I'm reading The River Why which is hilarious and thought-provoking, but I just got to the part where he meets the girl. Multiple men have told me the scene is hilarious, and I see why, but do I really need to read about his eyes lingering on her perfect curves? And boy is she so perfect. And apparently (not explicitly) the only woman worth talking to in the book besides his mom.
I love this type of book but I'm sick of getting smacked in the face with the male gaze whenever a woman finally shows up for longer than a passing moment. I tried reading Ride With Me, Mariah Montana and had a similar thing where we get this full description of how great the narrator's daughter's ass is, just like his wife. Like, come on. Couldn't even get past the first chapter without this crap.
Anyway, I'd love a fiction book with a similar dry prose-y humor and a deep appreciation of nature, preferably written by a woman or non-binary person, or at the very least a man who isn't lusting over women so much. I love Annie Dillard's writing, but I want more fiction.
Signed,
An actual real life woman
by chickadum
1 Comment
**Prodigal Summer** by Barbara Kingsolver! Weaves together 3 stories set in rural Appalachia and it blends humor, deep reflections on nature, and a strong ecological message. Her writing is phenomenal