The Crux is a little-known work from Charlotte Perkins Gilman, best known for The Yellow Wallpaper. It tells the story of a group of women who move west to begin a business together, and is a parable for what Perkins Gilman saw as the hidden dangers facing young women at the time.

Reviewing a book like this is always a conundrum. My enjoyment and appreciation of the book is as much for its historical context and insight as it is for the book itself.

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This is where a good introduction can make a huge difference, which this book accomplishes with its new introduction by Ambrose Kelly. Kelly lays out the context brilliantly, drawing our attention to the key themes and explaining how they fit into first-wave feminism.

Having read that introduction, I enjoyed the book much more. We follow a varied group of women, from the young aspiring teacher to the world-weary doctor, as they fight to be informed and in control of their own health and futures. As broad goals, these concerns are very much still at the heart of the feminist movement, even if some of the finer details have changed.

The finer details are, in my opinion, where the most interesting part of this book lies. It sheds light on the importance of eugenics to many early white feminists. It starts an important discussion about how much feminism has changed – and how much still needs to change. What is presented by Perkins Gilman as a simple cautionary tale could potentially spark a very interesting and nuanced conversation over a century after its initial release about health, fertility and autonomy.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a copy for review. All opinions are my own. I have written and published this review as part of Love Books Tours.