'Girl, Woman, Other' by Bernardine Evaristo is a powerful and raw portrayal of Black womanhood in Britain, challenging stereotypes and expanding perspectives.
The novel adopts a fluid and experimental writing style, breaking traditional syntax and conventions, allowing the characters' voices to flow freely.
Deep dives
Overview of 'Girl, Woman, Other'
Girl, Woman, Other is a novel that explores the lives of 12 diverse Black British women. Each chapter focuses on a different character, including a playwright, an executive, a teacher, a 93-year-old, and more. The novel delves into the complexities of their lives, shedding light on the loves, losses, and struggles faced by Black British women. It challenges stereotypes and expands perspectives, offering a powerful and raw portrayal of womanhood. The author, Bernardine Everisto, adopts a fluid and experimental writing style, breaking traditional syntax and conventions, allowing the characters' voices to flow freely.
The Creation of Complex Characters
The characters in Girl, Woman, Other are carefully crafted by the author to represent a range of backgrounds, ages, and experiences. From the young and outspoken Yas to the 93-year-old farmer Hattie, each character brings a unique voice and perspective to the novel. The author finds joy in breaking conventional rules of syntax and structure, allowing her imagination to roam freely and create deeply layered characters. Some characters, like Penelope, are inspired by real-life individuals, while others, like Amma, have autobiographical elements. The interweaving of their stories and connections adds depth and complexity to the narrative.
The Fluidity of Syntax
One of the defining features of Girl, Woman, Other is its fluid and experimental approach to syntax. The novel defies traditional grammar rules, using fewer full stops and capitalizations, and blurring the boundaries between prose and poetry. This unique style allows for a greater sense of freedom and imagination in the storytelling. While the fluidity of syntax may have made the editing process challenging, it ultimately enhances the reader's experience by immersing them in the characters' stream of consciousness and deeper emotions. The novel is described as a fusion fiction, combining poetry, prose, and unconventional structures.
Impact and Reception
Girl, Woman, Other has resonated with readers, earning critical acclaim and becoming a New York Times bestseller. The novel provides a timely exploration of Black womanhood and its intersections with identity, race, class, and sexuality. It highlights the strength, resilience, and diversity of Black British women, challenging stereotypes and expanding readers' understanding and empathy. The characters' stories, despite their fictional nature, reflect the experiences and struggles faced by many women in society. With its powerful themes, unconventional style, and thought-provoking narrative, Girl, Woman, Other has captivated readers and cemented Bernardine Everisto as a talented and innovative author.
Us? We are absolutely thrilled to bring you our very first Shameless Book Club chat of many, with a book we so adored. This month, we’re talking all about ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo. As the joint winner of the 2019 Booker Prize, this book is a love song to Black womanhood in Britain, and follows the lives of twelve disparate characters.
Today on the show, Mich, Zara and Annabelle discuss the book’s absence of syntax and punctuation, our favourite characters, and juicy plot twists (we’re looking at you, Winsome).
You can browse the eBook and audiobook versions of past book club picks in our room on Apple Books! Have a look-see right here. (You might spot our little baby, The Space Between, in the mix there, too.)
Want to support our show? We are sending air kisses, air tea, and air hugs (too far?) to anyone who clicks ‘subscribe’ on Apple (bonus hugs for anyone who leaves a five-star review, too) or ‘follow’ on Spotify.
Still not enough? Well! Our hearts! See below for everything else.
