Scan barcode
A review by gymbeannz
Any Man by Amber Tamblyn
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book, including the author, is everything wrong with the world.
The most disconcerting thing about Any Man is that it is written by a female.
To think that a female would have any clue what it feels like to be a sexually assaulted male is beyond me. And to think, she attempts to do it... what... seven times? Sevenish different men? I can't even remember. And all in first person, or from emotion-based poetry.
Based on this alone, I realised I couldn't take the novel seriously.
And I was correct. It's not made to shed light on the male's point of view.
Uncomfortable as it is to say, while the novel's purpose is to somehow promote feminism, I suspect it also acts as therapeutic revenge porn for the author. That's... concerning to say the least.
Maude is never caught. Her single communication with the press is a four page list of rhetorical questions that would make anyone feel like a guilty slime, even the reader! We learn she's never been abused, she does these things... for fun. My assumption then? She hates men.
I don't mind a character hating men. We get all sorts in this world and their point of view is a rare and interesting one. But I just can't shake the feeling that the author approves of Maude.
Amber Tamblyn turns a book about male rape victims into a "lesson" about female sexual assault. To be honest, the attempt to connect the two is very impressive.
The most disconcerting thing about Any Man is that it is written by a female.
To think that a female would have any clue what it feels like to be a sexually assaulted male is beyond me. And to think, she attempts to do it... what... seven times? Sevenish different men? I can't even remember. And all in first person, or from emotion-based poetry.
Based on this alone, I realised I couldn't take the novel seriously.
And I was correct. It's not made to shed light on the male's point of view.
Uncomfortable as it is to say, while the novel's purpose is to somehow promote feminism, I suspect it also acts as therapeutic revenge porn for the author. That's... concerning to say the least.
I don't mind a character hating men. We get all sorts in this world and their point of view is a rare and interesting one. But I just can't shake the feeling that the author approves of Maude.
Amber Tamblyn turns a book about male rape victims into a "lesson" about female sexual assault. To be honest, the attempt to connect the two is very impressive.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury