Her Body and Other Parties in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Jan 13, 2018 Noam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: queer, speculative, short-stories, anglo-america, audiolibros, book-group-or-read-with-friend-s

I listened to the story on PodCastle, a PodCast of fantasy short stories. I liked the story itself, but was not a big fan of the narration by Gabrielle de Cuir.

I suppose it depends what you're looking for - if you want to fall asleep to the story, the slow, pause-filled narration is perfect for losing the thread and dropping off to sleep. If you want to actually follow the story, it's maddeningly slow. I'd be interested to read more by Machado, but will be unlikely to listen to more stories narr I listened to the story on PodCastle, a PodCast of fantasy short stories. I liked the story itself, but was not a big fan of the narration by Gabrielle de Cuir.

I suppose it depends what you're looking for - if you want to fall asleep to the story, the slow, pause-filled narration is perfect for losing the thread and dropping off to sleep. If you want to actually follow the story, it's maddeningly slow. I'd be interested to read more by Machado, but will be unlikely to listen to more stories narrated by de Cuir for anything other than falling-asleep purposes.

Merged review:

Brutal and cathartic. I would recommend being in a safe space (emotionally as well as literally) when you read this.

I would like to talk this book over with every woman and/or anyone who has experienced sexual violence, these eight explorations of how our bodies are not considered to be our own. Really. Hit me up on email if you know me in real life, or if not, PM me through goodreads (although if it's through goodreads I might not notice it for a while.)

My first encounter with Machado's work was listening to a podcast of "The Husband Stitch," and will admit that I really did not like it. When I later listened to another story (different author) read by the same narrator, I realized that it was the voice actor and not necessarily the story itself. So when this book came in for me at the library, I started with re-reading "The Husband Stitch" and found I liked it much better in print than when I'd heard it on PodCastle. In fact, I think it ended up being my favorite part of the book - either that or "Real Women Have Bodies." The short conversation between those two bros from the shop next door was perhaps the most real thing I've read for a long time. It's this short little thing, but I think it sums up the whole situation so well: there is this horrific crisis going on, and all they can think about is whether or not it makes them want to f--- someone. The whole idea of "Why would she do this thing that is destroying her and is beyond her control, other than to make herself more sexually desirable to someone like me? Well, it's not working so she should stop." Hmm, sound familiar? ...more

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May 25, 2020 Jennie added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, gave-up, readharder

2020 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge #2: Read a retelling of a classic of the canon, fairytale, or myth by an author of color ("The Husband Stitch") ...more

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