What makes a good dystopian tale? A lot of attention had recently been drawn to Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, A Handmaid’s Tale. The reason? The book itself shows the downfall of American society from the liberty to the exact opposite. For women at least. At first women are fired from their jobs before seeing the… Continue reading Trump; and Dystopian Fiction.
Tag: Feminist
Not so Sweet Pea.
You may have noticed a new TV series on Sky called Sweet Pea. What you might not realise is that there is a series of books by CJ Skuse. I recently read the first one (titled Sweet Pea) to see what all the fuss was about. What I found was a wonderfully sardonic first hand… Continue reading Not so Sweet Pea.
Burn, Witch, Burn. Stories of Witches.
There has been a huge upturn recently in the number of books about witches and witchcraft. Practicing witchcraft, being a witch, has become almost trendy. But literature, like society, has taken its time to get here. Let’s go back to when witches were dragged into popular culture kicking and screaming. The witch trials and the… Continue reading Burn, Witch, Burn. Stories of Witches.
Acton, Currer, Ellis and The Madwoman in the Attic
I recently visited the wonderful village of Haworth in West Yorkshire which was, of course, the home of the Brontë family. I have been before many times but the place means something to me. I grew up with a knowledge of the sisters, I share a name with one of them, as does my sister.… Continue reading Acton, Currer, Ellis and The Madwoman in the Attic
Aphra Behn, International Woman. The Trailblazing Writer, Spy and Feminist Icon
As it’s International Women’s Day today I wanted to draw attention to a hugely influential female writer, Aphra Behn.Aphra Behn was one of the first women to ever make a living from being a writer. Born in 1640 in humble circumstances, Aphra led a life that is worthy of a novel itself. She rubbed shoulders… Continue reading Aphra Behn, International Woman. The Trailblazing Writer, Spy and Feminist Icon
The Five
This is a very important book. It changes the lens of history and turns a story we all know well into one we have never heard. The Five Hallie Rubenhold’s meticulously researched tome tells the stories of the lives of the five canonical victims. Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane… Continue reading The Five