I Who Have Never Known Men

Jacqueline Harpman

1995

June, 2024

5.5/10

Starts off with a strong emotional force. A little too fixated on the sexuality part. The book soon takes on a juvenile quality of dialogue. I didn't like it. It felt stiff and forced, as did the events themselves. There's nothing wrong with the book or its ideas, but there isn't much to gain from them either.

Of course, there's lots of philosophical musing on the idea of meaning and purpose, even community and humanity. But in the end, the book forced itself to be about females. I don't mean that in the sense of exploring the female experience, I rather mean that the book was contrived. It doesn't give room for the reader to draw their own interpretations or conclusions and connect that to femininity on their own.