Reviews by samdalefox | The StoryGraph

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samdalefox

Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

4.75

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

Informative, infuriating, and intense. The book is facts and data gaps one after another boom boom boom. I listened to this via audio book and had to have more breaks than I usually would for a non fiction intersectional feminism book. Partly because of the barrage of statistics (I needed time to process them in my brain), but also the barrage of sadness. Sadness that half the population are treated so poorly, as an after-thought, if they're ever thought of at all. I think I may have given this 5 stars, however due to the audiobook format I couldn't access the (presumed?) bibliography to check out the references. I would ahve preferred to buy this as a physical copy to refer to, but it was on sale for £1.99 for International Women's Day so I couldn't resist.

I believe this is necessary reading for all people. Because believe it or not, the lives of women affect all people. This is an antidote to wilful ignornance. As repeatedly demonstrated throughout the book, women overwhelmingly take care of 'social reproduction' which is socialist terminology for people making (child bearing, raising, socialising, caring for). This financially unrecognised work is literally what makes the capitalist world go round.

The book does a good job at building upon ideas and concepts (such as 'man as default'), explaining what data gaps are, how they impact society, how they are limiting, harmful, or misunderstood, and how the data gaps can and should be used and rectified. There are numerous examples from intersectional communities across the globe, with what I believe to be appropriate interrogation of the available data. What I particularly appreciated was the author's attempts to highlight the benefits that can be gained from resolving these data gaps. Although equality/equity in itself is a moral good, the myriad economic, societal, and envorionmental benefits are astounding. I learnt something in each section, I'd recommend reading sequentially through it to fully benefit.

Chapters of the book:

Intro: the default make
Daily life
The workplace
Design
Going to the Doctor
Public life
When it goes wrong

Content Warnings

Arfid Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: A Guide for Parents and Carers

Rachel Bryant-Waugh

4.0

informative

This book does what it says on the tin. It's a guide for parents and carers who have a child/adult family member/friend suffering with ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).

I read this to better understand and help a family member who currently has ARFID. Despite my medical science background, I do think that this guide is very accessible to all readers. It has a comprehensive glossary of terms, the author explains concepts very clearly using plain language, and gives a range of scenarios and examples to illustrate these. I found the diagrams and summary lists very helpful.

This is a brilliant introduction to ARFID and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn what is is, why people develop it, and what the current treatments are. The book is only limited by the current scarcity of scientific evidence to give further information on the disorder. I rated this 4/5 because although the writing was excellent, I found parts of it repetitive (to aid accessibility I believe) and there were whole chunks that were not applicable to my family member. Overall, this is a good thing though, use this book as appropriate for your own friend or relative with ARFID. It is not condescending at all, so people with ARFID may enjoy reading this themself and self-reflecting on their personal experiences.

Content Warnings

Into the Wild

Erin Hunter

3.5

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I'm reading this as a 28 year old British adult woman. My pen pal (10 year old American girl) kindly gave me a copy of this for my birthday because she's enjoyed reading the series and we both like cats. It was a quick read and I really enjoyed it! I'll be reading the rest of the first series for sure. One, to be able to discuss it with my pen pal, but two because I'm genuinely enjoying them. It reminded me of the kind of books I enjoyed reading at her age (Pendragon, The Last Dragon Chronicles etc.); it's adventurous and fast paced. The first book is all about setting the scene of who the cat clans are and how they operate. We follow Rusty (Firepaw), who was once a housecat and his journey to joining the Thunderclan as a warrior.

So far I think this is a great book series for kids. They tackle most of the things you'd like them to introduce to kids: e.g. working together as a team, being confident in yourself/independent, the importance of honesty, respect for nature, it showcases a strong women leader. It does have violence, but this is the natural violence of nature, not gratuitious violence and it certainly isn't gory or detailed. The one and only point I thought wasn't explained well, was why the cat clans couldn't reach an accord and share hunting rights of their lands to ensure everyone prospers. I hope that this is a storyline they return to in the future, otherwise the story does endorse the idea of borders, them vs us mentality, militarianism, and resource scarcity.

Content Warnings

Revenge

Yōko Ogawa

4.75

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I adored this short story collection. I have previously read Ogawa's 'The Memory Police' and I'm delighted that I enjoyed her short stoies just as much. Her writing style remains easy to read, engaging, vivid, ordinary yet disturbing. Her work is the best example of magical realism and speculative fiction that I've come across. It's captivating to read.

This was sooooo close to being 5 stars. I'm still torn over it. If StoryGraph hadn't implemented the 0.25 increments this would definitely by rated as 5 stars. The reason I didn't score it full marks, was I think the last two stories 'Tomatoes and the full moon' and 'poison plants' let the collection down a little bit. The connected, convoluted, unreliable story within a story technique was exhausted and a little confusing in these last two stories. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed spotting the connections and imagery between the stories. I think it's rare for short story collections to feel cohesive, and 'Revenge' certainly does that as it layers stories and characters on top of each other like pages of surreal translucent OHP acetate.

List of the stories in the 'Revenge' collection:

Afternoon at the Bakery (5)
Fruit Juice (5)
Old Mrs J (5)
The Little Dustman (5)
Lab Coats (5)
Sewing for the Heart (5)
Welcome to the Museum of Torture (5)
The Man Who Sold Braces (5)
The Last Hour of the Bengal Tiger (4.5)
Tomatoes and the Full Moon (4.5)
Poison Plants (4.5)

Content Warnings

The Unit

Ninni Holmqvist

2.75

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I read this as an audiobook. Pros: the narrator aided my undertanding of pronunciation of Swedish names and words. Cons: I probably would have moved through the book at a quicker pace if reading it as a physical book.

There were many interesting themes and topics introduced in the book, however they were done so 'quietly'. This is not your usual on-the-nose dystopian feminist-critique. I am glad I read it and appreciate the style, but I don't think ultimately that it's for me. There were only a few moments that really grabbed my interest. The ending frustrated me but I do think it was the right choice for Dorrit (the protagonist) and the overall 'quiet/passive' social and political commentary of the book.

What would have improved the rating for me was more world building outside of the unit. I'd like more social and political insights as to why The Unit exists, what justifies it, do people support or oppose it etc. I think this could have been incorporated in the 'quiet' style of the author. We get a glimpse of how these societal views have sadly developed towards the end of the book, but it wasn't enough to satisfy me and fully contextualise the reactions of the residents imprisoned inside The Unit.

If you are interested in any of the following, you will find 'The Unit' an interesting read:

Feminism - specifically how Capitalism has openly and specifically centered cis-hetero social reproduction (child rearing) as a critical necessity to the economy.
Imprisonment
'Utility', humans' 'use' or 'purpose' in society
Reproduction rights/reproduction freedom complexity
Ageism and utilitarianism - think along the lines of 'Logan's run
Being alone vs being loney
Chosen family and love e.g. pets
Who is 'dispensable' in society, who is valued, who are role models?
Disability ethics (the social model vs medical model) - there was a fascinating short story in Part 2 about a mother and a disabled baby that was particularly thought provoking.
Authoritarian tactics, surveillance - think 'big brother'
Treating humans with dignity - this was highlighted through a conversation with the staff member called Potter.
Conflation between the 'value' of life and 'cost' of life. e.g. money spent by the state on each person, limitations of Capitalist computations
People who are sure of themselves and follow their dreams vs people who are not sure of themselves and/or did not live the life they wanted.
The social impact of non-conformity
The difficulties of being child free, being treated as a second class citizen, losing friends to parenthood. I strongly resonated with these parts.

One final comment. I don't know what the Swedish-vibes are out there in the world, but this is not the first time I've seen this intense community spirit linked to Swedish people. Think about that scene in 'Midsommar' where the lead is screaming/crying and very upset and the rest of the women surround her and scream with her until she is calm. There are similar vibes in 'The Unit'. I am unsure if this is cultural commentary and whether this is a positive or negative take, without more information I believe it could be interepreted either way.

Content Warnings

The Little Book of Liverpool

Alexander Tulloch

3.0

funny informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

I don't really want to give this book a star rating! It's a short factual book with snappy facts and details about the historic city of Liverpool. I think the structure of the book is perfect for dipping in and out of or reading just the chapters you're interested in, e.g. sport or music etc. No, it's not just about the Beatles! It covers a lot of ground, but was published in 2011, so more recent events and people from the last decade are naturally excluded. Peoples' enjoyment will depend on what they're interested in hearing about. I've plumped for 3 stars to reflect this fact. I read the entire book, and some sections stood out to me due to personal interest, and some parts were 'meh', but others may find fascinating!

A list of personal highlights of history and factoids:

Scouse (the food)
Bessie Braddock (Former Communist and Labour MP)
Bernard Bartels (the Liver birds' sculptor)
The origin of the Adelphi Hotel's name
The origin of the term 'nicked' (stolen)
John Moores (Businessman)
Jeremiah Horrocks (Astronomer)
Giles Gilbert Scott (Architect)
SuperLamBanana scupture
George Melly (Art historian, Surrealism)
Thomas Beecham (Composer)
Simon Rattle (Conductor)
Horse racing, Aintree, The Grand National
Boxing
Felicia Hemans (Poet)

The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls

Mona Eltahawy

2.75

challenging funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

TLDR: The themes and messages of this book about intersectional feminism are revolutionary and vitally important. It is the writing style that seriously lets it down. Don't be put off!

I feel it necessary to say: I love Mona Eltahawy. I love her blog, her newsletter 'Feminist Giant' (which I highly recommend you sign up to), and I love her previous work on intersectional feminism. I fully support the core messages of this book. The reason I've scored 'Seven Necessary Sins' so low is because I think the writing style actually hinders the reader from fully grasping the revolutionary importance of her message. This is evidenced by two factors. One, even I, already an avid supporter who is familar with her work, found this book a slog to get through. Second, it is disappointingly obvious from reading other peoples' reviews that Eltahawy's points are often sailing right over their heads. This could have been easily rectified by cutting down on repetition and maybe giving each chapter a bit more structure, such as: subheadings, core messages, a 'how to practice this sin' ideas, or highlighting case studies. In its current form it reads like a rambling first blog draft where Mona is so caught up in her passion for fucking the Patriachy that it fails to sweep along the uninitiated. Also, please stop using the phrase 'put on notice', you're describing actions of resistance! What you are describing is no longer a warning, but the promised consequences of centuries of warnings. For those that find this book difficult I'd recommend reading this extremely short manifesto first ( Feminism for the 99%: A Manifesto, by Cinzia Arruzza, Nancy Fraser, and Tithi Bhattacharya) then return to Mona's work.

Make no mistake. Each sin she discusses is vital, has solid rationale, and has glorious references. Each 'sin' is a chapter. My favourites are highlighted below.

Anger
Attention
Profanity* - loved the case studies in this one, I was introduced to some amazing activists such as Stella Nyanzi
Ambition
Power* - loved the reframing of what power is/can be. I read this as supporting revolution rather than reform. E.g. don't aim to become the newest oppressors at the top of the hierachy, burn the hierachy to the ground a build a more equitable society recognising intersections of opporession and experience. I was introduced to the Demita Frazier and The Combahee River Collective Statement.
Violence* - loved the examination of Mary Anne Franks's 'Optimal Violence'
Lust* - personally enjoyed the bisexuality = rebellion shoutout. She also highlights the importance of Queerness in all its forms and the inclusion of trans WOC (women of colour, in particular Black and Muslim).

There are many quotable excerpts, below are some of my favourites:

“As a black woman, I always had to invent the power my freedom requires.” – June Jordan, Jamaican American poet.

“Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.” – Assata Shakur, founding member of the Black Liberation Army.

"We must teach girls to be free. We must teach girls that they have the right to live without fear of being interrupted, assaulted, insulted, or otherwise abused. We must teach gils to seek adventures and to be independent. And we must teach boys constraint. I hate that word, and I hate the idea of stamping out anybody's freedom, but if the freedom that boys are taught is that their right comes at the expenses of girls - which it does - then we are raising boys with the wrong lessons. We must teach boys that girls do not owe them time, attention, affection, or more; that the bodies of girls belong to girls, and that assaulting or abusing girls is wrong. Full stop." - Mona Eltahawy

"...the beating heart of any revolution must be the twin forces of consent and agency". - Mona Eltahawy

"Unless we impose on societal conciousness just how rife violence againist women is and how it is ordinary men who commit it - and not psychopaths - it will continue to benefit ordinary men." - Mona Eltahawy

Content Warnings

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Christy Lefteri

3.0

challenging sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This is an excellent book for people of Western priviledge to read (meaning: a person from a white colonialist country such as the UK, who has not felt the devestation of war within their homeland for many generations). The book was written drawing on the experiences of real-life Syrian refugees that the author was working with abroad. I think the way this book is written serves to be widely-palletable of the target audience described above. The book describes many of the horrors, humiliations, and tragedies Syrian refugees have faced (and continue to face) on their escape from their country, yet it does so in a santised way. This is both a pro, in that the important messages the author is trying to convey reaches a wider audience. But it's also a con; my major disappointment with the story is that it often felt superficial or sanitised. I could tell it wasn't written by someone with first hand experience since it lacked a rawness you hear in people who have survived life-altering trauma.

Why it is a good book for priviledged white European's to read:

It paint refugees as humans. There is a strong human element throughout the book, describing people in detail and their connections to their family and homeland (exemplified in Mustafa and the apiary).
Gives an accurate description of the limited choices people are faced with when fleeing war - known violence and death at home, or unknown violence and potential death as you flee.
It gives an indication of the types of violences and indignities that refugees face (dangerious travel, traffikers, homelessness etc.)
It gives an excellent indication of trauma related mental illnesses
through Nuri's depression, insomnia, and PTSD, and Afra's psychosomatic blindness. I was particularly impressed with how the book dealt with Afra's condition.
It combats a lot of the diabolical mainstream media bollocks we have in England about refugees. The book highlights just how shit a country we are at supporting and welcoming refugees, this is particularly clear through describing the inhumane asylum seekers' process.

Overall, a story with poignant messages, but a bit too neat and tidy for me personally. I prefer to read non-fiction accounts first hand from refugees. Below is my favourite quote from the book. It emphasises how inherently nature works together for the greater good, and yet us as humans work against that feeling and each other, creating senseless misery and suffering through war.

"People are not like bees. We do not work together, we have no real sense of a greater good".

Content Warnings

It's All in Your Head: True Stories of Imaginary Illness

Suzanne O'Sullivan

5.0

Forty Acres

Dwayne Alexander Smith

5.0

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I loved this book. Mum recommended it to me after she had read it, and usually the thriller genre isn't my cup of tea, but I thought I'd try it and I'm so so soooo glad that I did! The book handles complex ideas of race well and leaves the reader a lot to consider. A social thriller/horror similar to 'Get Out', I was impressed with the scope of the story and look forward to reading more from the author. I'm going to read Smith's latest book 'The Unkind Hours' now precisely because I loved 'Forty Acres' so much.

Forty Acres is a genuine page turner; I read it in two sittings and it held my interest throughout, (it would have been one sitting if I didn't have to go to work). The story develops quickly, but doesn't feel rushed, and although I've seen other reviewers' complain that the style of writing is too simplistic "it reads like an airport thriller", I disagree. The pace and language made for delicious, enjoyable, reading. It was a welcome break from my usual 'heavier' genres and to be brutally honest - the simpler language made the deeply disturbing and difficult topics more bearable and accessible to a wider audience. So, bravo Smith!

I think I enjoyed it so much because it's a thought-provoking thriller. There are definitely tense bits and action bits, but I also found myself agreeing with people with strongly conflicting points of view that stayed with me long after finishing the book. Many of the statements made by Dr. Kasim,

the leader of the secret society of wealthy and powerful black men,

made me pause and reflect on our society as a whole. The author is careful to show many trains of thought about race, class, mutal aid, reparations, revenge, justice, hate (of the self and other), and significantly: intergenrational trauma of Black American men. He does this without preaching a 'one absolute moral truth', which I think was cleverly done to expose the vast grey areas when discussing the lasting impact of

slavery

. I kept thinking about how I would feel if viewing a similar situation through the lens of sexism and I definitely grasped the difficulty in discussing such a hugely personal, historically politcal, and emotional topic.

The one disappointment for me was the obvious sexism and misogynoir introduced into the storyline that was never directly addressed. I think it worked as a passive comment about the kind of power being sort and attained by the men i.e. it's still ultimately about them; an inversion of toxic masculinity and patriarchal power rather than an equitable evolution away from that. And I was glad for the bathroom scene between

Anna and Juanita

. But I would like to have seen a little more active work by the author to directly address this element of the story.

Content Warnings

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