Ex Utero

by Laurie Foos

Laurie Foos-”the unholy love child of Franz Kafka and Erica Jong” (Philadelphia Inquirer)-gives us a “wonderfully deranged and stunning” novel (Fay Weldon, Los Angeles Times Book Review) about the hullabaloo that ensues when a woman somehow loses her uterus at the shopping mall.

Genres: Fiction, Feminism

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book at a used book sale and bought it as a joke, but then when I got home I read it in one gulp. The premise is absolutely absurd--Rita loses her uterus, she thinks at the mall. The whacky premise only escalates as the book continues. Eventually men are masturbating in front of shoe stores, another woman's vagina seals shut in solidarity, and a dog dies from licking up too much menstrual blood. Yeah, it's gross, and that's why it's great.

I loved it. I thought it was hilarious and brilliant satire about how women are treated and how they treat themselves, and about the perils of being a young woman who is not yet interested in reproducing. I've talked to a few people about the book who didn't really get what it was parodying. I'm going to include a few of my favorite quotes in this review that I think make the satire obvious.

"On the third day the phone calls begin. George tries twice to make love to her but tells her the thought of her womb out in the world somewhere so cold and lifeless kills his erection every time.
'We've got to get it back,' is all he will say, his limp penis resting in his hand, curled up like a bad memory." pg. 8-9

"On her way out of the mall Rita gets down on her hands and knees, feeling along the coldness of the tile. Her life has gone to hell in a handbasket, she thinks, her lacquered nails scraping over the floor. When she is about to give up, a woman with a stroller comes barreling toward her, the wheels running over Rita's hands.
'For God's sake, can't you see how low I've sunk?' she screams at the woman. But the woman doesn't stop, she and her baby laughing at Rita as they round the corner on two wheels.
One of the men from the mall security comes and helps her to her feet.
'You've got to be careful, lady,' the man says, his eyes round and full of concern. 'Anything can happen at the mall.'" pg. 13-14

If I have a critique of this book it's that the gag is too long, and very repetitive. She smacks you in the face with her repeated imagery--red high-heeled shoes, scrambled eggs, Cheerios with cold milk, the white hair of Rod Nodderman of "The Nodderman Show", the frenzied charcoal drawings of George's penis. Though all of her imagery is carefully chosen, every one of these things was mentioned a few dozen times too many. I don't wish it was much shorter, because the pacing was actually pretty refreshing and consistent, but I think it could have benefited from some slight editing down.

I'm sure this book isn't for everyone, but it captivated me in unexpected ways. And one thing you can say about it for sure, is that it is completely unique. There is no other book out there like it.

[Angelo IG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Το Ex Utero (κυριολεκτικά "έξω από τη μήτρα" ) είναι ένα σουρεαλιστικό, σατιρικό, φεμινιστικό μυθιστόρημα που παίζει με την έννοια της ταυτότητας, της μητρότητας και της κοινωνικής αντίληψης του γυναικείου σώματος. Η ιστορία ξεκινά με μια γυναίκα που ξυπνά και συνειδητοποιεί ότι έχει -κυριολεκτικά- χάσει τη μήτρα της. Από εκεί και πέρα, το βιβλίο εξερευνά με χιούμορ και ειρωνεία τις αντιδράσεις της κοινωνίας και των μέσων ενημέρωσης πάνω σε αυτό το γεγονός καθώς και σε μερικά άλλα που συμβαίνουν παράλληλα.

Να ξεκαθαρίσω ότι μου αρέσουν πολύ τα περίεργα/παράξενα βιβλία (για την ακρίβεια τα κυνηγάω). Αυτό έχει αρκετά περίεργα και σουρεαλιστικά στοιχεία, όμως νομίζω ότι οι ιδέες του θα μπορούσαν να αξιοποιηθούν καλύτερα. Υπάρχουν συμβολισμοί όπως ας πούμε η μήτρα ως σύμβολο ταυτότητας και αξίας, ΜΜΕ και εμπορευματοποίηση του σώματος, αποξένωση, υστερία, φετιχισμός κτλ. Τα περισσότερα λειτουργούν καλά, κάποια άλλα όχι και τόσο.

Το βιβλίο διαφημίστηκε ως "το ανίερο παιδί του Franz Kafka και της Erica Jong". Όσον αφορά την Erica Jong έχει όντως κάποια σχέση, αφού έχει να κάνει με τη φεμινιστική πρόκληση και σε ένα βαθμό με την ελευθερία της σεξουαλικής έκφρασης. Σχετικά με τον Κάφκα, ελάχιστα τον αγγίζει. Υπάρχει μαλλον η παρεξήγηση ότι το παράξενο είναι απαραίτητα καφκικό. Το Ex Utero είναι πολύ πιο κοντά στην transgressive fiction (π.χ. στα θέματα και τη γραφή του Chuck Palahniuk αν και προϋπήρχε χρονικά αυτών) παρά στον Κάφκα.

Εν κατακλείδι είναι αρκετά καλό και διαβάζεται πολύ γρήγορα. Έχει κάποιο βάθος, αλλά πιστεύω αρκετά πράγματα στην πλοκή θα μπορούσαν να είναι καλύτερα, να συγκλίνουν περισσότερο κτλ.

3.5/5

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laurie Foos has created a true work of art with this book. In this world men are walking erections, a woman can lose a uterus and gender stereotypes become an every day reality. I read this book in one sitting. It was like chewing bubblegum that never lost it's flavor; a string of candied moments. It was extremely well written, though not a difficult read by any means, very culturally relevant and relatable. Women's worth being tied into their fertility is still something that we as a gender struggle with in the 21st century, and I feel it's especially important that great authors like Foos take the time to create works that revolve around these issues so that we can create a dialogue to change the status quo. Though this book is a work of fiction, I found its message to be very real.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

It hooked me in and I couldn’t put it down until it was finished. I loved the recurring tuna fish and cereal themes. Really disgusting images treated with a sort of casual resignation was delightful to encounter. I especially enjoyed the depiction of the ever-flowing blood as well as the tuna fish getting on the keys of the cash register. This whole premise feels spot on how I feel in my own marriage.

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Feminist satire read on the train to Oxford, not that great to be honest one idea not executed that well.

[Betsie Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in grad school... bought at a discount book store in Ann Arbor.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weirdest book I've ever read! (In a fun way)

[Annelise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did a keyword search for women and humorous fiction for this one. It's the story of a 30-something woman who goes to the mall for a pair of sexy shoes and somehow loses her uterus while there. It's one of those novels that borders between postmodern and just plain wacky, but there's plenty here to make you laugh.

[Spider the Doof Warrior · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just didn't like this book because it was so...stupid.
Maybe there's some sort of satirical metaphor I missed or something.
Perhaps it was me, but I just didn't like it. Especially all of the gruesome descriptions of female issues that thankfully don't exist.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really, really weird.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 2.5. An incredibly odd read. At times laugh out loud funny, at other times ... not so much.

[Bel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite fun with some heavy handed symbolism. Ultimately a bit too brief and a bit too absurdist for me.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A A woman loses her uterus

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a really fun book.