at 75%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 75%.
This book has not aged well. It relies too much on being incredibly privileged and believing in a Christian God, even though the author denies it. The blatant weight stigma and fatphobia was the thing that then kept me from reading any further. It is all very out of touch with reality and I cannot see past that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Ableism, and Body shaming
Minor: Homophobia
Go read something that comes from an informed space. Informed about everything that is going on in the world. These things have also been going on when this was written, so there‘s no excuse for this nonsense.
Metaphysics of Astrology: Why Astrology Works by Ivan Antic
slow-paced
0.25
There are some great theories described in this book. It does not do what it says on the tin, though. And it is written (and translated) in such an inaccessible way that I had no pleasure reading it. I finished it regardless because I thought maybe there comes a great conclusion at the end. Nope. Thoroughly disappointed.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia, Sexism, Misogyny, and Homophobia
Cuts Both Ways by Candice Brathwaite
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Just read it. I haven't read anything this beautiful in a long time. The twists and turns, the love, the heartache, the grief, the sorrow, the joy and happiness. All of it. So good. Read it, please. And to Candice: THANK YOU for writing this. Can't wait for the next one!
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
The most problematic book I‘ve read, probably ever. I know it‘s dystopian and when it was written, but that doesn‘t make it okay. Still promoting this as a classic is ridiculous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Cultural appropriation, Classism, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Transphobia, Sexism, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Body shaming, Violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Colonisation, Addiction, and Biphobia
Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing From White Supremacy by Rachel Ricketts
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Menopausing: The Positive Roadmap to Your Second Spring by Davina McCall, Dr. Naomi Potter
medium-paced
1.75
Whilst this book does contain a fountain of knowledge around the menopause, it excludes a large portion of people who may go through menopause, too. The author is heavily subscribed to diet culture (which I had known had I researched her before picking up this book on a whim) and throws around fatphobic slurs left, right and centre. DO NOT READ if you're trying to move away from diet culture and have a history of bad body image, disordered eating or eating disorder(s).
If you are a slim white woman with all the privileges in the world and are happy to ignore all intersectionalities of marginalisation, then go ahead and read this book. Otherwise, please don't spend your money on something that will actually make you feel worse about yourself; disguised as the opposite.
If you are a slim white woman with all the privileges in the world and are happy to ignore all intersectionalities of marginalisation, then go ahead and read this book. Otherwise, please don't spend your money on something that will actually make you feel worse about yourself; disguised as the opposite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Racism and Transphobia