September girls

Okay, so basically I had to read September Girls because a fight broke out. “It's super sexist!” “It's super empowering!” “Great book!” “Worst book ever!” The arguments seemed to be so strikingly opposite that I began to wonder if maybe people were reading two completely different books. At least until I cracked open September Girls and read it for myself. Then it all made sense.

On one hand, Madison builds a unique and interesting mirror for patriarchal society with the Girls. The constraints placed on them, how they decide to deal with the constraints, their limitations, and yes even the way that the Girls view society as outsiders. However, there's really not enough critique in the text to bring it all home. Not to mention the really most problematic and annoying element the Girls, if they want to be free of the curse, still have to bone a virgin dude. Because female life fulfillment still hinges on some guy's cock.

There are a few sparkle bright moments in the book here and there. On the whole, however, September Girls is sort of dull. The absolutely most frustrating thing about the book is seeing the neverending spark of potential within its pages, but it's quickly extinguished as we make an abrupt one-eighty so we don't have to engage too deeply with the hefty subject matter.