BOOK REVIEW: “I Who Have Never Known Men”
by Jacqueline Harpman
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ABOUT THE BOOKS (from Amazon):
Discover the haunting, heartbreaking post-apocalyptic tale of female friendship and intimacy set in a deserted world.
Deep underground, thirty-nine women are kept in isolation in a cage. Above ground, a world awaits. Has it been abandoned? Devastated by a virus?
Watched over by guards, the women have no memory of how they got there, no notion of time, and only vague recollection of their lives before. But, as the burn of electric light merges day into night and numberless years pass, a young girl – the fortieth prisoner – sits alone and outcast in the corner.
Soon she will show herself to be the key to the others’ escape and survival in the strange world that awaits them above ground. The woman who will never know men.
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“I Who Have Never Known Men” by Jacqueline Harpman is not your everyday novel; it’s a profound, thought-provoking journey that begs to be discussed and pondered over.
The premise itself is intriguing and disturbing: 40 women find themselves imprisoned in a cage, guarded by silent men wielding whips, with no memory of how they got there. The setting is stark, the circumstances mysterious and unsettling. As a reader, you’re plunged into this dystopian reality alongside the characters, experiencing their confusion, fear, and yearning for freedom.
One of the most striking aspects of this book is its raw exploration of humanity under extreme conditions. The interactions among the women, their struggles to remember their past, and their attempts to understand their present are compelling and rich with meaning.
I was absorbed from start to finish, though I must admit, the ending left me with mixed feelings. It’s the kind of ending that doesn’t wrap everything up neatly, which is precisely why it’s so impactful.
Honestly, I’m left wondering why this isn’t a staple in high school reading lists. It’s the kind of book that could spark endless debates and discussions, opening young minds to complex ideas and societal critiques.
For anyone considering picking up “I Who Have Never Known Men,” be prepared for a book that is far from a light read. It’s a novel for those who appreciate stories that challenge, provoke thought, and stay with you long after the final page.