My Review of ‘I Who Have Never Known Men’ by Jacqueline Harpman
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Before we dive in, I have to warn you: I Who Have Never Known Men leaves you feeling hungover! I found myself thinking about it for days, unsure of what to do with myself once I finished. It was such a quick read because I just couldn’t put it down, but then I was left wondering, “How do I move on?”
Honestly, I haven’t picked up another book since finishing this one, and it’s been weeks!
This book is totally outside my usual genre. I only grabbed it because a friend—who shares my love for reading—rated it five stars, and I had to ask her what it was about.
I’m still not sure how to categorize it. What struck me most was how it took me to places in my imagination that I’d never willingly explore. Normally, books like this send my anxiety into overdrive, but Jacqueline Harpman’s writing is so compelling that it didn’t trigger any fear or panic. She crafted a beautifully dark and bleak story.
Details About I Who Did Not Know Men
“I Who Did Not Know Men” follows a group of women trapped in an underground cell with guards, and what unfolds is nothing like you’d expect. It’s a tale of loss, loneliness, exploration, and sheer willpower. It’s tough to put into words, but so far, it’s the best book I’ve read this year. I’m not even sure why I can’t give it five stars—it probably deserves it—but maybe I’m just being stubborn about awarding a perfect rating to a book that didn’t quite give me everything I wanted.
You get to know these women in an up close and personal way, they each have their quirks and things that they bring into the group of women. Everyone learns to use their skills and adapt to their ever-changing world. I don’t want to give away the book but I will tell you that there are some sad parts and you learn to deal the loss in the book but like I mentioned before, it didn’t hurt in the way most books like this would have.
Ursula K. LeGuin meets The Road in a post-apocalyptic modern classic of female friendship and intimacy.
This books is very hard to explain because it’s so different and written in such a beautiful way.
I want to recommend “I Who Did Not Know Men” to EVERYONE. No joke, it was that good! I truly believe everyone will take something meaningful away from it. It’s subtle, beautiful, soul-crushing, and yet somehow heartwarming. I read this book in a weekend and I’m so glad I picked it up. It’ll stay with you for a long time.
Let me know if you’ve read it and what you think!
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Victoria Cornell helps women adopt a positive mindset even when the struggles of motherhood feel overwhelming. On her sites, Motherhood Life Balance, Neon Moon and Bookworm Era she writes about ways to reduce stress with mindset, manifesting, goal planning, productivity, and more.